To CBS Radio management: WCBS-FM DJ's should not be voice tracked

[OldiesCat]

"I'd rather hear dead air?"

Non-radio people don't use that term. Nice try, though.

 

[Starscream]

What if it was Wolfman Jack voicetracked, like XM is doing now? Then would people complain?

XM is NOT VT'ing Wolfman Jack, except for promos. They are running complete programs, originally distributed on records. Note that while he's on, there's no PAD data on the radio...only the legend "Wolfman Jack."

In the strictest sense of the word, it's voicetracking. Pre-recorded automated shows, played by a computer in an empty studio.

 

[Robert Bass]

This is 2007- please get over the fact that voicetracking is here to stay.

And by no means is it a "new thing" either. In the mid 70's, I got to tour a small station my mom's cousin worked at. It was an AM/FM combo studio. The AM studio had a jock, the FM side was fully auto.

I was too young at the time to really understand it, but I got to talk with my mom's cousin again, at some point during my teenage years. He was kind enough to elaborate on how the FM side was automated. He stated they used the music reels that came in, and redubbed them with local content, etc. It would not surprise me the least if this was common practice at many stations during that time.

VT can be a good thing, "if" you know how to do it properly.

R

 

[OldiesCat]

What if it was Wolfman Jack voicetracked, like XM is doing now? Then would people complain?

XM is NOT VT'ing Wolfman Jack, except for promos. They are running complete programs, originally distributed on records. Note that while he's on, there's no PAD data on the radio...only the legend "Wolfman Jack."

In the strictest sense of the word, it's voicetracking. Pre-recorded automated shows, played by a computer in an empty studio.

Which, of course, means nothing to a listener (99.9% of whom wouldn't notice and wouldnt' care if they did). A "live body" in a studio cracking a mic in real time matters only to radio industry people (and may of them aren't goofy about it, either).

Here's what radio listeners want: interesting, compelling, pleasing programming. It doesn't matter if it's syndicated or pre-recorded (becaue if it did Howard Stern and Delilah would have been flops vs. the roaring successes they've been).

 

[Lando Griffin]

Maybe they could get Bruce Morrow to record some snarky comments between each song and call the format "Bruce?"

;D ;D 8)

 

[PeteRFNY]

Voice tracking when done right CAN be halfway-decent. When done badly (and boy, is it done badly in a lot of places), it's painful to listen to.

Whether done well or not-so-well, listening to voice-tracked radio is kinda like eating a Boca-Burger when you REALLY wanted a filet mignon. Sure, it's OK once you load it up with condiments, but once you ingest it, it's still a fake burger.

 

[radioray]

This has been said before but its worth repeating.

VTing sounds real. "Close enough".

And if you are someone for whom "beh-okay" is good enough, then VTing is good enough. If you are someone who wants excellence, I have not yet heard that achieved on a radio voice tracked program (please spare me comparisons to TV, we all know its a different medium because of the video element).

The example that I have heard used is that of childrens fables. And I have seen it in real life.

I have been in cars with voice tracked jocks who surely sound all pumped and psyched. But it is a "fake energy" because it is being forced instead of coming about due to an actual emotional moment happening to the DJ.

Imagine a dj who is really into it, got the headphones blasting R-E-S-P-E-C-T by Aretha and the next song is Crock Rock by Elton. He is on a high that cannot be faked even by Lawrence Olivier. He is juking and blasting and the song ends and he opens the mike and talks up the next song keeping the energy, the moment, the feel of the whole thing, going.

Some will ask; "but how many do that"?

I will reply; "more than YOU think, but one thing is damn sure, more than do with voicetracking.

Because at the end of the day, it's faking it.

It's a guy seeing tommorows' playlist and saying "okay, here is a powerful Aretha into an up-tempo Elton tune...better make this one strong" and acting like he is into it, when he is ACTING like is rocking and rolling instead of ACTUALLY rocking and rolling with the beat and the mood.

Childrens fable example; One would think you could fake it. Just make it seem so. Children's fables have this all the time.

The fox that dresses like the lamb to get into the bunch of lambs and snag one.

