UNLISTENABLE MESS ON TALK 650 KSTE

[NoMoreLurking]

Heard on Sunday, 5/13:

1. Armstrong and Getty Best Of (?) Show, leading up to 5pm.

2. Almost 5:00pm: "CBS News is next."

3. At 5pm, there's No CBS News...a little dead air, then next program begins instead.

4. About 5:05, an Armstrong and Getty endorsement spot begins. OVER the program in progress. Perhaps the spot was scheduled to air at the end of the 5pm CBS News that didn't happen?

5. Then a totally different program begins. The only problem is that it's playing SIMULTANEOUSLY with the program already on air.

I listened until 5:25pm to see if anyone would catch the two programs playing simultaneously. At the time I shut off my radio, no human had intervened. Anyone know how long this automation disaster went on?

 

[snakemao]

Probably too long.This is why board ops are needed no matter what.Plus it would be a way of creating jobs.I know this makes too much sense but some one has to have some.

 

[stewie]

Probably too long.This is why board ops are needed no matter what.Plus it would be a way of creating jobs.I know this makes too much sense but some one has to have some.

This happened because the have no GM.

Ok, I kid, I kid.

Sounds like automation had multiple sat sources on the air, what a mess with no one there (or listening) to jump in when needed.

 

[nitnitr]

Probably too long.This is why board ops are needed no matter what.Plus it would be a way of creating jobs.I know this makes too much sense but some one has to have some.

Board Ops are needed at every station, at all times. What a mess you heard. It could have been corrected in less than a few minutes if needed.

Some of the major networks don't always employ Board Ops at all times. So stupid.

 

[stewie]

Probably too long.This is why board ops are needed no matter what.Plus it would be a way of creating jobs.I know this makes too much sense but some one has to have some.

Board Ops are needed at every station, at all times. What a mess you heard. It could have been corrected in less than a few minutes if needed.

Some of the major networks don't always employ Board Ops at all times. So stupid.

There are very few hours of the day that even the biggest stations in Sacramento have board operators. Very simple answer: $$$

 

[xmusicmatt]

It's cheaper to have an over worked under paid PD program an automation computer a set of commands to "switch" the feeds.. however if he screws up and leaves out a command or inserts the wrong one at the wrong time... all hell breaks loose.. and if no one is in the building.. It isn't fixed until a) computer resolves it naturally at the next switcher command switch .. b) someone notices.

 

[1069_KIFR]

But NoMoreLurking noticed!

 

[nitnitr]

It's cheaper to have an over worked under paid PD program an automation computer a set of commands to "switch" the feeds.. however if he screws up and leaves out a command or inserts the wrong one at the wrong time... all hell breaks loose.. and if no one is in the building.. It isn't fixed until a) computer resolves it naturally at the next switcher command switch .. b) someone notices.

I know it is dollars, but screw ups like this shouldn't happen. A board op is essential for any station. There needs to be somebody aboard to make sure things run smoothly, or correct them, if stuff occurs, at any time of the day.

My two cents worth, and your mileage may vary.

 

[DJBigOne]

Heard on Sunday, 5/13:

1. Armstrong and Getty Best Of (?) Show, leading up to 5pm.

2. Almost 5:00pm: "CBS News is next."

3. At 5pm, there's No CBS News...a little dead air, then next program begins instead.

4. About 5:05, an Armstrong and Getty endorsement spot begins. OVER the program in progress. Perhaps the spot was scheduled to air at the end of the 5pm CBS News that didn't happen?

5. Then a totally different program begins. The only problem is that it's playing SIMULTANEOUSLY with the program already on air.

I listened until 5:25pm to see if anyone would catch the two programs playing simultaneously. At the time I shut off my radio, no human had intervened. Anyone know how long this automation disaster went on?

After hearing the same garbage before, I've asked if KSTE is completely automated. The answer was yes...unfortunately. I agree there should be a live human monitoring all automation. How much could it possibly cost to hire a few part-time board ops? ESPECIALLY during prime time hours. I could understand no board ops during overnights.

 

[nitnitr]

After hearing the same garbage before, I've asked if KSTE is completely automated. The answer was yes...unfortunately. I agree there should be a live human monitoring all automation. How much could it possibly cost to hire a few part-time board ops? ESPECIALLY during prime time hours. I could understand no board ops during overnights.

Exactly my thought, but I'll go a little bit more, in that somebody should be monitoring a station at all times, not only the prime times.

Part time work is fine for some who are qualified as board operators (I'm there myself), and help with the local economy to boot. Why can't a board operator be on at all times at any station.

If a station were to hire just one new person (for that matter, any business), part time or full time, wouldn't that get the economy going a bit. Too many people out of work now, and even if not qualified, maybe employers would be able to train. One extra job per company might make a difference in this economy.

