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allnews
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How about a topic that would require some listening and observations, as opposed to scatalogical come-backs. Anyone catch tonight's elections coverage? Any thoughts?
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The few minutes I heard on ZTK around 9pm sounded like they were doing a pretty good job.
I think at the same time I heard WPTF talking about some national races.
I think at the same time I heard WPTF talking about some national races.
Radio wastes a lot of time reporting number. Just tell me who is leading and the percentages! Maybe I'm getting old, but just can't process all those numbers. Just need to know who is winning and who is not. Watched some TV - they sucked. Why would local stations not cover all of the contested Congressional districts - particularly the 8th and 11th? The TV guys these days spend way too much time trying to get me to look at their web sites!
A
allnews
Guest
When I listened:
WZTK had one person reading returns. No tape, no analysis.
WSJS had three people on air during their reports. They were offering some analysis about what was going on, the possible impact, etc. They did have tape from elections people and candidates.
WFDD had one person anchoring, but did have reporters at Foxx's headquarters, the Forsyth Board of elections, Wautaga County, and other places. They had cuts from Congressmen Howard Coble and Mel Watt.
WZTK had one person reading returns. No tape, no analysis.
WSJS had three people on air during their reports. They were offering some analysis about what was going on, the possible impact, etc. They did have tape from elections people and candidates.
WFDD had one person anchoring, but did have reporters at Foxx's headquarters, the Forsyth Board of elections, Wautaga County, and other places. They had cuts from Congressmen Howard Coble and Mel Watt.
It has gotten harder to cover elections on the radio these days. Getting the numbers, particularly on local races is so unpredictable. I know Forsyth County was late releasing any numbers and many people had left the party before there was anything to celebrate! You would think, with all the new electronic equipment, they could get the numbers out sooner!
I didn't hear much of the radio coverage, but what I heard was OK. Problem is that this election didn't demand full blown coverage like the years when there is a presidential or gubernatorial race on the ballot. Hard to fill a solid hour with local stuff - even with interviews and analisys.
I also think the interest level was pretty much restricted to the party loyalists. It is sad, but a fact of life.
One interesting turn in my mind was how large the victory was for Virginia Foxx even though the Winston-Salem Journal was out to get her. Shows the power of the paper, I suppose.
I didn't hear much of the radio coverage, but what I heard was OK. Problem is that this election didn't demand full blown coverage like the years when there is a presidential or gubernatorial race on the ballot. Hard to fill a solid hour with local stuff - even with interviews and analisys.
I also think the interest level was pretty much restricted to the party loyalists. It is sad, but a fact of life.
One interesting turn in my mind was how large the victory was for Virginia Foxx even though the Winston-Salem Journal was out to get her. Shows the power of the paper, I suppose.
Guess it's time for my two-cents worth!
I didn't listen to the radio coverage of the elections last night in the Triad or the Triangle. Guess it was because I didn't want to get mad at what I DIDN'T hear!
Elections are hard to cover. You can't do it with just one or two people reading results in the studio. This is one of the times that radio can shine and prove the station(s) worth in the public's eye.
This is something owners and management should push to the max!
Returns from (fill-in the blank) station's coverage area is a damn good way to sell sponsorships! That will help the bottom line and draw some listeners. Stations should get the entire staff involved--from managers and sales folks down to the janitor! If there are not enough folks on staff, hire interns or some of us old radio dinosaurs, who have been through election-after-election.
Send these extra folks to boards of elections after training them on what to get, how to get it and how to report it back to the station personnel handling the figure-crunching and reporting. Of course, this may be "new" to a lot of them...BUT...that is where training comes-in.
Sales folks and others, who normally don't gather such info, probably will bitch at the idea. BUT BROADCASTING IS A TEAM EFFORT! Unfortunately, the biz has gotten away from that concept and it's every man or woman for himself and it's only about his or her checking or savings account.
Radio doesn't have to go wall-to-wall with continuous coverage. But up-to-date figures can be presented in understandable language and fashion that would and should interest most listeners. Just look at television and newspapers today. They are covered with wrap-ups of who won and what it all means.
