Possible storm coming?

[secondchoice]

Are any of the broadcasters getting ready for the possible hurricane strike?? If I was an operator in the possible path of a hurricane, I would be contacting engineers or services (if I did not have one), thinking about fueling up stand by power generators, getting in contact with with the local emergency management folks. I would also stock up some food and water for the staff. Storm prep announcements would a nice thing for my listeners too.

 

[w00t]

Our stations all rebroadcast whatever TV station they're partnered with. Those too cheap and/or lazy to buy a patch cable put a portable TV in front of the mic (seriously, you can tell by the sound quality).

I'd love for someone to come in and tell me I'm wrong but the last few years that's all I've heard.

 

[XTalker]

Just too damn hard to voice track storm coverage!

 

[Matt]

Depending on where the storm goes, I'll either....

1) Stay on my vacation and let it roll on up the coast.

2) Take charge of weather forecasting on the stations so the news team can report on storm damage, or...worst case...

3) Go to the transmitter and make sure we have every possible option to stay on and report the storm. If the tower falls, I'll bed down in the transmitter building and pray 'til the storm passes by.

I'll decide the best course of action when indications of the path of this storm become more clear.

Later . . . .

 

[wrongfork]

Are any of the broadcasters getting ready for the possible hurricane strike?? If I was an operator in the possible path of a hurricane, I would be contacting engineers or services (if I did not have one), thinking about fueling up stand by power generators, getting in contact with with the local emergency management folks. I would also stock up some food and water for the staff. Storm prep announcements would a nice thing for my listeners too.

ANYONE who waited til now to do these things is gonna be playing "catch up" through this storm. Preliminary planning should have been in place last week, not three days before landfall, regardless which direction it finally goes.

 

[Nairda]

ANYONE who waited til now to do these things is gonna be playing "catch up" through this storm. Preliminary planning should have been in place last week, not three days before landfall, regardless which direction it finally goes.

There should always be a backup plan no matter where you are, and that plan should be established months if not years in advance, frequently reviewed, and frequently rehearsed. Everyone should know exactly what their job will be at any given stage in an emergency situation, and where they will be expected if possible to report to do it. On the east coast, it's often hurricane related. West coast would include earthquake readiness. Up north, it would likely relate to winter storms or flash flooding. At the very least, each transmitter site and each studio location should have emergency backup generators and enough fuel to run them for at least a week. Best case would be backup or alternate locations perhaps at transmitter sites if the main studio locations were vulnerable. I remember the fiasco of some studios located directly on the water (Bay Street) in Charleston and Hurricane Hugo! Also, each studio location should have enough food and basic supplies in stock to make the available staff who will likely be working their tails off somewhat comfortable during the emergency. I once worked at a cluster that actually brought in cots to sleep on, had showers in the bathrooms, and refrigerators and freezers stocked with more food than we could eat! If not for the seriousness of the situation, that was almost fun.

 

[triadradionewsman]

Our stations all rebroadcast whatever TV station they're partnered with. Those too cheap and/or lazy to buy a patch cable put a portable TV in front of the mic (seriously, you can tell by the sound quality).

I'd love for someone to come in and tell me I'm wrong but the last few years that's all I've heard.

I wish I could disagree with you but I you are exactly right. This storm and all emergencies are great opportunities for local radio stations to show how valuable they are to their communities. Pandora, satellite radio, i-pods and all our other electronic gadgets will not provide the needed information. Even carrying the audio of a local television station is providing the needed information, especially when the power goes out and the 50" flat screen doesn't work. Just hope most folks can remember where the portable radio is and that has batteries. Of course it will also depend on radio stations having power too. There are too few stations with generators providing backup power. I wonder how many radio stations in NC even have a back up power source? Hope this storm stays way out in the Atlantic and everybody is safe.

 

[w00t]

Greenville has had two major power outages in the last month that took out wide swaths of the city/county and 94.3 was off the air for both of them. So I guess no generator.

When this happens, we hear 94.3 from Duplin County. Alabar a Jesús!

 

[w00t]

From WSFL's Facebook:
"‎Cindy Miller Time has moved into her office - it's official, the siege has begun! The WSFL crew will be on the air around the clock keeping you up to date on Hurricane Irene!"

So at least one station is staffing up.

 

[B Lewis]

W00t,

You are TOO right about the stations that just put the mic up to a TV speaker. Shamefully, it's the stations we in small town radio used to refer to as 'the big boys'...the 100 kilowatters. I've heard TWO such stations this morning already, and you are right...it really sucks. Even at little 1000 watt WCBT in Roanoke Rapids, back in the day...first of all, we did our own coverage, with people on the street, calls, etc...but, when we decided to simulcast TV; we had WRAL patched into the board (we also carried their 6pm news...we were one of the first stations in NC to do that). But, think about it...how much trouble is involved with takng an old VCR (yes, a VCR) and paying 12 dollars for basic cable..then tuning it to WRAL, WNCT...whatever TV station the radio station partners with...and patching it into the board with good old fashioned RCA cables. Of course, that's not the real way to do that...but, it beats the hell out of pushing the mic to tha TV speaker!!!!

 

[BS1012]

W00t,

You are TOO right about the stations that just put the mic up to a TV speaker. Shamefully, it's the stations we in small town radio used to refer to as 'the big boys'...the 100 kilowatters. I've heard TWO such stations this morning already, and you are right...it really sucks. Even at little 1000 watt WCBT in Roanoke Rapids, back in the day...first of all, we did our own coverage, with people on the street, calls, etc...but, when we decided to simulcast TV; we had WRAL patched into the board (we also carried their 6pm news...we were one of the first stations in NC to do that). But, think about it...how much trouble is involved with takng an old VCR (yes, a VCR) and paying 12 dollars for basic cable..then tuning it to WRAL, WNCT...whatever TV station the radio station partners with...and patching it into the board with good old fashioned RCA cables. Of course, that's not the real way to do that...but, it beats the hell out of pushing the mic to tha TV speaker!!!!

Bob 93.3 has been broadcasting TV coverage nonstop since yesterday afternoon.

They moved to their backup studios this morning. When things got bad, they lost the TV feed and ended up holding one of their staff's cell phones on speakerphone with the feed to the microphone.

I mean, when phones, electricity, internet, etc are all out and you're in a backup studio, you do what you've got to do, and it beats the stations that just played music and didn't care at all.

 

[w00t]

The NextMedia stations did a great job (wow, that is not a phrase I ever thought I'd type). They stayed on air and did a great job getting the information out. What is the Kinston studio? The old RNS building?

Beasley, with the exception of 107.9 WNCT = epic fail. While they had people in the building, all they really aired was music. 107.9 did a good job as they usually do. Heard them today taking calls.

 

[the golden boy]

Hope you all are OK. I saw the live coverage from WCTI-TV the other night when they were being carried on DirecTV.