Just think, over the nation, if one new person was hired per company, that would make a big difference in our unemployment situation, and in the radio industry too.

Off my high horse now! Just think a board op should be on at all times. My two cents worth.

 

[e-dawg]

Maybe they can put 650 KSTE as a sports stations or move all talk line up from their sister station 1530 KFBK, and make 1530 KFBK an all-news station. What do you think?

 

[Questor]

I've noticed when listening to The Savage Nation on KSTE,
the last few seconds of an ad repeat
the last few seconds of an ad repeat.

(You get the impression.)

 

[DJBigOne]

Exactly my thought, but I'll go a little bit more, in that somebody should be monitoring a station at all times, not only the prime times.

Part time work is fine for some who are qualified as board operators (I'm there myself), and help with the local economy to boot. Why can't a board operator be on at all times at any station.

If a station were to hire just one new person (for that matter, any business), part time or full time, wouldn't that get the economy going a bit. Too many people out of work now, and even if not qualified, maybe employers would be able to train. One extra job per company might make a difference in this economy.

Just think, over the nation, if one new person was hired per company, that would make a big difference in our unemployment situation, and in the radio industry too.

Off my high horse now! Just think a board op should be on at all times. My two cents worth.

I agree completely. Unfortunatly, most companies nowadays are getting by with less. How far we've come. We once had someone live 24/7 on EVERY station. Now we have almost no one live running each station.

You are so right about our local economy. Give one person a job, and it benefits many other businesses in the community. You pay rent, pay for utilities, buy groceries, gasoline, and more...

 

[nitnitr]

Exactly my thought, but I'll go a little bit more, in that somebody should be monitoring a station at all times, not only the prime times.

Part time work is fine for some who are qualified as board operators (I'm there myself), and help with the local economy to boot. Why can't a board operator be on at all times at any station.

If a station were to hire just one new person (for that matter, any business), part time or full time, wouldn't that get the economy going a bit. Too many people out of work now, and even if not qualified, maybe employers would be able to train. One extra job per company might make a difference in this economy.

Just think, over the nation, if one new person was hired per company, that would make a big difference in our unemployment situation, and in the radio industry too.

Off my high horse now! Just think a board op should be on at all times. My two cents worth.

I agree completely. Unfortunatly, most companies nowadays are getting by with less. How far we've come. We once had someone live 24/7 on EVERY station. Now we have almost no one live running each station.

You are so right about our local economy. Give one person a job, and it benefits many other businesses in the community. You pay rent, pay for utilities, buy groceries, gasoline, and more...

The economy sucks, even though it has made some strides in the past year, but it isn't enough. Unemployment would be down if every employer, (not talking about the small guys that are having problems making ends meet as a family business or a couple of employees), would take on an extra person for work. Again, off my high horse.

Radio needs to have somebody on the premises 24/7 to fix things if need be, and get the station up and running as usual.

I operate an Internet station in the Sacramento area, and this morning, found some Christmas music running in the playlist. Not sure why, but some of the file tags were not reading correctly. I fixed it as soon as I could, (had to scan all the music again to correct the issue), and all is operating normally now. I only have hundreds of people listening, not thousands or tens of thousands listening (or more), as per a terrestrial station, and if I were available during the overnight, would have caught it, and fixed it ASAP. Stuff happens, and if somebody is aboard, checking on automation or just off hours issues, at terrestrial stations like KSTE, they wouldn't have this kind of problem. Just one or two part time people could do the trick.

As you said Steven Roy, the employment all pours back into the economy too via rent/mortgages, utilities, groceries, etc.!

 

[SFSAC]

I fully expected to read the Monday through Sunday Lineup as reference to the title of this thread.

 

[DJBigOne]

I listen to A&G and Dr. Savage. I noticed A&G's new studio has a lot of echo. Perhaps they haven't installed sound baffles yet?

I fully expected to read the Monday through Sunday Lineup as reference to the title of this thread.

 

[jhimbo]

Another example: During the early morning Imus show they must have unsold spots as they play the exact same psa over and over and even back to back at times. Time to turn it off.

 

[stewie]

I listen to A&G and Dr. Savage. I noticed A&G's new studio has a lot of echo. Perhaps they haven't installed sound baffles yet?

I fully expected to read the Monday through Sunday Lineup as reference to the title of this thread.

I noticed the same thing but wasn't sure if it was the new Sacramento studio or their studio in SF.

 

[stewie]

Another example: During the early morning Imus show they must have unsold spots as they play the exact same psa over and over and even back to back at times. Time to turn it off.

They probably stayed with the network during the break. I suppose they could fill with their own PSA's.

You should write a strongly worded letter to the network. I'm joking of course, I get your point though.