SHOULD RADIO BE MANNED 24/7? SHOULD LIVE & LOCAL BE THE WAY?

[SaltyDog]

All stations can't be all things to all people all of the time. And a small station can't staff for emergencies. That's simply the reality of the situation.

The way local EAS works (and I've heard it myself) is if a tornado is coming, a weather alert interrupts regular programming automatically.

I don't think that small stations need to staff for emergencies, nor do I have a problem with EAS. This ties to my suggestion that there ought to be some kind of phone-based emergency notification system that tells me to turn on the radio for emergency information. I mentioned that FEMA could run an emergency-only Twitter feed but it could also be done with just a SMS notification system ONLY in emergency. I don't sign up for text or Tweets now because it would be going off several times a day with useless "tips".

It doesn't help me that EAS interrupts regular programming if I'm not listening to radio. In my grandparents day, they had emergency sirens. We're past that but this would serve the same purpose.

 

[TheBigA]

It doesn't help me that EAS interrupts regular programming if I'm not listening to radio. In my grandparents day, they had emergency sirens. We're past that but this would serve the same purpose.

A lot of towns in tornado-prone areas still have sirens. And a weather radio is designed to automatically turn itself on when a weather emergency happens. If you live in an area that is subject to frequent hurricanes or tornadoes, the local weather services offer those radios at a discounted price. The Twiiter idea is great, but when my area was hit by a hurricane, my internet was down for a week.

 

[bossbill]

Any station can staff for emergencies. It's a matter of knowing when there is an emergency. If Emergency Management has your cell phone number, then you run down to the station and air what they give you. It doesn't take a manned operation to do that. We have a small staff, but always have two employees on call. Within ten minutes, we can have something on the air on all five of our stations. It isn't rocket science, and doesn't take an EAS system to do it.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Bill W. has just hit the BINGO. Add a weather radio to the package for the guys on call, and you won't be running "Light & Bright Tunes for Tonight" when a tornado rips through town.

One more thing... The radio may not be on when a weather warning or other emergency comes along, but word gets out pretty quick, and people go looking for information. Cell phone could be a means of providing the initial warning, but sucks for long-form information. TV is all over it, but really inconvenient in a lot of situations - like in the car, or not tethered to either cable or satellite. Radio has traditionally played a major role in getting information to people in a timely fashion, and offering aid and comfort to people who've already experienced trouble. Giving up that role would be short-sighted and foolish. Radio is all about relationships. Abandon your listener in times of trouble, and they have a good reason to not come back.

 

[Radiopronouncer]

This would result in many stations signing off at 10, 11 or midnight and signing on at 5 or 6 AM. That was very, very common when operators were required. Maybe even shorter schedules on Sundays.

 

[Tom Wells]

This would result in many stations signing off at 10, 11 or midnight and signing on at 5 or 6 AM. That was very, very common when operators were required. Maybe even shorter schedules on Sundays.

For AM, there's a great idea! Only run the transmitter while it's worthwhile.

Make sense in a small town, where the sidewalks roll up at ten.

Let the radio station at the capitol of the state stay on all night with state/regional coverage on a regional strength signal.

Let the major markets blast some 50kws for half-national coverage on clear channels.

And require engineers....
Perhaps require that at least 50% of the staff have engineering degrees, even within management.

I know I would be a lot happier and things would work much better if my manager knew something about things electrical/electronic/computer.
Makes no sense to me, but this seems pervasive.
It's almost as if business must insert "business people" at certain points
in the control structure, to insure that those skilled in the craft will not rise to positions of management where their
integrity for the job itself will begin to intrude upon the "real" goal, which is to make money.

 

[borderblaster]

We're not in the 1960s with transmitters and phasors which drifted off pattern all the time and required First Phones on duty (often memorizing the test at a six week wonder school). Now with modern transmitters that are rock solid stable there's no need

 

[secondchoice]

EAS aside, the real reason to have human's 24 / 7 at a radio station is to keep up with "social media". If your station(s) is using Twitter (or what ever the next "hot" app. is) and you are targeting under 30 they expect Emails / tweets to be answered in a timely manor. This "person" might never open a microphone, but with social media "dissing" potential listeners can be costly.

 

[TheBigA]

EAS aside, the real reason to have human's 24 / 7 at a radio station is to keep up with "social media".

As with EAS, they don't have to actually be in the building to do this. I expect there will be outsourcing services for radio soon. There already are for celebrities and recording artists. Most colleges are teaching social media as part of a degree program, so get ready for a lot of new graduates who will handle all this at low cost.