The crocodile who dresses like the duck to swim in their bunch for a "mcduck" snack on the pond.

But invariably something is just ever so slightly off.

The tail of the wolf sticks out.

The crocodiles eyes, because he is a reptile, close from the bottom up instead of top down.

And the actual lambs and ducks? Maybe it takes a while, but after a time...they begin to feel uncomfrtable. They say "there's just something not right with that boy"...and scurry away.

I have seen that happen with terrestrial radio. Listeners I have ridden in cars with will say, when listening to a voicetracked radio station "you know, something just doesn't seem right....I can't place it but....I dunno, something ain't right". That has happened to me, I kid you not.

Now there are times when "canned" radio can be understood. I don't expect every station to be live and local at 2am on Sunday morning, especially in tiny markets. I don't expect every station to do a live version of a love songs show when Delilah and Tesh are available. I would SUGGEST STRONGLY that they TRY to do it, but in the end, perhaps its not bad that the option is there for a syndicated or voicetracked show.

And I understand that super-talents like Stern can get listeners (but where and how did he get his start, didn't he move up and admit he needed time and experience to suck in order to become what he became?). We are being short sighted as an industry if we make it the standard operating procedure in anything but graveyard times.

And we wonder why there is a dearth of interest in radio from listeners, complaints about staleness (I argue that a lot of people who complain about boring music radio stations would complain a lot less if there were very entertaining DJs at the mikes spicing things up between the records).......and why there is a lack of talent. Geez, I wonder why, since our Wall-Street induced "who cares about tommorrow just make money this quarter damnit" philosophy has killed off opportunities for young people to ply their trade late at night or over the weekends.

Voicetrack if it is a last resort. Never should it be a last resort in Market Number One. There is always someone better out there for New York then "mister pipes" even at 2am in the countries largest markets.

 

[adma]

Maybe they could get Bruce Morrow to record some snarky comments between each song and call the format "Bruce?"

;D ;D 8)

Well, in the Python spirit, the name "Bruce" might also suit an all-Australian format...

 

[Turntable]

This has been said before but its worth repeating.

VTing sounds real. "Close enough".

And if you are someone for whom "beh-okay" is good enough, then VTing is good enough. If you are someone who wants excellence, I have not yet heard that achieved on a radio voice tracked program (please spare me comparisons to TV, we all know its a different medium because of the video element).

The example that I have heard used is that of childrens fables. And I have seen it in real life.

I have been in cars with voice tracked jocks who surely sound all pumped and psyched. But it is a "fake energy" because it is being forced instead of coming about due to an actual emotional moment happening to the DJ.

Imagine a dj who is really into it, got the headphones blasting R-E-S-P-E-C-T by Aretha and the next song is Crock Rock by Elton. He is on a high that cannot be faked even by Lawrence Olivier. He is juking and blasting and the song ends and he opens the mike and talks up the next song keeping the energy, the moment, the feel of the whole thing, going.

Some will ask; "but how many do that"?

I will reply; "more than YOU think, but one thing is damn sure, more than do with voicetracking.

Because at the end of the day, it's faking it.

It's a guy seeing tommorows' playlist and saying "okay, here is a powerful Aretha into an up-tempo Elton tune...better make this one strong" and acting like he is into it, when he is ACTING like is rocking and rolling instead of ACTUALLY rocking and rolling with the beat and the mood.

Childrens fable example; One would think you could fake it. Just make it seem so. Children's fables have this all the time.

The fox that dresses like the lamb to get into the bunch of lambs and snag one.

The crocodile who dresses like the duck to swim in their bunch for a "mcduck" snack on the pond.

But invariably something is just ever so slightly off.

The tail of the wolf sticks out.

The crocodiles eyes, because he is a reptile, close from the bottom up instead of top down.

And the actual lambs and ducks? Maybe it takes a while, but after a time...they begin to feel uncomfrtable. They say "there's just something not right with that boy"...and scurry away.

I have seen that happen with terrestrial radio. Listeners I have ridden in cars with will say, when listening to a voicetracked radio station "you know, something just doesn't seem right....I can't place it but....I dunno, something ain't right". That has happened to me, I kid you not.

