Seems voicetracking is slowly being used more. I've noticed it this weekend. I guess stations think the general public believes the jocks are live. soon the general public will figure it out. the audience is not as dumb as the stations think. I suppose in NYC and other major markets stations made deals with AFTRA about voicetracking? ( PS--- I always recall hearing a PD and GM at a major NYC station saying---- what crap can we give away in our next contest that the schmucks will eat up? (referring to the audience/listeners. ) I then realized the true nature of the "business" of radio and the true nature of those in control of it.
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Voicetracking
- Thread starter Clayton Douglas
- Start date
ANSWER: over 50 years ------but now out!Sherpat said:
No disrespect intended to any members of the radio audience or to Mr. Douglas who apparently was an intern during the Marconi days...but the audience is dumb. Actually that's not fair to call them dumb. It's not a question of intelligence...it's a matter of perception and relevance. Remember, it is not my intention to begin a debate about the merits (or lack their of) of voice tracking...or a debate about how the whole greedy corporate money-making mantra has ruined radio beyond repair. But the fact is listeners (defined as real people not working in the industry) do not care about the same things you and I care about.
I used to work at a station years ago that replaced a local evening show with a syndicated one. I can't tell you how many people thought the syndicated personality was sitting in the local studio. They'd even call the station's local studio line in hopes of talking to her. I also worked for a station where our morning guy would also voice track a late night shift. Again, I wish I had a dollar for everytime a regular listener said to me "wow, does (name) live at the station? We hear him in the morning, we hear him at night...he's always there!"
Listeners for the most part don't care about the behind the scenes stuff that we all care about. Their involvement with the radio is much more passive and much more casual than you and I would like to believe.
So while they may not be dumb...they certainly aren't on the same page as us radio guys because they don't have the same vested interest into how things are done.
I used to work at a station years ago that replaced a local evening show with a syndicated one. I can't tell you how many people thought the syndicated personality was sitting in the local studio. They'd even call the station's local studio line in hopes of talking to her. I also worked for a station where our morning guy would also voice track a late night shift. Again, I wish I had a dollar for everytime a regular listener said to me "wow, does (name) live at the station? We hear him in the morning, we hear him at night...he's always there!"
Listeners for the most part don't care about the behind the scenes stuff that we all care about. Their involvement with the radio is much more passive and much more casual than you and I would like to believe.
So while they may not be dumb...they certainly aren't on the same page as us radio guys because they don't have the same vested interest into how things are done.
I couldn't agree with Mr. Margalotti more.
It's not that the audience is "dumb", it's just that the technology is good enough to fool the casual listener - which is 99% of them. We're radio geeks and/or pros here, so we have a bit of an edge when it comes to spotting the differences because we listen more closely than others...but I bet a lot of US would even be fooled if we were plunked down in an unfamiliar market and asked to pick out which stations on the dial were live and which were VT.
My first gig ended in 1994 when the owners replaced us all with the Jones service. I lived in the area, and for several years afterwards I would meet my old listeners who invariably would soon ask about the "new jock". They had no idea, and that was pretty early in the VT trend. There were so many technical glitches that it seemed pretty obvious that there was no one live running the board. But I guess it wasn't....
So, seriously Mr. Douglas. 50 years? And it's really only dawned on you recently that voice tracking is becoming widespread, and audiences are clueless to that? I mean, we were all sounding the alarm about VT-spread almost 15 years ago, out by me.
It's not that the audience is "dumb", it's just that the technology is good enough to fool the casual listener - which is 99% of them. We're radio geeks and/or pros here, so we have a bit of an edge when it comes to spotting the differences because we listen more closely than others...but I bet a lot of US would even be fooled if we were plunked down in an unfamiliar market and asked to pick out which stations on the dial were live and which were VT.
My first gig ended in 1994 when the owners replaced us all with the Jones service. I lived in the area, and for several years afterwards I would meet my old listeners who invariably would soon ask about the "new jock". They had no idea, and that was pretty early in the VT trend. There were so many technical glitches that it seemed pretty obvious that there was no one live running the board. But I guess it wasn't....