Speaking of television coverage, which I caught last night on Triad and Triangle stations...well, fair at best is the way I would describe it. Sure, they had some of the numbers. But, T-V didn't cover election results from all the areas they try to cover with news on a regular basis.
Setting-up election coverage is not brain surgery, but is is labor-intensive! It can be done...and done well! But you have to have station leaders, who are committed to doing it RIGHT and know HOW to do it! Guess the old saying really plays out well here--if you are going to do something--do it right! From what I have read here today, the radio stations did the job--but it sure wasn't a "10!"
I'm just glad some of the true professionals of Triad radio news like Wayne Willard, Bob Estes and Lloyd Gordon weren't around to see what has happened to an industry they devoted their entire careers to
I didn't listen to the radio coverage of the elections last night in the Triad or the Triangle. Guess it was because I didn't want to get mad at what I DIDN'T hear!
Elections are hard to cover. You can't do it with just one or two people reading results in the studio. This is one of the times that radio can shine and prove the station(s) worth in the public's eye.
This is something owners and management should push to the max!
Returns from (fill-in the blank) station's coverage area is a damn good way to sell sponsorships! That will help the bottom line and draw some listeners. Stations should get the entire staff involved--from managers and sales folks down to the janitor! If there are not enough folks on staff, hire interns or some of us old radio dinosaurs, who have been through election-after-election.
Send these extra folks to boards of elections after training them on what to get, how to get it and how to report it back to the station personnel handling the figure-crunching and reporting. Of course, this may be "new" to a lot of them...BUT...that is where training comes-in.
Sales folks and others, who normally don't gather such info, probably will bitch at the idea. BUT BROADCASTING IS A TEAM EFFORT! Unfortunately, the biz has gotten away from that concept and it's every man or woman for himself and it's only about his or her checking or savings account.
Radio doesn't have to go wall-to-wall with continuous coverage. But up-to-date figures can be presented in understandable language and fashion that would and should interest most listeners. Just look at television and newspapers today. They are covered with wrap-ups of who won and what it all means.
Speaking of television coverage, which I caught last night on Triad and Triangle stations...well, fair at best is the way I would describe it. Sure, they had some of the numbers. But, T-V didn't cover election results from all the areas they try to cover with news on a regular basis.
Setting-up election coverage is not brain surgery, but is is labor-intensive! It can be done...and done well! But you have to have station leaders, who are committed to doing it RIGHT and know HOW to do it! Guess the old saying really plays out well here--if you are going to do something--do it right! From what I have read here today, the radio stations did the job--but it sure wasn't a "10!"
I'm just glad some of the true professionals of Triad radio news like Wayne Willard, Bob Estes and Lloyd Gordon weren't around to see what has happened to an industry they devoted their entire careers to
Dr. News mentioned one very important thing - its about the money!!! Radio has historically done a great job with election coverage, even in recent times. However, it has become harder and harder to make it happen. Station budgets for news are smaller than ever, and even the stations with four or five people on their staff (the news-talk stations).
I remember enlisting sales people to cover kep polling places, and sending DJs to campaign HQs. In those days, we had to scramble to find a phone to call in the report. Years ago in Wilmington, we even enlisted Jaycees to help cover polling places. In those days, the counts were done there and called in to the elections board. Our volunteeters got numbers to us while they were being give the the election HQ.
Today, news directors fight the budget battle and it is really hard to convince GMs that you need the money and you don't find a lot of sales types willing to put in the hours to help with the coverage.
I remember enlisting sales people to cover kep polling places, and sending DJs to campaign HQs. In those days, we had to scramble to find a phone to call in the report. Years ago in Wilmington, we even enlisted Jaycees to help cover polling places. In those days, the counts were done there and called in to the elections board. Our volunteeters got numbers to us while they were being give the the election HQ.
Today, news directors fight the budget battle and it is really hard to convince GMs that you need the money and you don't find a lot of sales types willing to put in the hours to help with the coverage.
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