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Voice tracking, the how's and why's?

S

Stormychuck

Asking Orlando's radio experts, and reading radio-info blogs from coast to coast, voice tracking is a big issue with mega complaints, since records, carts and cart machines and CD's have fallen by the wayside as it appears to me, and with the advent of these new automation systems, this seems to be the norm now-a-day's. So as to have a basic understanding, please explain the how's and why's this is being done and what's the purpose behind it?

TY....
 
Parttimer, I figured you most of all would have a better response then that since I'm eager to have an understanding, other then to save money....
 
Hey Stormy. I have a few seconds here and will add my two cents.

Voice-Tracking has been around via digital systems for a long spell. I took over a station as OM in the mid 90a that was using a Dave Scott Studios system and that station was voice-tracked outside of Morning Drive and Afternoon Drive. I was also using Audio Vault at another station voice tracking close to the late 90s. Playing Sherman and joing Mister Peabody in the way back machine I had worked with Harris 90s systems and analog voice tracking in the 80s and in the late 70s Sono-Mag with voice tracking on reel-to-reel and cart.

One of the reasons owners opt for this is it can be cost effective...they weigh the need to be live and they justify it in their minds that they don't need to be paying for a body sitting behind the board for so many hours in the day. I am not saying they (the owner) is right or wrong on this. It is the owner's football stadium...not mine. In their minds they rule out the need to provide customer service...ie answering calls (questions about songs, spot played, something happening in the community)...the need to have someone on board if a crisis happens...because many feel they can be at the station in minutes if an emergency happens or they can log into the automation via their laptops/mobile device and do emergency announcements/breaks. The owners feel confident the EAS will cut into the chain when fired and cover them in certain times of crisis. Also, they can have the station phone numbers forwarded to a cell phone at times and have the phone on rotation with staff...that way if someone does call with a question...whoever is on call can "possibly" answer the question. I suggested that to an owner of a small station and he has been doing that for several years.

Quality control is another viewpoint. The owner does not have to worry about miscued CDs (wrong cuts playing). Can have stronger air talents on...for VT can be done by those afar (I know...I know..local factor can take a big hit). Staffing...the owner has less to worry about when it comes to staffing issues...ie dependability...the VT/automation system is not going to want weekends/holidays off and is rarely sick (yes hard drives crash and hopefully the place has things on mirror).

Voice-Tracking/Automation can sound horrible...and be void of localism...but with someone focusing on the system it can offer an illusion (radio is all about stage magic...smoke and mirrors IMHO) of being live. Some systems since around 96/97 have offered temperature/time announcements that add to the "live" illusion/feel. I have a former colleague up north I helped set up his automation system for his LPFM and he has incorporated his Voice Tracking with this and it has ran smoothly for over two years.

I hope this has helped some Stormy. Some other areas on radio-info to post for different views would be the Engineering sections:

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?board=324.0

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?board=270.0

And the Business section

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?board=319.0
 
everyone cant be Dan Ingram who had a natural instinct to do intro and outro in sync with the music... you know the fade in and fade outs.... Now, in all humility I say I do that....with or without the use of adobe audition 3.

Using abdobe saves the use of genius...but alas all the big stations are not interested in matching intros and outros anymore like Dan Ingram did of the 77 ABC fame
 
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