Role of the Disc Jockey/Air Talent now vs. then

[alans613]

That thread about a PD's responsibilities now vs. then got me thinking...What about the role of the air talent/DJ now vs. then? Do you miss playing the actual records/CDs/carts, or do you prefer to let the computer to do all of the work? Do you show prep more or less now vs. then? Yes, I have also seen a "Now"-type situation at a radio station...I just wasn't around for the "Then"-type of radio station (Except for "WKRP"...FYI...On the commentary track of the Pilot episode on the 'KRP DVD, series creator Hugh Wilson said most stations were playing "Cassettes"-he meant carts-however, playing actual records on 'KRP was mostly just for a visual feel of a radio station on TV).

 

[marketweis]

In the beginning days of automation, when we started phasing out CD's, I hated letting the computer do all the work. I wanted to be in control of the segues because I knew the music and knew how tight I wanted to make the segues, rather than depending on the computer. I also had a hard time initially of having the computer virtually do everything because it felt like it took my head out of the game so to speak. When I was stacking up carts and firing off elements every 3 or 4 minutes, man the juices were flowin'! It was really weird to just sit there, and then open the mic a few times and still be into it. Kinda like being a designated hitter. BUT...like everything, you eventually get used to it and adapt. And now, I'd say I wouldn't really care to go back to the old school way. The lazier way of doing it these days has finally won me over, but hey, maybe that's just a part of getting older.

 

[renfield666]

With very few exceptions, there is no such thing as being just an "air talent/dj" anymore. To stay employed you have to be able to (and are required to) do 3...4...5 things at any one time. That is the only way to NOT become expendable.

 

[marketweis]

With very few exceptions, there is no such thing as being just an "air talent/dj" anymore. To stay employed you have to be able to (and are required to) do 3...4...5 things at any one time. That is the only way to NOT become expendable.

You are very correct on that. That is one huge way that the role of the jock today has changed.

 

[qcityguy]

As far as the computer handling the transitions between songs, nothing has changed: lazy dj's let the transitions sound sloppy and diligent dj's make sure they sound good. In the old days a careful dj developed timing when pushing buttons for carts and cueing records, and today a careful dj will check and adjust each segue on the PC. A lazy dj didn't, and doesn't, bother.

As far as a dj's actual on-air role when talking, things have changed only in degree. There have always been plenty of stations that require simple reading of slogans and cookie-cutter banter, and some stations that allow actual personality that engages listeners and helps station loyalty. Today there's more of the former and less of the latter, but there's always been both.

As far as the extra things that have been piled onto a dj's job description to fill the hours when they're not on the air or voicetracking, I don't think that was really what the original question was about.

 

[marketweis]

Well, he asked initially about the ROLE of the jock these days. Maybe he was ONLY referring to what the jock does ON-AIR, but you cannot talk about the role of a jock these days without pointing out the fact that there is a lot more expected of a jock during those off air hours than ever before. That's a significatnt change from the ole 4 and out the door days.

Am wondering what you mean about lazy dj's letting the transitions sound sloppy. In most every place I've worked since things like prophet, enco, scott, etc have been developed, the dj has little or nothing to do with most transitions other than punch outs. Mainly, the one person who dubs all the music and sweeper elements into the system puts the aux marks or sec tones on the ends and don't want anybody changing anything. Commercials of course are a different story, with each individual who does prod putting their own tones on.

You're right about the actual personality part today vs yesterday. Some stations still want it and some don't, with more than not going the route of less talk more music, which consultants shoved down our throats in the 90's.

 

[qcityguy]

Am wondering what you mean about lazy dj's letting the transitions sound sloppy. In most every place I've worked since things like prophet, enco, scott, etc have been developed, the dj has little or nothing to do with most transitions other than punch outs. Mainly, the one person who dubs all the music and sweeper elements into the system puts the aux marks or sec tones on the ends and don't want anybody changing anything.

