Traffic

[vivalamusica]

Since the only thing live left, it seems, is traffic, I'd like to hear what you all think of the traffic reporters in this market.

I was so happy to hear that Keira was leaving The End because I cannot stand her "Hey kids," approach...only to find that the new guy is just as bad. Yesterday, he told the listeners that he is proud of the Seattle area drivers because there were no accidents. Gee, thanks.

The other thing I can't stand is the whiny syncophantic mutterings of Tracy Taylor. It seems like she is everywhere and she stinks.

Maybe I'm just a traffic misogynist?

 

[SeattleRadioPro]

Paul Tosch is the dean of Seattle traffic. Nobody better currently on the air.

Most of the Metro people are pretty good too. Shane Cobain's not bad - a lot better than a couple of years ago.

 

[Bongwater]

Paul Tosch is the dean of Seattle traffic. Nobody better currently on the air.

Most of the Metro people are pretty good too. Shane Cobain's not bad - a lot better than a couple of years ago.

There was a time you could not hear Adam Gehrke's voice on nearly EVERY frequency............

 

[vivalamusica]

I agree about Metro traffic. I like Heather Stark because she is always on, yet I don't want to murder her.

 

[dan_greenberg1500]

I wouldn't consider most traffic reports to be "live". In most cases (except for shows that have their own traffic guy/gal) the traffic is pre-recorded a few minutes beforehand and then played back.

 

[mightymoose]

I like most of 'em. Some of them just talk too damn fast! (Tracy Taylor, you're one of those).

I know, I know they have to fit the report in the window they're given as opposed to being able to take the time they actually need. Sara Johnson is my traffic angel. But for any one of them the challenge is finding interesting new ways to say "5 south is stop-n-go from Northgate to the Ship Canal bridge" "90 crawls from Issaquah to Eastgate".

 

[fremont]

Thank goodness no one is a fan of General Gridlock on 100.7

Where did that guy come from? Did Fitz bring his schtick from some other locale?

 

[SeattleObserver]

Thank goodness no one is a fan of General Gridlock on 100.7

Where did that guy come from? Did Fitz bring his schtick from some other locale?

He's in Salt Lake City on KUBL "K-Bull" too.

Greg Adams used to be on FM100/KSFI there and I heard him slip and call I-15 I-5 (instead) at times. He was based up here last I knew.

 

[mightymoose]

Is it true that Metro Traffic is doing the Spokane and Portland traffic out of the Seattle studios??

 

[WKomm]

IMO, traffic reports are a total waste. The vast VAST majority of drivers know where the usual trouble spots are. Maybe if there's something exceptional like a huge accident or a major construction project ...

Other than that, it's just yammering to make a station sound busy and important. Just my opinion and I've been in radio a long time. The only useful thing of traffic reporters was/is a chance to make them part of the show, bounce stuff off 'em.

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

IMO, traffic reports are a total waste. The vast VAST majority of drivers know where the usual trouble spots are. Maybe if there's something exceptional like a huge accident or a major construction project ...

Other than that, it's just yammering to make a station sound busy and important. Just my opinion and I've been in radio a long time. The only useful thing of traffic reporters was/is a chance to make them part of the show, bounce stuff off 'em.

I disagree. Just last night was heading across bridge ... seemed crowded for 6pm so kicked on traffic to find out if anything unusual going on and where the backup would begin to break.

This, of course, relies on the talent of traffic reporter to cover all areas in coherent way within about 60-90 seconds...and that's not as easy as it sounds. My "negative benchmark" on this remains a traffic report I once heard from Brendle on KIRO ... they toss to him and he yammers about what a gorgeous sunset as everyone heads to the Kingdome for Seahawks game. Traffic in gridlock all over hell...and this f-up wants to talk about the SUNSET??? I was so incensed I remember I got on cell...called KIRO newsroom...and told them if they had the balls to log that segment as a "NEWS ITEM" I would formally challenge their ^&^^&WE license!!!!

It does, however, say something about the state of the biz when we have a thread about traffic talent because they are only inspirational people left to talk about.

 

[SeattleRadioPro]

IMO, traffic reports are a total waste. The vast VAST majority of drivers know where the usual trouble spots are. Maybe if there's something exceptional like a huge accident or a major construction project ...

Other than that, it's just yammering to make a station sound busy and important. Just my opinion and I've been in radio a long time. The only useful thing of traffic reporters was/is a chance to make them part of the show, bounce stuff off 'em.

Wrongo, my friend. Maybe you think it's a waste - but daily commuters have a different opinion.

These days even a minor incident like a disabled vehicle can cause miles-long backups. So accurate and timely traffic reports ARE valuable and are NOT "just yammering to make a station sound busy and important".

 

[floradora]

Don't forget Sara Johnson. I used to love her on KUOW. I think she's buried in midday on KOMO now. That's too bad. she's way too good to just do the middle of the day. She should be heard in drive time. What I like about her is that she's been doing this so long, that she anticipates problems before they happen, and she's usually right!

 

[dunno]

Headin on the highway, I always turn to KOMO 1st. My top 10 t reporters.

#1 Sarah Johnson-Just right amount of personality
#2 Adam G
#3 Paul Tosh
#4 Mary Whitish
#5 Bill Ogden ??
#6 Steven Killbreath?? I have that breath too!!
#7 Heather Stark
#8 Erik uptempo Kirshner movin up fast
#9 Tracy, cute as a bug, Taylor!
#10 Angela Kirby, Gina T, Janet Wilson, Shane Cocaine

The rest you're all great, just don't have the right station on most likely, to hear you.

??-Maybe not doing traffic anymore

 

[mightymoose]

Oh yeah, the ONLY place to get traffic in Seattle is KOMO radio. Sara Johnson, Queen of Traffic. All those mentioned by dunno are terrific.

 

[Radio-Yo-Ho]

Seriuosly? People are getting fired all over town and you want to talk about traffic?

 

[dunno]

Yo ho start another thread about the loss of radio jobs. You know, Metro traffic has offered many a radio folk a place to the hang the hat till something better comes along.

We've been thru down cycles before in radio, I know I've caught the sword more than a few times and it's not fun. It's the biz we've chosen, well knowing it's a job with no security. To put it bluntly, if you can't handle that, this is not the business for you.

There's more security working at the McDonalds drive thru, you can announce to a captive audience and I believe you even get some free food.

 

[KMan]

Headin on the highway, I always turn to KOMO 1st. My top 10 t reporters.

All good ones on the list - I still want to know where KIRO's Steve Sanders disappeared to. I always thought his rapid fire delivery was great. He could get double the information in compared to Paul Tosch.

I'd add Harmon Shay to the list.

 

[WKomm]

Ok, ok - maybe traffic is a bit more important than my negative post implies BUT ... I just don't see them as a big selling point. We're not there yet but more & more cars will be equipped with real-time traffic views and you can be your own traffic reporter. Many of the reports are garbled, hurried and inaccurate. And I did say that they're useful in the event of something unexpected. But the usual "I-5 is crowded, the 520 bridge is your better bet" stuff is, IMO, useless to most commuters. Most of us already pretty much know what's up on the roads.