Traffic reports disappearing from Seattle radio?

[Mike Brewer]

No wonder no one wants to talk about radio any more. Its just depressing.

And yet, people still come back to this forum to...wait for it...talk about radio.

 

[bobdavcav]

There are some markets where I don't understand why traffic reports are even on. In Spokane, it seemed like most of the stations did them in morning drive, but CC was the only group that did them in afternoons. Not only that, but sometimes they'd run a report that had aired that morning instead of a new one. Really? You want someone to believe a report 6 hours old? Apparently KZBD does traffic now as well, but I can't here those reports because they cut off the stream right at the beginning of the report.

 

[fordranger797]

Usually there are people who call in to give their own versions of traffic reports. I would just give a little live report using THAT information rather than using a bunch of old material from the morning show if I were in that position.

I don't see any shame in saying "If you see anything out there, drop me a line right now at ________"

 

[bobdavcav]

That makes perfect sense if the station actually has local jocks. KCDA though was running jockless back in 2012 when this was happening, and they've got jocks now, but they're all tracked from out of market. I certainly wouldn't run the old ones in that situation.

 

[AQH]

And yet, people still come back to this forum to...wait for it...talk about radio.

"Talk" implies there's rational and informed discussion about radio here.

Insert laugh track here.

 

[Blatherwatch]

There are some markets where I don't understand why traffic reports are even on. In Spokane, it seemed like most of the stations did them in morning drive, but CC was the only group that did them in afternoons. Not only that, but sometimes they'd run a report that had aired that morning instead of a new one. Really? You want someone to believe a report 6 hours old? Apparently KZBD does traffic now as well, but I can't here those reports because they cut off the stream right at the beginning of the report.

AM 1090 was doing that towards the end, it was Lee Callahan being replayed, an hour later, or the top of the hour news with the wrong time stamp.

 

[dp374]

Hogwash. If the traffic reporter sticks to reporting the problems and skips the "there's no problem" fill you can easily do a traffic report in :60 or less. Listen to Paul Tosch. He knows how to do that. Or try listening to a NYC station. They do it every report.

You are missing my point....

Seattle is decentralized and spread out over a larger area. Tacoma, Everett, Bremerton, Bellevue, Olympia, etc all have their unique traffic patterns and traffic issues. On top of hat there are multiple ferry lines

What percentage of those employed work in downtown Seattle?

Thus if they are limited to 60 seconds at most they only have time to touch I-5 in/out of Seattle and bridges and near ferries. If you have a major accident somewhere else they may mention it....they rarely do.

I can got online and see WSDOT traffic map and see the black, red, and yellow highway areas.

In a mdsize market traffic reports are easier because they usually have only 2-3 job centers (downtown, some other area) and their market does not have over 250 miles of highways/main roads to report on like Seattle has.

In Portland the job centers are downtown and beaverton/Hillsboro ( Nike/intel)

 

[crainbebo]

Yesterday I was in Seattle and listened to KOMO 97.7. We were on Southbound 405 heading for I-90 around 5:30 and it was stop and go at 5 mph for miles. Not once did KOMO traffic "on the 4s" mention "southbound 405 is an absolute struggle from Bellevue all the way to Renton" or whatever. Yet they can mention I-5 in Everett, Shoreline, Seattle, Federal Way AND Tacoma! And no mention of Snoqualmie Pass closing for rock blasting at 7:30 last night on KOMO either. Nice job, jeers to you KOMO. Cover ALL the traffic because I-5, 520 and I-90 are not the only highways in the metro area!

 

[Bongwater]

I don't even listen to radio for traffic anymore....I have a traffic app on my smartphone. It's far more up to date than radio....

 

[Unregistered]

Bigger question is "are listeners disappearing from Seattle radio". Answer is "yes".