No wonder Radio is going by way of the Dinosaur

[itiswhatitis]

Okay...enough is enough. I read the posts, i see the stories, i talk with people in the business. All i hear is the angst of corporate radio, and how local radio is going away. Yet almost everyone of of you guys, and girls, when it comes to your recorded shifts, recorded weather, etc you blow it. It's your one chance that you're given to localize it, to create the desire in listeners to stay with you, and you blow it. Case in point...The Score in the Upper Valley..snowing to beat the band in drive time am on Monday...all you hear is "for your scorecast partly cloudy skies this afternoon...highs..etc..etc" If this was recorded that morning..put the damn snow totals, the fact it;s snowing..something..if it was recorded before that..have a freakin policy that it gets recut if there's inclement weather..not rocket science boys. same goes with all the other stations i listened to that morning...not one single reference..all fairness to the live shows.. right on.

When;s the last time you heard a jock make a reference to something local during their recorded shift? It's not hard people..course i don't think Nassau even lets them do that. This isn't hard to do..here's the key..takes alittle time and effort and unfortunately it's easier to grip about it then do something about.

Thank god i've got my ipod...

 

[Ozman]

I'm sorry to say... most of us on this board probably including myself, are unfortunately told what to do by the bigger bosses.
There is so much I could dream about doing with a radio station but likewise like any other job just do what my damn boss tells me to do.

If you ever get a chance listen to WWLR 91.5 Up in the Kingdom when schools in session. every DJ is unique and different since we are run as a club we let every DJ do pretty much what they want following the College, FCC, and BMI/CMJ rules and guidlines

-OZ

Okay...enough is enough. I read the posts, i see the stories, i talk with people in the business. All i hear is the angst of corporate radio, and how local radio is going away. Yet almost everyone of of you guys, and girls, when it comes to your recorded shifts, recorded weather, etc you blow it. It's your one chance that you're given to localize it, to create the desire in listeners to stay with


you, and you blow it. Case in point...The Score in the Upper Valley..snowing to beat the band in drive time am on Monday...all you hear is "for your scorecast partly cloudy skies this afternoon...highs..etc..etc" If this was recorded that morning..put the damn snow totals, the fact it;s snowing..something..if it was recorded before that..have a freakin policy that it gets recut if there's inclement weather..not rocket science boys. same goes with all the other stations i listened to that morning...not one single reference..all fairness to the live shows.. right on.

When;s the last time you heard a jock make a reference to something local during their recorded shift? It's not hard people..course i don't think Nassau even lets them do that. This isn't hard to do..here's the key..takes alittle time and effort and unfortunately it's easier to grip about it then do something about.

Thank god i've got my ipod...

 

[12 In a Row]

You can blame corporate radio for a lot of things, but this is not one of them.
What a lame excuse for not doing YOUR job.

"The boss told me NOT to update my breaks!"

 

[DaytonRadio]

So you are saying that corporate DOESN'T tell us what to say during a vt shift?! Do you work for corporate? have you EVER worked for corporate? The station I voice track for has a book that tells us exactly what we are to say during each talk break. I am aloud a little more freedom during my live shift but not much. I don't disagree with you at all that a recorded shift should be treated like a live show but in most cases the jock has little to no control over how they do a voice track shift so don't even say that they do. I bring this up in meetings all the time but it won't make a bit difference until THE LISTENER starts complaining about it to station management and to corporate. (what a concept!) And believe it or not, corporate DOES care about what listeners want.

 

[12 In a Row]

Yes I have worked for corporate radio. What is wrong with following a book/format? Any successful station, corporate or not has a format to follow. It all depends on what you do with it.

You say you have little control. Take the "little" and make something of it.

You are correct, any business, radio, TV, banking, restaurtants, they are all here to please the customer and give them what they want. They all have one thing in common, it's a business.

I never got the college radio mentality of do whatever you want. How can you learn the real world? Imagine if a medical school let the doctors of the future just "do whatever you feel like."

 

[NHRadio]

Dude...isn't there more to life than WWLR and WTOS?