Now there are times when "canned" radio can be understood. I don't expect every station to be live and local at 2am on Sunday morning, especially in tiny markets. I don't expect every station to do a live version of a love songs show when Delilah and Tesh are available. I would SUGGEST STRONGLY that they TRY to do it, but in the end, perhaps its not bad that the option is there for a syndicated or voicetracked show.

And I understand that super-talents like Stern can get listeners (but where and how did he get his start, didn't he move up and admit he needed time and experience to suck in order to become what he became?). We are being short sighted as an industry if we make it the standard operating procedure in anything but graveyard times.

And we wonder why there is a dearth of interest in radio from listeners, complaints about staleness (I argue that a lot of people who complain about boring music radio stations would complain a lot less if there were very entertaining DJs at the mikes spicing things up between the records).......and why there is a lack of talent. Geez, I wonder why, since our Wall-Street induced "who cares about tommorrow just make money this quarter damnit" philosophy has killed off opportunities for young people to ply their trade late at night or over the weekends.

Voicetrack if it is a last resort. Never should it be a last resort in Market Number One. There is always someone better out there for New York then "mister pipes" even at 2am in the countries largest markets.

Excellent, EXCELLENT post. I could not have said it better! In Fact, Shortly after 12pm, there was a voicetracking error on WCBS-FM. Around 12:14pm during Jeff Mazzei's shift, I heard "Oh Girl" identified as "Me and Mrs. Jones"! Then there was a bit to go with Me and Mrs. Jones" introing the WRONG SONG!

Voicetracking has its place, but not in Market #1 on a station that is trying to break the mold. Not at any time during the broadcast day should WCBS-FM be voicetracked. Ever.

P.S.

Begin Rant:

Ever drive around late at night or even sometimes during late afternoon drive and hear something on the radio and yell "Voicetracked! Can you say Voicetracked people??? IDIOTS!" at the top of your lungs?

I have!

It's so obviously fake a child could pick it out. Maybe if people started paying attention to the radio and not their cell phones, iPod's, blackberry's, and specifically in the case of women, their makeup (yeah, that mirror on your windshield is actually used to see the traffic behind you)... they'd be happier and cause less accidents.

Someone needs to lead the cause for personality radio, and guess what CBS-FM? Tag! You're it! Don't dilute it with tracking. It's cheap and tasteless. Jeff can't be there live on overnights due to his other duties? Fine. There is an awful lot of talent out there... hire them.

End Rant.

-A

 

[SuperRadioFan]

Alan I assume you meant 12am or 12 mid and 12:14 am, right?
Saw your post on same subject on the other board. I agree but us radio geeks I guess will have to put up with it (for the time being). In the City That Never Sleeps, however, we should expect more.

 

[Turntable]

Sorry for the slow reply, had a brief cable outage here.

The post you saw on "the other board" is not my post. I heard it while driving home (I work second shift). And yes, I meant AM, not PM. Approximately 12:13-14AM.

-A

 

[OldiesCat]

Excellent, EXCELLENT post. I could not have said it better! In Fact, Shortly after 12pm, there was a voicetracking error on WCBS-FM. Around 12:14pm during Jeff Mazzei's shift, I heard "Oh Girl" identified as "Me and Mrs. Jones"! Then there was a bit to go with Me and Mrs. Jones" introing the WRONG SONG!

Voicetracking has its place, but not in Market #1 on a station that is trying to break the mold. Not at any time during the broadcast day should WCBS-FM be voicetracked. Ever.

Ever drive around late at night or even sometimes during late afternoon drive and hear something on the radio and yell "Voicetracked! Can you say Voicetracked people??? IDIOTS!" at the top of your lungs? I have!

It's so obviously fake a child could pick it out. Maybe if people started paying attention to the radio and not their cell phones, iPod's, blackberry's, and specifically in the case of women, their makeup (yeah, that mirror on your windshield is actually used to see the traffic behind you)... they'd be happier and cause less accidents.

Someone needs to lead the cause for personality radio, and guess what CBS-FM? Tag! You're it! Don't dilute it with tracking. It's cheap and tasteless. Jeff can't be there live on overnights due to his other duties? Fine. There is an awful lot of talent out there... hire them.