Yes, today's computer systems include a preset outcue for every song and sweeper. But every outcue and every intro is unique, and that's why most of the systems I've seen allow the user to nudge the timing of each transition. It doesn't take long to do ... fine-tuning each transition of a 30-minute music sweep might take 3 minutes.

In the old days it was called running a tight board. That expression exists because it's a skill that has value. The effect on the listener is probably not even noticed consciously, but it makes the difference between a station that feels like it's moving along smoothly and one that doesn't.

I don't want to oversell it, it's a subtle thing. I'm just saying that the skill still has value, that today's technology still allows it to happen, and that like always, some dj's will care enough about small details like this and some won't.

 

[marketweis]

I thought that's what you were getting at, but honestly, every PD I've worked under has specifically told people to NOT mess with the cues, even if it's temporary, such what you're talking about being able to change stuff on the fly. They always say, if you're adjusting it becuz you think it's too loose, tell me which song the culprit is and I'll fix it permanently by tightening it up. But if a person works for a less anal PD, then yes, the jock still does have the ability to take some control over the segues, which is nice! I guess certain PD's choose where they're going to be anal about things, and I've worked for PD's recently who do not want anybody messing with their cue tones.

 

[hereinCincy]

I thought that's what you were getting at, but honestly, every PD I've worked under has specifically told people to NOT mess with the cues, even if it's temporary, such what you're talking about being able to change stuff on the fly. They always say, if you're adjusting it becuz you think it's too loose, tell me which song the culprit is and I'll fix it permanently by tightening it up. But if a person works for a less anal PD, then yes, the jock still does have the ability to take some control over the segues, which is nice! I guess certain PD's choose where they're going to be anal about things, and I've worked for PD's recently who do not want anybody messing with their cue tones.

There are indeed production directors and music directors that are THAT anal about their seg tones that they would complain if anyone changed them independently. However, and this applies every automation system I've used, the jock DOES have the option of running playlists in "Manual" and therefore starting the next song/sweeper/jingle/music bed earlier than the seg tone stipulates. This is my preferred method of running my show. Otherwise I find myself getting quite irritated with the long fade outs and/or bad timing of automated transitions.

 

[LocalGuy]

I thought that's what you were getting at, but honestly, every PD I've worked under has specifically told people to NOT mess with the cues, even if it's temporary, such what you're talking about being able to change stuff on the fly.

You're not talking about the same thing most of the rest of us are.

Better systems have a feature that enables you to adjust specific segues without changing the positions of the markers on the songs themselves.

Markers are usually set in a way that whatever comes next sounds "ok," but we all know that the outros or intros of some songs or production elements, in some or many situations, will sound "right" or better with a little adjustment. As I said, better systems let you do that with just a few touches or clicks.

 

[marketweis]

You're not talking about the same thing most of the rest of us are.

Better systems have a feature that enables you to adjust specific segues without changing the positions of the markers on the songs themselves.

Markers are usually set in a way that whatever comes next sounds "ok," but we all know that the outros or intros of some songs or production elements, in some or many situations, will sound "right" or better with a little adjustment. As I said, better systems let you do that with just a few touches or clicks.

I know exactly what you're talking about, and I used to do it myself until a very, very anal PD I worked under back when I was running Prophet, told all of us to never even temporarily make adjustments. This guy was a real piece of work, who hotlined me when he heard me dump out of a song with a l-o-n-g fade about 3 seconds sooner than he wanted. He said if he wanted the song to end where I ended it, he would've put the tone there instead of where I temporarily adjusted it to. DON'T DO THAT AGAIN! I even asked him about being able to change any sweeper that is set w/the marker to sound good with all the songs that began w/mx, but not neccessarily sound good on a cold vocal intro. He said, No, just leave it alone, it'll sound good enough. No need to mess with it. Really, from that point on, even at new places I worked at, I've just let things roll the way they were intially put in. Honestly, if you take the time to really nail the markers when you dub the stuff in, and then make sure they sound nice and tight when you actually hear them on the air, not many adjustments in the studio are ever needed. The only exception I really notice is on cold vocal intros when the tail of a jingle or sweeper is a bit too tight for my tastes and could be backed off when going into those rare songs.

