Nassau - How Hard Is It To Automate?

[neutralparty]

OK - I admit it, I'm old-fashioned. I was trained, many many years ago, how to smoothly time out to a network news feed at the top of each hour without resorting to a 2-minute record (that faded). Those days are long gone.

But, is it to much to ask that a station can figure out how to program the proper length psa's, per inquiry's, weather forecasts etc. to fill a defined block of time to join/rejoin a network feed? Especially when it's automated?!?!?!

This post comes after hearing one too many train-wreck joins from the good folks at Nassau Upper Valley, where one can have the pleasure of hearing Imus and ESPN Radio joined in progress (many times as much as 2 minutes late) more than not.

Does the average listener care? Probably not, but then again, they're probably tuned into their iPod or to XM anyway, given the lack of interesting programming on those stations anyway. But, it's the lack of professionalism that amazes me. Pure sloppiness.

 

[bmprfg]

From someone who has been a board op for Imus, I believe it's IMPOSSIBLE to automate the show. Imus takes breaks when he wants, drops breaks etc. It's a nightmare! If Nassau is trying to automate the show, I think they're nuts. If it IS a board op, cut a little slack, as I've seen many times the alloted times for local stop sets don't always match up. As for ESPN, I probably agree with you on that one.

 

[argytunes]

For neutralparty (and others reading this)....the solution is simple.

DON'T include additional promo liners or any spots that that will make the break longer than its alotted time. What usually happens is that the station ID gets "stomped on" by the opening fanfare of a newscast or a syndicated show.

Unless the FCC has changed the rules, aren't station IDs REQUIRED at the top of EVERY HOUR?

I doubt the average listener would be completely upset if there were 1 or 2 seconds of "dead air" going into a feed? A little extra silence certainly sounds BETTER than an 'audio trainwreck'---where the end of one element overlaps the beginning of another!

argytunes

 

[neutralparty]

Re: Imus - fully understand re: the variable breaks during the hour. What I'm complaining about is the join at :05 of each hour, which is fixed - 99% of the time (when he runs over the previous hour, that's understandable). I'm all for sloppy rejoins by a board op - that's not the question here.

 

[nhradiochild]

From someone who has been a board op for Imus, I believe it's IMPOSSIBLE to automate the show. Imus takes breaks when he wants, drops breaks etc. It's a nightmare! If Nassau is trying to automate the show, I think they're nuts. If it IS a board op, cut a little slack, as I've seen many times the alloted times for local stop sets don't always match up.

I suspected as much. Another who was (maybe still is) notorious for taking odd timed breaks is CNN's Larry King Live. Not sure if Larry's the one making the calls, I expect it is CNN, but they were atrocious at keeping stopset lengths fixed. On a minor note, back when WNNE TV31 News at 6pm used to be simulcast on WNTK, board ops needed to cover their breaks with just as much aggravation. And just because I'm mean-spirited and all , back in the day, when Arnie was using WKXL for a flagship station (the first time?), they couldn't START on time, or even give an estimate as to when they WOULD be when called. I believe they called themselves "Highpoint communications" which may have been a way to differentiate the board ops for that show from the station at large. Outside of that show, I had a fairly high respect for WKXL in the 90s.

 

[Pliff]

Argytunes:

You are correct. The FCC still requires top of the hour IDs. (within 5 min before or after in the closest natural break in programming.)

Believe it or not, there are still FCC commissioners "floating around" in our state.

 

[Chuck_igo]

You are correct. The FCC still requires top of the hour IDs. (within 5 min before or after in the closest natural break in programming.)

Believe it or not, there are still FCC commissioners "floating around" in our state.

our stations recently underwent an independent "audit," of sorts, by a company that helps ensure FCC compliance in all facets of broadcast rules/regs. the little bitty wynz-fm-westbrook-portland used to run as the 2nd to last element in the spot break that would end at :56. the result of the compliance audit said that the id, even at :56, was not close enough, which is why you'll hear it now as part of a produced top hour sweeper/id.

 

[Ozman]

Its funny you guys mention that... During the summer while I was at WXCI 91.7 Danbury Ct,
the FCC did a suprise inspection. a good freind of mine the engeneer that was in charge of WXCI was called in so they could inspect the station.
One of the things they checked outside and timmed was if the Call Letters of the station were within 2 min of the top of the Hour on automation. I dunno where you guys get 5 from. Is it diffent based on location or is it 2 or 5? It could really help me and other Dj's who are on our college station
-OZ

Argytunes:

You are correct. The FCC still requires top of the hour IDs. (within 5 min before or after in the closest natural break in programming.)

Believe it or not, there are still FCC commissioners "floating around" in our state.

 

[ray ting]

Allow Professor Ting to clarify the FCC's Station ID rules.

According to 73.1201, a station must give its legal ID "hourly, as close to the hour as feasible, at a natural break in program offerings."

This means that if a station were to ID itself (for example) at the end of a stopset at :56, then play a 3-4 minute song up to the top of the hour and not use the opportunity to do the legal ID after that song, they'd be in violation. Because they didn't do it as close to the hour as feasible.

