SHOULD STATIONS I.D. EACH AND EVERY SONG PLAYED ?

[gregg75]

This has probably been on here before at one time or another.
I see on the main Radio-Info page they have an article where some guy said stations should
identify every song played.

I'm thinking most of the regular listeners to a station already know the songs they play, unless
it is a newer one. I vote NO. Bad idea. The less clutter the better.

 

[cd637299]

I for one vote "for" announcement....however, if they don't, the station should have a website, to which a VO person should refer for the listener, with a "recently played" page, constantly updated....or for those not PC savvy, a phone number to call..."Did you hear a song we played, and don't know the name of it? Just call...."

cd

 

[Nate Wesley]

This has probably been on here before at one time or another.
I see on the main Radio-Info page they have an article where some guy said stations should
identify every song played.

I'm thinking most of the regular listeners to a station already know the songs they play, unless
it is a newer one. I vote NO. Bad idea. The less clutter the better.

Given the amount of production often put into liners, sweepers, etc., is is really more distractingto hear a half-robotic voice whisper "S-and-M, by Rihanna" during that song's ramp?

 

[jabba17]

The Holy Mackerel was doing it with automated voices for a while, but they seem to have stopped.

Didn't the RIAA (back before they started suing people) have a "play it and say it" campaign to get radio stations to give title and artist with each song, to encourage sales? And then, later, didn't they ask radio stations to only do it after the song, so as to not cue people with a cassette in the deck to start recording (around the time of the start of the "no more than two consecutive songs by the same artist" rule for the same reason)?

That was one thing I never liked about Album 88. You heard a bunch of new stuff you weren't familiar with, then you had to wait for a break to get title and artist for the last dozen songs played.

 

[12 In a Row]

No need for that, the technology to ID every song is here and many stations are using it.
With XM-Sirrius, I hit the ID button and there it is.

 

[X-14]

The Fish has been doing this for several years and I like it. It's not at all intrusive and as a former jock, it sure cuts down on the number of phone calls from listeners who say "I don't know the name of the song... or who sings it... but it has something about 'Love' in it. Oh, and it's a guy who sings it! Can you tell me the name of it??"

 

[DToTheJ]

There have been a handful of stations using this method - for instance, Philadelphia's B101. They've been doing it for way long. Must work, as they're the leading music station in the market...

I'm not a big fan of "cold segs," i.e. no liners/announcements - basically an iPod on an FM stick. And I may not be big on filler, but I'll take personality.

I see on the main Radio-Info page they have an article where some guy said stations should
identify every song played...

Yeah, and that "some guy" has had quite the career at CBS Radio... :

 

[jabba17]

No need for that, the technology to ID every song is here and many stations are using it.
With XM-Sirrius, I hit the ID button and there it is.

Or RDS--assuming the station is not using it for a commercial (like Dave FM was for Wendy's and United BMW)

I'm not a big fan of "cold segs," i.e. no liners/announcements - basically an iPod on an FM stick. And I may not be big on filler, but I'll take personality.

As I said before, radio - personality = iPod + commercials.

Why do you think, say, Kaedy Kiely continues to have so much traction? Because she's great to listen to and adds to the experience.

 

[taylorengineer]

I think Dan is leaning towards a technology approach to this. RDS already provides Artist/title info for those who have that on their radio and CBS is aggressively embracing tagging technology. With todays technology there is no reason to create more "non entertaining" clutter....
Mason is one of the few in the business who really "gets it." It's nice to have a real programmer leading the charge instead of a bean counter/lawyer/sales weasel!!

 

[jabba17]

One thing CBS is trying to do pretty aggressively is find ways to integrate their terrestrial radio stations with last.fm, so they can leverage each other.

 

[InSearchOfGear]

One thing CBS is trying to do pretty aggressively is find ways to integrate their terrestrial radio stations with last.fm, so they can leverage each other.

This is nothing new. Mason says stations need to ID new songs. You'd be hard pressed to find any station that doesn't identify their new music. I can't think of a single one.

ID all songs? We really need someone to tell us we're hearing Hey Jude by The Beatles? Seriously?

 

[flashback]

No need for that, the technology to ID every song is here and many stations are using it.
With XM-Sirrius, I hit the ID button and there it is.

not everyone uses that technology.

should people replace their working radios without that technology because of that ?

don`t those people who don`t have access to the printed id`s have the right to know the song titles too?