 

[Oldbones]

Honestly, if you take the time to really nail the markers when you dub the stuff in, and then make sure they sound nice and tight when you actually hear them on the air, not many adjustments in the studio are ever needed.

And this is the key to making automation sound good...have someone who "gets it" dub in the music to begin with. I too have worked at stations where the MD was lazy & just put the EOM where the music dropped below a certain level and the station sounded really loose & sloppy. When I was MD I always ended songs with long fades early, cued past soft, almost inaudible intros, put the EOMs on a beat, rode gain so all songs had a consistent intro level and generally did the things a jock who was running a tight board would do. The station sounded great. To his credit, my successor continued to do this. Additionally, ONE PERSON and only one person should dub in new music, this way there is a consistency from one cut to another. Obviously, how you dub music is format-dependent...you wouldn't handle a AAA the same way as a CHR for example.

 

[KFodor]

As far as the computer handling the transitions between songs, nothing has changed: lazy dj's let the transitions sound sloppy and diligent dj's make sure they sound good. In the old days a careful dj developed timing when pushing buttons for carts and cueing records, and today a careful dj will check and adjust each segue on the PC. A lazy dj didn't, and doesn't, bother.

As far as a dj's actual on-air role when talking, things have changed only in degree. There have always been plenty of stations that require simple reading of slogans and cookie-cutter banter, and some stations that allow actual personality that engages listeners and helps station loyalty. Today there's more of the former and less of the latter, but there's always been both.

As far as the extra things that have been piled onto a dj's job description to fill the hours when they're not on the air or voicetracking, I don't think that was really what the original question was about.

Very well put. Yes, some jocks, music directors and PD's spend significant time checking the EOM (end of message) tones on the computer files, and resetting them where needed to make sure the segs fire at the proper time. Other people who don't care, or are computer-challenged and don't learn, don't. That's the difference between a good station and one I'd rather not work for.

Some companies are minimizing the role of the "personality" and I think that's a mistake. There are ways to "say it in less time". The problem is...some PD's today don't know how to bring this out in a young jock, or aren't permitted to. It's a problem the industry needs to address. But, there are some shreds of "personality radio" still in the business.

Yes, the DJ's role has changed. But, why would that be any different? The whole business has changed. Some for the good...some not so good. Frankly, I don't miss spending hours a day sitting in a studio waiting for songs to end, just to do a 30 second break I could record in about 60 seconds. But, I still enjoy the times I spend filling in on a morning show, being live, taking listener calls. A DJ is still a part of people's lives. Only the method and means of distribution have changed. You have to figure out how to overcome this to still make a mark.

 

[G Thompson]

With very few exceptions, there is no such thing as being just an "air talent/dj" anymore. To stay employed you have to be able to (and are required to) do 3...4...5 things at any one time. That is the only way to NOT become expendable.

You're right. It is rare. However, there are some companies (yes, corporate outfits) who still recognize the value of putting a budget into just letting a jock be a jock. I spent a year on WHKO from 2006-2007 doing LIVE MIDDAYS. I came in at 9:30 AM, hit the air live at 10 and was in 'til 2pm. I did some production, and went home at 4pm.

The kicker? I got paid the SAME thing doing that cheesecake gig that I'm making now as a large market PD. I'm wearing about half a dozen hats now for the same money as when I had one hat at K99. If you ever get a chance to work for Cox, rest assured they value the talent there. All hope is not lost in corporate radio. Some companies still get it.

 

[renfield666]

Same goes for Greater Media. After working 14 years for CC in Cincy, and then 20 months with CBS in Orlando, I can honestly say that I saw very little difference in the two companies. CC has better equipment and technology...CBS had less micro-managing but seemed rather clueless to the ways of the internet, streaming, and automation (that could have just been the Orlando cluster, though). By far...Greater Media has been the best experience I have had as far as the stations having the feeling of running themselves and having the old-school feeling I experienced when I first got into this silly-ass business.