Spoken like a true jock who's either lost a gig or is afraid he's about to lose his gig to that EVIL VOICETRACKING!

Hey, guess what? Live jocks in the studio screw up, too- they get caught in the bathroom, with a chick, doing snort. And, let's not forget the oft-told tales of "yeah, man, I fell asleep at 3:30 in the morning and my song ran out".

I got news for you: all that noble back-in-the-day sitting there crankin' up the headphones and answering the hitline was fun and fabulous and all that but this is the year 2007. Do you know how long TV has (for the most part) been pre-recorded? FOR OVER 30 YEARS. The only real live and local TV today is the morning news during GMA/Today, noon, 5/6pm and late night newscasts. Heck, it's obvious some of you have forgotten the old automation systems- there was a time when half the stations in most markets were automated and only the top stations were live 24/7. Of course, that's about 1977 and too many of you want to hold on to that.

FACTS: voicetracking is here, the systems for it are very good, the best talent make it sound like they're right there AND most listeners couldn't give a hoot. On top of that, you whining and complaining on a radio board can't reverse time and technology.

The only people who hate voicetracking are the bad and mediocre DJs in our business and those who are actually pretty good but have never tamed their insecurities.

 

[radioray]

"Spoken like a true jock who's either lost a gig or is afraid he's about to lose his gig to that EVIL VOICETRACKING!"

Except I am not a jock but a former jock turned sales guy turned GM.

"Hey, guess what? Live jocks in the studio screw up, too- they get caught in the bathroom, with a chick, doing snort. And, let's not forget the oft-told tales of "yeah, man, I fell asleep at 3:30 in the morning and my song ran out"."

Yes, and that is exactly one of the problems with voicetracking. Sometimes the urge to record can make something sound TOO perfect. I frankly like listening to someone not knowing if they will or wont make a mistake, it's like a high wire act. Sure VT makes mistakes too, problem is since often times "no-one is home" they drag on way way way too long. Giving yesterdays weather forecast, or wishing people a happy TGIF for an entire shift on SUNDAY because some loaded the wrong stuff, that to me is far worse than an occasional flub.

"I got news for you: all that noble back-in-the-day sitting there crankin' up the headphones and answering the hitline was fun and fabulous and all that but this is the year 2007."

And there is not reason this can't be done in 2007.

"Do you know how long TV has (for the most part) been pre-recorded? FOR OVER 30 YEARS. The only real live and local TV today is the morning news during GMA/Today, noon, 5/6pm and late night newscasts. Heck, it's obvious some of you have forgotten the old automation systems- there was a time when half the stations in most markets were automated and only the top stations were live 24/7. Of course, that's about 1977 and too many of you want to hold on to that."

I haven't forgotten any of that and if message boards had been around then I would have complained back then too. Dont get me wrong, I am not suggesting that even in the tiniest markets, say, Aspen Colorado or someplace like that should have someone on at 3am.

I am saying that there is no reason that in market number one any station should be voicetracked trying to trick people into thinking someone is actually there. Its MARKET NUMBER ONE for God's sakes. Frankly I think the same for any of the top 20 markets.

And listeners DO care and DO notice.

"FACTS: voicetracking is here, the systems for it are very good, the best talent make it sound like they're right there AND most listeners couldn't give a hoot. On top of that, you whining and complaining on a radio board can't reverse time and technology."

FACTS: Perhaps not. The same thing was said about how there is "no use" hoping CBS-FM

But maybe just maybe another GM besides me is reading this, thinks "hmm, he's got a point" and the next time budgeting comes around in October he doesn't fight tooth and nail against VTing a shift or might say "ah what the hell, lets give one of those kids that sent those mp3s in a chance...it aint THAT much money". Yes, even in the biggest companies there are some programming friendly GM's.

"The only people who hate voicetracking are the bad and mediocre DJs in our business and those who are actually pretty good but have never tamed their insecurities."

Like insulting people who disagree with you much? You seem to have it down pat, must be common for you. You can disagree with me without the insults next time, thanks.