If you ever get a chance listen to WWLR 91.5 Up in the Kingdom when schools in session. every DJ is unique and different since we are run as a club we let every DJ do pretty much what they want following the College, FCC, and BMI/CMJ rules and guidlines

-OZ

 

[itiswhatitis]

Referencing the fact that it's snowing, or bringing in a local element be it foliage, the town clerk ran off with money, the local high school soccer team won the state championship wrapped into your recorded show is not that difficult people. There's a few who know how to do it. But more importantly most of you better know how to start doing it before you become the latest t-rex. Oh and what happened to the local promotions, restaurant giveaways, live broadcasts.....

 

[NO DAG]

"Itiswhatitis".. You bring up some very good points on this thread.. My only question is have you ever worked in / or around the radio business ??

 

[BenKarlow]

If I'm talking about something happening in the Claremont schools, or how bad the roads are in Springfield, do you think someone in Hanover or White River is going to give a flying fork? If I talk about American Idol, as overdone as it is, plenty of my audience will instantly relate and understand what I'm talking about. The more people you connect with, the better the ratings. It's pretty simple. You might not like it... but "itiswhatitis".

More people will want to win a gift certificate to Chili's than Jesse's Steakhouse. Why? Far more people know what Chilis is. Doesn't matter if one is better than the other. "itiswhatitis."

The only people shouting "local, local, local" are people IN the industry who aren't doing compelling enough radio and are seeing their live shifts replaced by out of town voicetracks. As long as listeners are hearing music they both a) KNOW and b) LIKE and the "stuff between the songs" is quick, informative and RELATABLE to your core demo, your station has a better chance to win. It isn't brain surgery.

As far as our friend Jamie is concerned, I admire his zeal for radio, but he has proven over the years that he is very one track minded. If he's going to get a gig in actual "paid" radio, he's going to have to learn a lot of truths that won't be easy to swallow.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

I have worked for corporate, thankfully this last time it was only part-time. Here is the way it works, read the liner quickly and get into the 7 spot cluster. Forget about doing that clever ad lib.

I made really lousy pay for doing voice tracks. The PD told me that I could put down for 3 hours when I VT'd a 5 hour shift even if it took less time then that to do it. After awhile I could do a 5 hour show in an hour. Then one day the PD left and I was told if it takes an hour that's what you get paid for. I got tired of all the BS and I left.

I did Afternoon drive live a few times and coming out of music at :20 and :50 they had us play the traffic sounder without even opening the mic then right into spots. Coming out of spots at :20 it was the weather bed and at :50 it was a couple of promo liners. No chance to say anything that wouldn't fit over a jingle bed.

no money+no fun = no jock (me). Corporate might as well just let the computer do it all.

At some stations jocks have gone the way of the buggy whip.

 

[MassMusicMan]

I'm not surprised. Most jocks don't say anything interesting anymore. I wonder why many radio stations still have them if they won't let them adlib.

 

[12 In a Row]

A reality check. Listeners could care less what you have to say. The successful stations for the past 40 years have instructed their air people to keep it, relatable, light-tight-bright, and Shut Up & Play the Hits. You learn how to keep your breaks entertaining, compelling, informative and get off the stage!

Borrowing a quote from the late Tip O'Neil, all politics are local. All great stations and the best air people are local.

Talking about a local event or fund raiser is step 1. If you want to truly make a difference, reach out and lend a hand. Join a civic club, coach a little league team, be on a non-profit board. It takes only takes your time and your energy. You'll be doing good things for your community and your career.

No corporation will tell you NO.

 

[VBIED]

Hey people!

Most of you bring some valid points to this topic. I agree with what Ben is trying to say... It's has a lot to do with being familiar. The listener is comfortable with familiar.

Will... The best radio is planned, and planned some more. The only time a jock should be doing an adlib is when something has gone wrong and they are covering the mistake. With 541 posts I know I don't actually have to explain that theory in any more detail to you. What I actually think you meant was a "creative" break. I just can't believe that there is a station out there that would be restricting their jocks that much that they would never let them do anything other than read a book or card.

Itiswhatitis: I think what the main point of the thread was basically stop crying about your job and DO IT! You are an Air-Talent, a radio DJ, not a burger-flipper. You were put in the position you are in mostly because you have at one time or another showed signs of creativity and talent. A small part of why you were put into the job position you have is because at some point in your history some one looked at you, heard your demo, looked at your resume and thought "If I threw this person a pile of crap I think they might be able to make it smell good" (((someone please insert joke here, you know you will))) So your getting thrown a pile of crap, do something about it. Make your crap sound good. That is your job... and I think the main point here... and one I am glad was brought up!