 

[Chuck]

As with EAS, they don't have to actually be in the building to do this. I expect there will be outsourcing services for radio soon. There already are for celebrities and recording artists. Most colleges are teaching social media as part of a degree program, so get ready for a lot of new graduates who will handle all this at low cost.

I live about 350 feet from our studio. If there is an emergency, it is easy enough (although possibly painful) for me to walk to the control room and go on the air at any time. In reality, I don't even have to do that. I can also control the automation from my laptop from anywhere in the world. I've actually put a local news update on the air from a ship at sea off the west coast of Mexico. This is not rocket science. Anyone can do it. Having a minimum wage employee sleeping in front of the on-air console will not make it better.

 

[amfmxm]

Those of us in radio are not alone in our inclinations to hang onto antiquated models and methods long since made obsolete. I know folks who won't throw that IBM Selectric away--just in case their computer goes down. But whether we ever admit it or not, a requirement to man radio stations 24/7/365 would be like requiring the presence of a typewriter... just in case...

 

[Tom Wells]

Those of us in radio are not alone in our inclinations to hang onto antiquated models and methods long since made obsolete. I know folks who won't throw that IBM Selectric away--just in case their computer goes down. But whether we ever admit it or not, a requirement to man radio stations 24/7/365 would be like requiring the presence of a typewriter... just in case...

Yes, and in case the power goes out, you may wish to have a real manual typewriter, too.

Also some leather scraps, nichrome wire, epoxy, solder, hinges, pipe fittings, stainless steel screening,
a pump, etc.

Maybe even a real hammer in case the pneumatic hammer dies. Extra shoelaces, too.

Obsolescence is a completely modern idea.
Just because I have a digital reverb, I should not keep around 5 spring reverb tanks and spare audio amps?

 

[davideduardo]

For AM, there's a great idea! Only run the transmitter while it's worthwhile.

Many who did not work in radio in the era don't realize the reason to go to a 24/6 schedule (overnights on Sunday night were to maintain the equipment) was so that the "it won't turn on" at 6 AM at the beginning of morning drive did not happen.

When I was, among other things, chief engineer (and only engineer) of 5 FM and 4 AM signals, it did not take me long to realize that it was better to have a failure at 3 AM and have it fixed by 6 than to have the transmitter not go on, missing spots and losing listeners.

Even with today's reliable gear, it's much nicer to know the T1 went out late at night, not at the beginning of the highest billing daypart.

Let the major markets blast some 50kws for half-national coverage on clear channels.

As the head of a major group acknowledged two weeks ago, the problem with AM is that 70% of Americans don't listen, ever. And those that do are predominantly in the geezer demos...

And fewer... much, much fewer... folks would ever listen to night AM radio via skywave.

 

[davideduardo]

EAS aside, ...

The EAS examples we know of prove exactly the opposite. A technically "proper" station will put EAS alerts on with no station interventions: stations can't even originate EAS alerts at the station level anyway.

The Minot incident, urban legend aside, proved that the responsible parties in government often can't put the left shoe on the left foot... the entire emergency system is in the hands of local, regional and national authorities.

Of course, the national EAS test does nothing to prove government's competency in designing and implementing a system to protect the citizenry. I expect no less, anyway...

 

[Tom Wells]

For AM, there's a great idea! Only run the transmitter while it's worthwhile.

Many who did not work in radio in the era don't realize the reason to go to a 24/6 schedule (overnights on Sunday night were to maintain the equipment) was so that the "it won't turn on" at 6 AM at the beginning of morning drive did not happen.

When I was, among other things, chief engineer (and only engineer) of 5 FM and 4 AM signals, it did not take me long to realize that it was better to have a failure at 3 AM and have it fixed by 6 than to have the transmitter not go on, missing spots and losing listeners.

Even with today's reliable gear, it's much nicer to know the T1 went out late at night, not at the beginning of the highest billing daypart.

Let the major markets blast some 50kws for half-national coverage on clear channels.

As the head of a major group acknowledged two weeks ago, the problem with AM is that 70% of Americans don't listen, ever. And those that do are predominantly in the geezer demos...

And fewer... much, much fewer... folks would ever listen to night AM radio via skywave.

[DangerWillRobinson] Manifesto mode pre-detected and alerted for those who wish dismissal from nusaince reading.

If maintenance is not respected in due course, neither will be reliability or convenience.

As sole engineer/8hrs over a 270 mil/yr high speed web press plant, 4 38" web and 5 double-width web presses which spray money and support
about 7-8 people per press. Plus gawsh knows how many "upstream" in the office. They run 24/7 and I see them beaten to death.