There is no "five minute rule". Up until (I think) the early 70's, there used to be a "two minute rule", unless a station was broadcasting a symphony or other programming that shouldn't be disrupted.

 

[cooper]

>According to 73.1201, a station must give its legal ID "hourly, as close to the hour as feasible, at a natural >break in program offerings."

Why have I always been told that the "window" is between :55 and :05?

 

[nhradiochild]

The big bad Q106, owned by Nassau's predecessors, used to run their legal ID at :50 past many times. However, this was one to identify translators and such, and if I recall correctly they may have used another identifying COL at the top of the hour as well... but not all the time.

 

[Ozman]

I know a few stations for example z100 in NYC does one at 50 past and then at the top of the hour
this would be an interesting topic to discuss if any of the moderators want to move this to a new subject

The big bad Q106, owned by Nassau's predecessors, used to run their legal ID at :50 past many times. However, this was one to identify translators and such, and if I recall correctly they may have used another identifying COL at the top of the hour as well... but not all the time.

 

[Radiodeity]

Why have I always been told that the "window" is between :55 and :05?

Somehow, somewhere someone "interpreted” that rule to mean “natural break in programming”. Well, to many Programmers a natural break would be when the music stops – like a stop set. I believe they felt any interruption to their finely tuned program clock would cause ratings and listener ship to plummet down the drain. I would think the FCC would believe otherwise since most stations that run a “Legal ID” at :46 past the hour, then run a produced ID at the very top of the hour would be so in violation that the Feds could smack them with a nice fine. How did all that start? Most likely a rim-shot or station licensed to a really small town wanted to hide the real location of the COL in amongst a stop set then have a smooth sounding produced ID at the top of hour. In other words wouldn’t it sound BIGGER to have a well produced ID announcing your station licensed to Portland instead of Dog Corner? (Not that there’s anything wrong with Dog Corner, understand.)

If today’s Programmers actually knew how to hide “Podunk” town names in a “Legal ID” then the glitzy produced Legal ID would most likely be closer to TOH. It’s like Marshall Brodien magic – "It’s easy once you know the secret".

So really, there is no “window”. It’s all interpretation and since "everyone" is doing it – playing a legal ID at say, :46 – then it must be OK now. But that’s my slanted opinion.

Thanks for listening – we’ll try to get that on for ya!

 

[Jacko]

Between :55 and :05 probably was more of a guideline. But if that's the rule according to the FCC, there are a number of Boston area stations that are in true violation. 99.5 WKLB gives theirs around :55 during the stopset, WZLX seems to do theirs whenever they want, WFNX is during the stopset around :50, and WAAF does theirs somewhere around :20 past. Not sure about that one.

Jacko

 

[argytunes]

???

Jacko...

Do you think we should alert "THE FCC POLICE" and let 'em monitor some of the stations you mentioned?

The fines that the commisision would levy could buy some very nice cars, expensive vacations and at least a condo or two?

argytunes

 

[Radiodeity]

Do you think we should alert "THE FCC POLICE"...
The fines that the commisision would levy could buy some very nice cars, expensive vacations and at least a condo or two?

argytunes

Hello Mister argy

I like that idea but how's this for an addendum? If the Feds receive a tip that results in a fine, the “tipster” receives a 10% “finders” fee if a fine is levied?

Then we could buy the cool cars and condos on the oceanfront… Hummmm :

And what's interesting - we would still be working with radio. ;D

 

[argytunes]

;D

Actually...I like the idea of a 10% finders fee...until 6 staff members of the same radio station swear it was THEIR IDEA to notify the FCC police!

Splitting that "10% finders fee" among 6 people isn't going to come out even, unless the other 5 finders ELIMINATE player #6 in some way?

argytunes

 

[Erie_Lackawanna]

;D

Actually...I like the idea of a 10% finders fee...until 6 staff members of the same radio station swear it was THEIR IDEA to notify the FCC police!

Splitting that "10% finders fee" among 6 people isn't going to come out even, unless the other 5 finders ELIMINATE player #6 in some way?

argytunes

well, you could always put the 6 dime-droppers on an island. give them flint and steel, a map to find water, then have them all stand on their hands until there's one person left - then they all sit around a campfire and vote someone out to get that number down to five.... even though standing on hands has nothing to do with radio legal id's, it's somewhat entertaining. what's that? it's been done? okay - so there's 25 briefcases...

 

[ray ting]

Okay, you guys are scaring me now.

 

[Radiodeity]

well, you could always put the 6 dime-droppers on an island. give them flint and steel, a map to find water, then have them all stand on their hands until there's one person left...

No - wait - let's make this real easy. And it could be turned into a radio promotion at the same time. (The sales force will love this one...)

Put the six stool-pigeons in a windowed sound proof room. Then you can video this whole event – stream it from the station’s web site even. Now – you strap all 6 contestants into their chairs so they can’t get away. Then, get out of the room but fast. Next pipe in a loop of Dominique by the Singing Nun so it plays over and over and over until one of them chews off their own leg. The 5 left are the winners!

Now that’s radio! ;D