 

[the golden boy]

One thing that can be done is using what are called song tags. The AC station here in Jackson uses them, as well as one of the ACs in Greenville-Spartanburg does (or did, don't know if they still do it). At or near the end of a song, a voice will ID the title and artist of that song. I'm surprised it's not more widespread now than it is.

 

[cd637299]

One thing that can be done is using what are called song tags. The AC station here in Jackson uses them, as well as one of the ACs in Greenville-Spartanburg does (or did, don't know if they still do it). At or near the end of a song, a voice will ID the title and artist of that song. I'm surprised it's not more widespread now than it is.

The old Drake-Chenault stations ( www.drake-chenault.org ) used to have these. I used to enjoy the Hitparade format with Billy Moore's voice. Not all songs were title/artist, but at least the title OR artist OR both were mentioned.

WUBD "Bob" 106.9 serving Savannah has this as well, a female voice, giving title/artist on each song.

cd

 

[atlantaboy]

One thing that can be done is using what are called song tags. The AC station here in Jackson uses them, as well as one of the ACs in Greenville-Spartanburg does (or did, don't know if they still do it). At or near the end of a song, a voice will ID the title and artist of that song. I'm surprised it's not more widespread now than it is.

Really not a big fan of this (The Fish does it, and Project 96.1 used to, not sure if they still do) - with The Fish, they still ID songs they've been playing for years

I think it's a good idea though, when stations use auto voice tags exclusively with brand new music (before the song, not after it), and it's mixed it with a station ID - auto voice saying "New Music..." then the artist and title of the new song - I know Dave-FM does this, and so does 99X, and I think it's a really good idea, since both these stations play a lot of new music that's not as well known

 

[secondchoice]

Unless you use “tags” or possibly a system similar to the Weather Channel local cable forecast system, An ID for each song will make voice tracking more time consuming. Plus occasionally some one at the station will have to “listen”, to make sure all the voice files were transferred, which might not be a bad thing. Who knows maybe stations start going “live” like Portland’s live 95.5*. With the number of on air folks “downsized” in the last couple of years, a “medium or large market” station could round up an “on air staff” have 4 to 6 hour on air shifts, which would be easier than when I worked with the PC “loading the cart machine and cueing the records”, and the cost would not be that extreme. You also have someone who can keep up with the social networking aspect of the business. IMHO a lot of the “music” stations have become “IPods with commercials”**. Could this lead to return of those 3 by 5 liner and PSA cards?

*http://www.radio-info.com/news/live-955-is-portland-oregons-new-next-generation-ac

**The industry has done just about everything it cane to “dehumanize” the on air product. “The IPod with commercials” model is killing terrestrial radio. The recent financial failure of many broadcasters has been blamed on the economy (not counting questionable overleveraged purchases). I personally believe the industry’s insane efforts to cheapen the on air product has really made a bad thing worse. There was a RAB or NAB set of promos many years ago about radio being a “friend” you could count on. This “virtual” world needs the “human” touch. The IPod users who just want the music are not radio’s future. I took statics in college; I am suspect of any research. The wording of questions and the sample size and “make up” can make almost any survey say that the client wants.

 

[flashback]

the best way would be the way some underground and progresssive stations did it in the sixties and seventies.after a block of songs the announcer tells the audiance the songs and the artists who did them in the order they were played.

of course then you would need a real person on the air.that of course would be an improvment to automated voice-tracking.

 

[cd637299]

the best way would be the way some underground and progresssive stations did it in the sixties and seventies.after a block of songs the announcer tells the audiance the songs and the artists who did them in the order they were played.

of course then you would need a real person on the air.that of course would be an improvment to automated voice-tracking.

I kinda like that approach as well....even Top 40 stations like CHUM & CFUN in Canada tried that in the late 70s, but that approach really doesn't fit the Top 40 mold. In late 1974/early 1975, soft AC/MOR WAIA 97.3 Miami did it w/ live DJs, but by early 75 everything was automated, and not even mentions of song title/artist.

cd

 

[klutch00]

I say absolutely announce virtually each and every record; title and artist both!

 

[Kelly Watts]

When I started in the mid 60's we did intro and outro EVERY record. A bit too much, I believe a nice happy medium would be front sell the first play two and back sell the second.