Question for any station board-ops here...

[Stephen_TheMCO]

I have a question for any radio station board operators here. Right now, i'm looking at being laid off at the end of this month from the TV station I work Master Control for on a part-time basis, and might jump over to the radio side of the business as a temporary job until I can find work at another TV station. My question is, would someone like me on the TV side of the business be a good fit in a board operator position? The station i'm at uses Louth Automation. Are the radio automation systems in use similar to what i'm working with? What does a typical board operator do during a shift?

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

Am sorry to hear about your pending job loss. I'd be very curious to hear about what MCO's do these days. At one point I remember a whole contingent of control room people ... one did video, one did audio, a live booth announcer. Then I saw audio-follow switchers and taped booth announcers ... so it was basically one person doing master control and maybe others doing tape machines (and I was even around for 16mm commercials!!!). Then came library systems...and automation entirely. Have been wanting to learn about what the state of the art is these days. Can you share any of this (don't mean to pick at a scab here but I really am interested!). Are you willing to tell us who is letting you go? I thought most of the stations were already automated here....

MY 2c on the radio front --- could be an OK transition but I sure would take the opportunity to look at the landscape and see what else is interesting. For example, maybe something like an Internet news producer -- where you load station sites with Internet versions of news. Something that is on the upswing way more than a board op position will be (no offense intended on the position -- just saying it is destined for every bit as much automation as the TV side has already seen. Getting rare for shows that have no host to have a board op any more).

 

[OttoM]

> Getting rare for shows that have no host to
> have a board op any more).
>

And the ones that do have a host usually require that the board op also perform producer duties - so it's more than just pushing buttons.

 

[notalent]

more than just pushing buttons

> And the ones that do have a host usually require that the
> board op also perform producer duties - so it's more than
> just pushing buttons.

I dont think anyone actually teaches board ops anymore. There are a few veterans around but mostly they are producers who have to be inconvenienced by running the board for the show.

Board opp'ing and producing are two different things that can not be done effectively at once. The local AM I work at is a prime example, live shows all day and on weekends. Nobody has a clue about how to use audio to dramatically enhance the on air moment... they just push the buttons. Music is often buried when it could otherwise enhance a segment or intro, then voices can be randomly buried or waaaaaaaaaaay to hot and distorted... "ooops to busy to look at the meters i gotta answer the phones!" Not that its their fault, I don't think anybody bothers to train them, including the PD who doesn't know the difference 'cause he's never ran a board or done a show.

The art of actually paying attention to levels and doing the audio production of a show in a conscious manner is long gone in radio, so a TV guy could probably meet radios low expectations easily.

Todays standards for radio board ops is really low for some reason. Not that I'm slamming TV guys, but TV is all about the pictures and there aren't to many people paying attention to the audio when they got all those preeety pictures to work with. No preeety pictures in radio.

 

[FatRadioGuy]

Re: more than just pushing buttons- it's a hard job

> > And the ones that do have a host usually require that the
> > board op also perform producer duties - so it's more than
> > just pushing buttons.
>
> I dont think anyone actually teaches board ops anymore.
> There are a few veterans around but mostly they are
> producers who have to be inconvenienced by running the board
> for the show.
>
> Board opp'ing and producing are two different things that
> can not be done effectively at once. The local AM I work
> at is a prime example, live shows all day and on weekends.
> Nobody has a clue about how to use audio to dramatically
> enhance the on air moment... they just push the buttons.
> Music is often buried when it could otherwise enhance a
> segment or intro, then voices can be randomly buried or
> waaaaaaaaaaay to hot and distorted... "ooops to busy to
> look at the meters i gotta answer the phones!" Not that its
> their fault, I don't think anybody bothers to train them,
> including the PD who doesn't know the difference 'cause he's
> never ran a board or done a show.
>
> The art of actually paying attention to levels and doing the
> audio production of a show in a conscious manner is long
> gone in radio, so a TV guy could probably meet radios low
> expectations easily.
>
> Todays standards for radio board ops is really low for some
> reason. Not that I'm slamming TV guys, but TV is all about
> the pictures and there aren't to many people paying
> attention to the audio when they got all those preeety
> pictures to work with. No preeety pictures in radio.
>
A good board op is worth their weight in gold. The problem is that because of the term board op, upper management doesn't see the need to pay them much above the minimum. People don't realize how hard it is to do properly because it can be quite boring. The hardest part is getting someone to stay focused on what's happening on the air and not drift off to check their e-mail or play computer games with "half an ear" on what's going on. Its hard to find someone who will focus and actively listen. The board op position is also a great stepping stone to being a producer and a good board op should be moving up the ladder within a year. Finally every Host, P.D. and G.M should be made to run the board for one full week a year so they realize its not a throw-away position and how much it can add to the sound of the station.

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

Re: more than just pushing buttons- it's a hard job

> A good board op is worth their weight in gold.

I agree with you! One of the most frustrating things in the game is being a (again I use the term with full recognition that I had none) talent on a remote. The audio mix is bad or the timing is off or whatever ... and you're miles away and can't touch anything to fix it. A VERY helpless feeling! Meanwhile, on the other end is the "new" board op who is being given a chance at radio because s/he also plays softball with the GM's college kid or whatever!! At least the board op's who WANT to learn are a joy to work with. Those who are drumming fingers until payday can, and should be working a kiosk at a major mall!!!

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

A separate question related to TV engineering if anyone here can field it? Do most stations have two audio chain settings? We're all familiar with the commercials that blast at one level and the program audio running at another. If you use the same processing gear radio does ... it would be level so seems like there is another way (almost like two audio chains??) this is being done? And with "SmartSound" and other sets ... why even bother with this 1970's tactic any more?? Viewers notice and hate it. Is it still vital to the sales pitch to a client or something??

 

[notalent]

The audio chain for TV commercials is at the produciton house where the ad was made. TV spots have audio processing done during production. Typically it is the maker of the ad who wants it to be loud so they process aggressively. The TV main audio is lightly processed which lets dynamic "show" elements through. Then when they play ads which were produced with minimum dynamic range and maximum density of sound it usually appears to be much louder. the the peaks may not be louder at all but since it is heavily processed the average is much louder.


> A separate question related to TV engineering if anyone here
> can field it? Do most stations have two audio chain
> settings? We're all familiar with the commercials that
> blast at one level and the program audio running at another.
> If you use the same processing gear radio does ... it would
> be level so seems like there is another way (almost like two
> audio chains??) this is being done? And with "SmartSound"
> and other sets ... why even bother with this 1970's tactic
> any more?? Viewers notice and hate it. Is it still vital
> to the sales pitch to a client or something??
>

 

[jmilliner]

Hey. Send me a e-mail [email protected] I work for a TV station and we have a master control opening now here in Seattle.

> I have a question for any radio station board operators
> here. Right now, i'm looking at being laid off at the end
> of this month from the TV station I work Master Control for
> on a part-time basis, and might jump over to the radio side
> of the business as a temporary job until I can find work at
> another TV station. My question is, would someone like me
> on the TV side of the business be a good fit in a board
> operator position? The station i'm at uses Louth
> Automation. Are the radio automation systems in use similar
> to what i'm working with? What does a typical board
> operator do during a shift?
>