12 In A Row: Right on man! I could not agree with you more and that is a Perfect example of making the most out of what is given to you. We are put into positions of being what equates to a local celebrity really. Do something with that. If higher looks at you and sees you doing "more" with your job they might be inclined to let you put "the book" or card down now and then and be "creative". And volunteering your time can make you feel pretty good too.

One that has the attitude of "well if they aint gonna pay me and let me be live and free I aint gonna do nothin'" sucks! Cream rises to the top my friend. Set some goals and suck it up! IF you don't like it move on, there is nothing wrong with that either. At least around here you have to be willing to roll with the punches, pay your dues, and get yourself to a bigger market where you might be able to find more of what your looking for. What the heck happened to the people that would camp out at the studio "off the clock" during storms or elections or whatever just to get the job done? Those are the people that had that fire in them to make good radio! Remember??

Nice thread!

 

[12 In a Row]

Reaching out to your local community is a win/win.

You're doing something good and giving back to your community. How cool is that!!!
You're networking with people who are NOT in radio and getting a dose of the real world.

In any industry, successful professionals all have one thing in common. They volunteer their time to worthy causes.

Added bonus, you're finding out 1st hand what your listeners REALLY care about.

 

[jparsons]

When;s the last time you heard a jock make a reference to something local during their recorded shift? It's not hard people..course i don't think Nassau even lets them do that. This isn't hard to do..here's the key..takes alittle time and effort and unfortunately it's easier to grip about it then do something about.

Thank god i've got my ipod...

Because your iPod gives you localism?

 

[argytunes]

Jeff...

Your point definitely hit a homerun with me!

There seems to be a "tug of war" between keeping programming and personality content down to 15 second liner breaks as opposed to being a REAL-ON-AIR PERSONALITY? :-[

We both know that there are air people who can ad-lib about practically any subject...while there are others that can't even read their liner cards convincingly!

Maybe the fear of losing a job has superceded the possibility of really good radio? ???

argytunes

 

[12 In a Row]

I learned many years ago, if you doing music radio, consider yourself a server at a fine restaurant. Why?

Present what is on the menu, with short engaging conversation.

Take the orders with a smile and as soon as you can, return with the meals.

Every now and then, a quick check to see how they're doing, without interrupting your customers.
Be attentive, but never forget why your customers are here. For the FOOD!

The best waiters/waitress' know this formula and they are the ones who get the biggest tips.

Same applies to any music radio format.

Make your engaging presentation with a smile, be brief, be attentive and get out of the way.

Understanding, your customers/listeners are here for the MUSIC.

 

[Underminer]

^^^^^^

Well said. but sometimes, as a jock, I Wish the food (music) was more interesting.

 

[grover750]

My former wife Debbie
was a waitress from the day I met her in 1974
ONE of the BEST EVER!!!!!!
She was asked for at restaurants
NOT BECAUSE she Smiled and went away
THEY LOVED her for her PERSONALITY!!!!!!!!!!
some of you NEW RADIO people
will NEVER get it!!
PEOPLE LOVE the DUMB new REALITY shows on TV
CAUSE we ALL NEED that HUMAN INTERACTION
NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MISSING from radio
HERES ANOTHER 12 IN A ROW!!!! DUH!!!
a MONKEY CAN do THAT!
BUT HEY MONKEYS work CHEAP!
JM

 

[therealvoice]

It's funny how people who listen to iPods expect to turn on the radio and find out immediately what's going on - but that aside I agree that the whole point of actually using local people is to separate us from competitors, iPods, Satellite radio, etc. We're here int he studio and it should be undeniable that we know what's going on. Our job as professionals is to fight against the guy who says ' get your break done in :20 seconds, not :25', and to find the places between the liner notes, promo cards and song titles to tell people what's up. If you're voice-tracking 5 states away then go to the local weather page. Weather.com even makes it easy for you to have multiple favorites saved on your page that tell you the basics, and all you have to do is click for more detail. How hard is it to say 'Joe had to postpone his tour to shovel' when it snowed?