Re: I have known Ed for many years...
Whether or not he is VT'd or a local legend's replacement, the fact is that the overall quality of Ed's work is excellent. I catch him on WHCN and B-101, and he doesn't "mail it in." As a New Haven, CT native, it may stand out to me like a sore thumb when broadcasters say "NEW Haven" instead of "New HAVEN." And don't get me started on how many times I've heard "WAH-ley Avenue" instead of "WHAY-ley." That doesn't mean they should go back to where they came from and leave the talent pool to Joe from East Haven or Chris from Hamden.
Boston isn't exactly the other side of the planet from which to telecommute. I know plenty of jocks who've commuted far longer distances to do live shows in other markets. Also, voicetracking is not some menial, bottom-of-the-barrel job. It's actually easier to screw it up knowing you can do it over. You're also doing breaks in more rapid succession than when you have benefit of whole songs in a traditional live show.
Voicetracking isn't going away soon. It's a part of the radio landscape. Live and local personality radio has existed next to FMs simulcasting their AMs in the sixties, environmental "beautiful music" on reels that baby boomers' parents flocked to, "Hit Parade" automation of the seventies, satellite formats in the eighties & nineties (how Lite 105 started)... and so on.
Ed didn't start the trend. He's just practicing his craft and feeding his family. Oh yeah, I doubt most listeners notice whether he's sitting there in real time or not. They're being served. Now, excuse me while I head off to do some VT work!
> Ed is one of the nicest persons I know. He also is a Boston
> native who grew up there, married there and lives there with
> his large family. KISS-108 SCREWED him big time! The nicest
> guys always wind up getting screwed the most, ya know?
>
> Ed has the RIGHT to make a living, which is what he's doing
> by voice tracking in these various markets. He has the RIGHT
> to feed his family!
>
> Let me tell you something...voice tracking is NOT "fun" for
> the disk jockey involved. It SUCKS!! Most DJ's get/got into
> radio because they love(d) it. Believe me, I speak from
> personal experience. Ed has been in radio since high school,
> when he interned at the old WBZ-FM right after it went rock.
> Now to feed his family he has to bascially do bottom of the
> barrel s**t work! Do you think he enjoys it? Would you?
>
> The next time you "Monday morning quarterbacks" decide to
> judge someone like Ed, why not try to see things from HIS
> perspective. Otherwise, you're judging him (and others) WAY
> too harshly!
>