I keep reading the statement about how it's better to have a failure and.. and..

No, it's better to have forethought to plan on maintaining things.

In the past week, we've experienced one really nice 10" frame bearing being destroyed, two huge high tolerance gears, etc
insane amount of precision diassenbly, plus 6 days est down. Consider it as a complete transmitter barbecue all the way to line service.
Except you don't drop it in and wire it up, it's a like 150-hour delicate surgery, 16-19 hour days, whatever hrs off.

Did I mention we are about 4 years over on oil change to save $? Run 'em into the dirt.

I just left tonight after another major failure on one of the 18 yr old wide-webs. Seems all the clutch bolts sheared off
on the VERY large impression cylinders. At least 8 people will be working on this now, and for the next 11 hours, some of them
people who would otherwise br running product on the press. General workers are be assigned to other presses.


This is highly efficient, but of maximum inconvenience to customers AND all employees.

It's never ever nice when the T1 goes out. If the imaging department does not get your name, the list it arrives on,
the job does not run on the press , and I could find out the overhead on a waiting press with a staff of 7 if you'd like...
It would be virtually impossible for the average American to not receive some of the (cough) direct mail printed on the
presses I keep running. So "your name" probably means whover reads this.

What did Joni Mitchell say?

I resent the introduction of devices which I recognize as even more determination to misunderstand applications by
insisting on ...oblique but neatly packaged solutions that "kinda" fit and work.
Unless you expected them to work REALLY well,
then that would be too much customization, and we'd like you to believe you're a customer, but really you're just a sale....

In an industry that is highly staffed on a 24/7 basis, with but rarest shutdowns, I get to see the effects of
accelerated entropy via defeferred maintenance up close daily.
So far I make a living at it, but it hurts to see the widespead disrespect for equipment and people in the service of the
corporate profit.
Heard a sorry-but -telling tale about a manager who, when an pressman got his arm rolled into a press, was angered when an expensive belt was cut to relieve and release the trapped man.

I get to work alone at 40' on a lift replacing 277 volt HID ballast fixtures on series circuits live because it IS the expectation,
well, if I'd like to be employed. Unless there's something far, far more complex also broken, at which point I'd have to do that, because it's
production.

I wish all the most blessed sharing of peace in these coming days. And I mean that as honestly as the opinion precedng.

 

[w9wi]

If you're referring to David's comments about operating all night rather than having an overnight silent period, I don't think neglect of maintenance was part of the point. At those stations where maintenance is considered important, stations still make time for it -- at those stations where it isn't considered important, if the station was off the air overnight, those hours weren't being used for maintenance!

It might also be noted the amount of maintenance required by most broadcast transmitters has declined considerably over the years. There aren't nearly as many components that move (and require lubrication) or get hot. (and damage adjacent components) There are few (usually, no) tubes to require monitoring & periodic replacement. Power & frequency don't drift. It would be wrong to say *no* maintenance is required, but there's a LOT less than there was back when most stations didn't operate 24/7.

 

[bossbill]

And very few studios get used more than 20% of the time anymore.

 

[SaltyDog]

And very few studios get used more than 20% of the time anymore.

Pausing to soak that in... really?

 

[TheBigA]

Depends on the station, the formats, and the number of stations in the cluster. But if you have a high profile morning show, it's likely that you have a dedicated studio for your show. Some stations have sought to be more efficient with their studio space. Practically speaking, with home studios, syndication, and voice-tracking, station studios often sit empty. I was recently in a 5-station cluster and only two of the studios were in use.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

And very few studios get used more than 20% of the time anymore.

Pausing to soak that in... really?

Some examples to expand on A:

The News/Talk station in my market, WGBF, has a fully functional studio. They have somewhere between 1 and 4 hours of live local programming per week. A brokered one hour talk show and football games when in season. By my calculations, that studio is used less than 1% of the time.

But it isn't just small market stations who have no local programs. In Indianapolis, a solid top 50 market, there are several stations that meet this criteria.
I can point to the "legendary" Q95, WFBQ in Indianapolis. They originate Bob & Tom from a dedicated studio. Laura Steele's midday show is voice-traced so she has time to VT other CCU stations. Their PM drive guy is usually live. Evenings are voice tracked from out of market, and overnights and weekends are premium choice. Just across the hallway in Indianapolis is Sports WNDE, which has a 3 hour daily sports show and some play-by-play. Everything else is off the bird.
Over at Entercom, Variety WNTR is always jockless, and Talk WXNT is 100% satellite conservatalk.
At Cumulus, there is a local PM drive show on Hot AC WRWM (i94) with the rest of the time syndicated or jockless.