Tough if you don't have a computer

[gordontalk]

I'm not really surprised by this, but I thought that KRLD could do a little better on a morning like this. They keep refering everyone to their website in order to get closing information. Mike Rogers read a few earlier, however they continue to direct people to their website. I've noticed a lot more of this in the past year or so where information that people need can only be found on the station's website. Isn't the purpose of KRLD news to give you information on the go while you're in your car? And what about those who don't happen to have computers to check out their websites? Shouldn't a radio station who claims to be a news station that you can depend on air all information pertaining to closings and hazardous situations? I guess that KRLD is doing okay with traffic, but not with closings.

 

[gbsncmtr]

Re: Tough sh*t if you don't have a computer

WBAP is doing this, as well. Does anyone know the percentage of homes in the metroplex who have internet access?

 

[gordontalk]

Re: Tough sh*t if you don't have a computer

I do understand why they would be putting this information on their website, however radio is supposed to be mobile right? I took a look at the closings page and saw that Meals-on-wheels is closed in Dallas today. Now how will the people that use that service find out that they wont be getting dinner today? I don't know too many grandmas who enjoy the internet enough to have a computer.

 

[gordontalk]

Re: Tough sh*t if you don't have a computer

Oh Damn! KRLD said that around 4,000 people still don't have power. I feel for the people who are hanging around the house with their battery powered radios wondering what's closed today. Hopefully some of these people have dialup internet connections and labtops with charged batteries.

 

[Slambang]

Re: Tough sh*t if you don't have a computer

Sounds like they're not providing the public service end of their broadcast license to me....

 

[Robert Bass]

Re: Tough sh*t if you don't have a computer

I am just shocked at the list of all the closings, in particular the school districts. I figured all the schools would already be closed, because it’s MLK day. ???

R

 

[Kent]

Re: Tough sh*t if you don't have a computer

I am just shocked at the list of all the closings, in particular the school districts. I figured all the schools would already be closed, because it’s MLK day. ???

Once it became a holiday, we always got Martin Luther King Day when I was in school. When I went to college, I spent my first semester at the University of Memphis and was at the Unversity of Arkansas after that. Memphis, as you might imagine due to the significance of King on the city, had the holiday, but Arkansas did not. At the time, I was told Arkansas was the only public university in the country not to honor the holiday, though I understand they, too, are honoring Martin Luther King Day now. However, I have been surprised by how many districts have started using today as a make-up day in the event that school is canceled earlier in the year. It's becoming what President's Day was 25 years ago. Of course, as a government employee, I get Martin Luther King Day, President's Day and Lincoln Day along with pretty much every other holiday you've ever heard of!

Going back to the subject of school closings, I've always found they were a touchy subject. People always wanted to hear if their schools/businesses were closed, but they never cared about anyone else's. When school closings are long lists, they often sound monotone, which drives listeners nuts and gets lots of complaints. Striking a balance between providing public service and irritating your listeners is important and very difficult to do. I agree that only directing people to your website is not an acceptable solution. I worked at a cluster a few years ago that announced all school closings three times an hour and rotated business closings to where they were mentioned at least once-an-hour. At first, we would usually read school closings every 20 minutes, but, as we got more, we'd read, say, half as many every 10 minutes. However, everyone got the same number of mentions. We also made our "weatherphone" into a school closing hotline as it had multiple lines and could handle a large number of callers at once and, yes, we updated the website regularly as well. The three-tier approach worked the best of the ones I've dealt with.

 

[gordontalk]

Re: Tough sh*t if you don't have a computer

I think that KRLD could solve that problem by designating a specific time where the entire list will be read. They could to it at 6:45 and then refer people to their website. Either way the public should have an outlet to be able to get this information if they don't have computers or if their power happens to go out.

 

[jacojunkie]

Re: Tough sh*t if you don't have a computer

I understand the need for them to read the whole list, but I feel KRLD did it right by reading the major ones, then referring people to the Web site. You would spend more time than allotted in their news blocks to get them all out.

 

[little1]

. Isn't the purpose of KRLD news to give you information on the go while you're in your car?

No, the purpose of KRLD is to make money for their owners. And while they're certainly supposed to do public service, they're a commercial radio station.

 

[Robert Bass]

No, the purpose of KRLD is to make money for their owners. And while they're certainly supposed to do public service, they're a commercial radio station.

Which is exactly the problem with commercial radio, overall. Its become a "Screw the public, let's see how many ways we can make a quick buck" fiasco. Commercial radio has gone from public service to corporate greed.

R

 

[little1]

Okay, let's say that the list is 15 minutes long. Do you really think it's entertaining or informative to read through the whole damned list for 15 minutes? And then repeat it again 30 or 60 minutes later?

And has anybody considered that most school districts have a phone line or website set up where you can find out about closings...it's not like the old days where the ONLY source for info might be radio...

And Robert, I don't have kids. How is reading school closings a service to me, a member of the public? Isn't it possible that KRLD was trying to balance publci service with informing tha vast majority of their listeners? I'd much rather hear more traffic reports than a boring list of podunk school districts that aren't open...

