Penn State Traffic Reports

[ErikLane]

Do any stations do traffic reports for PSU home games & if you do, how is it done?

Traffax, Harrisburg has done reports for us in Lewistown but they only do them up to 10am on Saturdays...whiich is okay for the day games, but it don't work for the night games.

One would think that with 150,000 coming to Happy Valley from all point beyond there would be someone who could offer traffic reports for stations wanting to use the service.

 

[EnoughJohnMayer]

Why not sell it and staff it yourself? Doing traffic isn't the hardest thing in the world (rounds calls and a local knowledge of the roads is all it takes.) Why rely on someone else?

 

[ErikLane]

Why not sell it and staff it yourself? Doing traffic isn't the hardest thing in the world (rounds calls and a local knowledge of the roads is all it takes.) Why rely on someone else?

I would like to do that, however the reason we use Traffax is because we don't have the staff to do a satisfactory job (by our standards). That's the dilemma in the smaller, local radio markets: We have to rely on outside sources in order to comptete. I would think that as many that go to the games, someone in Traffax would see an opportunity to sell sponsorships to businesses in State College in order to provide reports to travelers going to the games.

I know that the area is projected to balloon in the next 5-8 years with I-99 opening up soon. Someone will find a way to make some money on this because I'm sure there's other stations that would jump on board once it gets going.

 

[EnoughJohnMayer]

True...however for 7 Saturday's or so a fall, it seems it would be better (and more effectively) sold by your local guys and you position it appropriately (i.e. Your Nittany Lions Traffic Station), then someone out of the area.

Finding a good sounding guy to do it: THAT's the bigger problem for smaller market radio. However, content is king. As long as your "Traffic Anchor" shows up each Saturday, can use a phone, and can put a sentence or two together, your listener won't care what they sound like.

Why not try and get an intern from PSU eager for some commercial on-air time?

Remember, not all 150k are tuning in to you on Saturday. To sell it and make it worth their while...as well as those who'd by their commercial time, I'd think they'd need a big contingent of the state college area radio stations on board with them...if not all of them.

It'd be a great service to have offered, but without dollar-signs nothing in radio happens.

 

[jackandcoke]

Erik,

One, the crowds range from around 90,000 to 111,000 depending on the opponent--so your 150,000 figure is a tad high. Tens of thousands among the "announced attendance" for FIU & Buffalo will be disguised as empty seats. Second, about half are locals, including 20,000 students (who walk)--and the locals know how to skirt Park Avenue. Third, the only real trouble spot is the Lewistown Narrows on U.S. 322, and if you're stuck on 322 there ain't no alternate route. (But if KVA wants to park somebody along the Narrows to pass out beers to the folks from Hburg as they crawl by, that might be appreciated). Fourth, the network pre-game show & the local station tailgate shows all do a good job of relaying info from the state cops whenever there is a traffic problem. Listen a little closer this year...

 

[Pastywhitethighs]

22/322 West bound will be heavy and running slow through the Lewistown narrows. Plan for heavier than normal volume and a slow go through the construction.

 

[EnoughJohnMayer]

It'll be even worse on the river routesssssssssssssss...................