Technology could spell the end for radio DJs

[Eye]

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co...nology_could_spell_the_end_for_radio_djs.html

 

[KPLEXCOMPLEX]

Yeah I'm afraid so. The "PRODUCT" is failing,and in regards to the article,most listeners are kinda doing that anyways,by burning their music on cd's and downloading on Ipods.

 

[jd]

Yeah I'm afraid so. The "PRODUCT" is failing,and in regards to the article,most listeners are kinda doing that anyways,by burning their music on cd's and downloading on Ipods.

Uh huh. Let's see, what's an acronym for voice electronically generated IPod technique...(and keep it impersonal)?

Maybe, "veg-it"?

 

[beef]

And is that all the DJ provides these days, musical tidbits and trivia? If so, then I welcome the replacing of humans with the technology because DJ's have become nothing but breathing, crapping robots.

 

[Holstead]

This sounds like a neat gadget but it isn't going to put anybody out of a job. It does not seem that that a high tech toy can replicate, emulate or resonate (I know I sound like Don King) emotion, excitement, or convey even the slightest bit of localism. It is what it is-a pre-programmed robot.

Will this thing change moods on a day like September 11th, when our country is in a reflective period? No. Will it give a bit of extra 'ummph' that an entire city feels because a sports team is heading to a championship? Can it express that excitement? No.

Will it be able to anticipate during a bad weather or traffic day that it will need to temper itself accordingly to provide, say, less trivia and music facts, and more weather radar coverage and information? No. It can not and will not.

And I am sure that we would all rather be jamming to MP3's with our personalized DJ rather than get possible life saving information after some catastrophe.

"Technology could spell the end for radio DJs" -those of you who take that to the bank best hang up your headphones on the way there.

PS-Ira: Would you MP3 me the old 'Zooloo' sound effect? I know YOU have it. [email protected]

 

[classic_rocker]

Wel there is always the drive-up window at Mcdonalds for former jocks.... would you like that super sized??? Remember say it with emotion and feeling...lol

 

[Robert Bass]

After reading the article, I note the intended use of this “new toy” is primarily for Internet radio use. Frankly anyone can start their own Internet station. So if jocks feel they are out of work because of some gizmo, they can counteract by starting their own station.

I do not believe this little toy will work on terra radio. If anything it’s taking NOAA’s “Perfect Paul” system, and expanding it. As noted in a previous post, this system simply cannot react to a catastrophe, nor can it be local.

A computerized DJ cannot replace the role of localism for news, weather, child abduction alerts, and so forth. The cost alone in trying to even attempt that seems outrageously prohibitive.

Computers are great to a point, but human intervention for a crises situation is irreplaceable.

Of course you’ll never convince that to corporate radio where the bottom line is top priority.

R

 

[beef]

See, thats the problem. You think that the purpose, the point, of having a jock is to give out Amber Alerts and Ice Storm warnings. If that's the case bring on the computerized DJ. Jocks have to better than that. Some might be. The corporations dont see it that way though

 

[whit979]

I have to respectfully disagree and say that Holstead definitely made a great point. Terrestrial radio survives by localism. I also think that people still enjoy listening to radio personalities. Some are pretty silly these days (especially here in Alabama), but I think that the good ones are people who listeners can relate to. How can you relate to a computer.

Maybe my opinion isn't one that everybody agrees with. But the day my local stations drop living, breathing jocks for a computer voice is the day I ditch radio for an iPod.

 

[beef]

whit, I totally agree. My point was that its become so absurd that we even contemplate replacing a jock with a computer program. Has the corporate philosophy, one thats against any sort of expression, be it artistic/humorous/inane et al, blinded us all? Not me

 

[whit979]

Amen to that!

 

[Robert Bass]

See, thats the problem. You think that the purpose, the point, of having a jock is to give out Amber Alerts and Ice Storm warnings. If that's the case bring on the computerized DJ. Jocks have to better than that. Some might be. The corporations dont see it that way though

How do you propose to make that work, effectively?

The computerized systems that I know of, use text-to-speech software. Therefor, you still need a human to type in the information. Additionally, computerized jocks wouldn't know how to keep the informative breaks short enough to avoid annyoing listeners with lengthy lists of closings.

Human jocks serve numerous roles for delivering "local" important information and can make decisions computers can not, period.

R

 

[KPLEXCOMPLEX]

Beef: You summed it up well. That is the corporate mind set;liner reading drival,with cheap bodies opening the mike,time ,temp,read a paragraph from E! or People magazine,play song. CONsultants, alleged audience researchers will spin and say otherwise,but all you have to do is scan the dial for a few minutes and whoop there it is.

 

[Garrett]

Yeah I'm afraid so. The "PRODUCT" is failing,and in regards to the article,most listeners are kinda doing that anyways,by burning their music on cd's and downloading on Ipods.

Perhaps, but I don't think the quoted article is related to American Radio. The broadcasting and communication business is very different accross the Atlantic. That's not to say they don't have their similarities either. However, I suspect that American radio (and TV) is a bit different than in England. For one thing, American broadcasts are more independent of the government than in an England, (we can debate the FCC elsewhere, of course). But I don't know if what the article is talking about will have the same effect here.

Also, I think the Variety Hits format has proved that Americans who listen to their music in a removable media do do not want the clutter of voice all over their music. This is also not very new. Before Ipods, we had Tape Recorders and before that, Records. Those things did not kill radio. People who want to hear a live voice, want to do so so they can hear news, or be kept company. I do not see how the new technology in the article fits into that formula.

And finally, if it hasnot bee said already, the US has already been down this route, it's called Voice Tracking, and it is already unraveling. You know, there's an old saying, you can't fool all the people, all the time. Well, the rest of "all the time" is finally here. It's a nice toy, but I just don't see people shelling out the extra money for these new products. Just look at Satellite radio. Sure, it has its loyal fans. But the average listener just turns on the radio that came with their car, and does not pay much attention like we do.

 

[TheRover]

When it comes to day-to-day jock talk on Rock Radio, then I would prefer computer run voices to introduce the sad, tired songlists from the computer drives deep in Colorado.....

If I need up to the minute info on a breaking situation.... Rock Radio is the Last place I'd look. I'd switch modualtions to AM and News/Talk radio to get that kind of information.

I know it's not the jocks fault or deceison as to what is played on Rock radio, but..... they are there hyping c-r-a-p music, and I do not respect them for that. They could never "do their job" good enough to overcome those sad, tired playlists on Rock Radio, period.