 

[VOXPOP]

little1 has been making a lot of "voice of reason" posts lately. Thank you.

 

[TheLaffer]

No, the purpose of KRLD is to make money for their owners. And while they're certainly supposed to do public service, they're a commercial radio station.

Which is exactly the problem with commercial radio, overall. Its become a "Screw the public, let's see how many ways we can make a quick buck" fiasco. Commercial radio has gone from public service to corporate greed.

R

Robert,

While i agree Corporate radio has dumbed down radio in general it still posesses some very good talent and programming.

After reading some of YOUR post and ideas about programming, with all due respect sir, i think you are a perfect fit where you are: KEOM High School Radio. No offense.

 

[Robert Bass]

Laffer,

I am only saying what has already been said about commercial radio. It's nothing new. Also, my "programming" ideas are mainly with regards to music. I am a Music Director, not a Program Director.

Little1,

As it has already been stated, what do people with power outages do to get school closings? Battery powered radios works best in these situations. So you don't have kids? Neither do I. But it is still vital for this type of information to be broadcast.

R

 

[317C50KW]

My wife teaches in a major north east Dallas county school district Before the Christmas holidays she brought home the standard memo from the district's communications department concerning school cancellations due to weather etc. The memo suggested tuning to the usual suspects (the TV stations, KRLD and WBAP) but also these interesting choices....KMEZ, KZEW and KRQX.

Obviously this district's dial string needs a little adjustment.

 

[VERITAS DE VOCE]

Kids, you know that stupid book all big wigs and mindless consultants call the Bible of Radio, "Arbitron"? People don't exist. Ratings do. CUME does. This is why radio isn't reading incessant lists of school closings (and I have two, and understand that one), business delays and other people freaking out when the centigrade drops sub-30 degrees.

Radio can't be public service anymore... they have no idea who their public is. Maybe that's why JDW is all over this forum. They don't tell him at work who is audience is, so he comes here to find out. Shame more jocks don't do the same.

Anyway, I digress... how appalling is it when you turn on the radio and these "news/talk" hybrid jocks say, "We have some good news, TXU says only 20 homes are without power in Dallas county." You want to tell those families that had to sleep by an open stove because of TXU's glorious tidings to the press. It's all full circle. We don't exist, only the dead presidents in our back pockets.

 

[TheLaffer]

My wife teaches in a major north east Dallas county school district Before the Christmas holidays she brought home the standard memo from the district's communications department concerning school cancellations due to weather etc. The memo suggested tuning to the usual suspects (the TV stations, KRLD and WBAP) but also these interesting choices....KMEZ, KZEW and KRQX.

Obviously this district's dial string needs a little adjustment.

No that just proves what I have always believed:

RADIO to most people in importance is right next to Karaoke. Radio hasn't had much respect or impact since the 70's or earlier and now with IPOD, Cable TV, DVD’s, etc it's really down in the dumps. Of course there are exceptions but fewer every decade. Instead of Radio becoming more compelling creative it has become stale, stagnant and real talent are leaving or being pushed out in droves.

Turn out the lights before you leave....

 

[TheLaffer]

Kids, you know that stupid book all big wigs and mindless consultants call the Bible of Radio, "Arbitron"? People don't exist. Ratings do. CUME does. This is why radio isn't reading incessant lists of school closings (and I have two, and understand that one), business delays and other people freaking out when the centigrade drops sub-30 degrees.

Radio can't be public service anymore... they have no idea who their public is. Maybe that's why JDW is all over this forum. They don't tell him at work who is audience is, so he comes here to find out. Shame more jocks don't do the same.

Anyway, I digress... how appalling is it when you turn on the radio and these "news/talk" hybrid jocks say, "We have some good news, TXU says only 20 homes are without power in Dallas county." You want to tell those families that had to sleep by an open stove because of TXU's glorious tidings to the press. It's all full circle. We don't exist, only the dead presidents in our back pockets.

Most radio station managers are afraid to see who REALLY is listening. Sure some stations can pack a promotion but for the most part, ever go to a typical radio promotion and see who shows up or how many. Same old 20 people remote after remote after remote or you get the lowest common denominator like the idiot who just recently died because she drank herself to death. Anybody with half a brain knows a lot of people die every year because of water intoxcification and then for the clueless gm to have okayed the promotion baffles the human mind.

Even talk shows in major markets have a difficult time getting quality phone calls. So many times I hear these poor host beg and beg and beg for callers. Music stations even worse!

 

[gordontalk]

Neither Ernie nor Jay are entertaining, however they get 5 hours each day.

Okay, let's say that the list is 15 minutes long. Do you really think it's entertaining or informative to read through the whole damned list for 15 minutes? And then repeat it again 30 or 60 minutes later?

And has anybody considered that most school districts have a phone line or website set up where you can find out about closings...it's not like the old days where the ONLY source for info might be radio...

And Robert, I don't have kids. How is reading school closings a service to me, a member of the public? Isn't it possible that KRLD was trying to balance publci service with informing tha vast majority of their listeners? I'd much rather hear more traffic reports than a boring list of podunk school districts that aren't open...