So, seriously Mr. Douglas. 50 years? And it's really only dawned on you recently that voice tracking is becoming widespread, and audiences are clueless to that? I mean, we were all sounding the alarm about VT-spread almost 15 years ago, out by me.
If you must know I left the airwaves due to health issues. hope to return part time. my other points were-- voicetracking seems to be increasing a lot recently and--- many PD's/GM's are low-lifes! but I guess we all know this! Yes--- I may make some trivial comments but I'm not ready for-- Broadcast Manor Home for the Aged ---- yet!
Gentlemen - as one who hears it, sees it, reads it, comments on it just like you ... as well as being "in it," ...
It's not that broadcasters think that the audience is dumb. That's not the case nor the point at all.
It is what it is ...
The listeners who listen just don't CARE about radio anymore.
As great as this board is, it's not a landscape of "average listeners." It's an opinion board for radio fans and a few who are in the business...or who wannabe.
The fact is, that listeners don't CARE anymore ... and with their available choices and both the "corporate" mentality and the fact that so much radio sounds like crap, is not relevant, isn't "local" and the music leaves a lot to be desired in the wake of what arm-chair PDs can do now with their own iPods ... can you really blame the listeners?
They don't care whether it's "live," "voice tracked," "syndicated on CD," or fed from Dallas, California or Resume Speed, Nebraska by "satellite."
The great majority don't care. And they are listening less and less.
It's not that broadcasters think that the audience is dumb. That's not the case nor the point at all.
It is what it is ...
The listeners who listen just don't CARE about radio anymore.
As great as this board is, it's not a landscape of "average listeners." It's an opinion board for radio fans and a few who are in the business...or who wannabe.
The fact is, that listeners don't CARE anymore ... and with their available choices and both the "corporate" mentality and the fact that so much radio sounds like crap, is not relevant, isn't "local" and the music leaves a lot to be desired in the wake of what arm-chair PDs can do now with their own iPods ... can you really blame the listeners?
They don't care whether it's "live," "voice tracked," "syndicated on CD," or fed from Dallas, California or Resume Speed, Nebraska by "satellite."
The great majority don't care. And they are listening less and less.
The vast majority of listeners don't know or care if someone they hear on the radio is local.
I know of a station that used to regularly get calls from people who wanted to speak to Paul Harvey about something they'd heard on his newscast.
I know of a station that used to regularly get calls from people who wanted to speak to Paul Harvey about something they'd heard on his newscast.
Due respect to everybody, but what does it matter? On the majority of music stations, the days are long past when DJs read the time and temperature, or did comic bits with the news guy (morning drive being the exception). They can pre-record a few segments saying "Now here's Joe Schmo with W_ _ _ Traffic." Jocks don't even ID song title or artists anymore, they just ID the station and image slogan - maybe read a liner or two. There are no more live commercial reads, and they run pre-recorded liners between songs most of the time. The jock only opens the mic between every third or fourth song.
The problem isn't voice-tracking, it's the totally diminished role of the jocks that makes the difference. At this point, why not voice-track it? When artificial computer voices get more realistic sounding, they won't even need a human to do the voice-tracking.
The problem isn't voice-tracking, it's the totally diminished role of the jocks that makes the difference. At this point, why not voice-track it? When artificial computer voices get more realistic sounding, they won't even need a human to do the voice-tracking.
ANSWER---- No, I wasn't replaced by a voicetracker. But, I was once replaced by the station owner's daughter! I suppose voicetracking is fine -- for those doing it-- and being paid. But ,it seems to have put a lot of on-air people out of work. I wonder--- will the owners of the computer generated voice systems on radio-tv need to be an AFTRA member! (PS--- by the way, some people in other businesses tell me their bosses are greedy and liars too--- it's not just radio or tv.)Sherpat said:Congrats!
Er...were you replaced by VT, by any chance?
I suppose the sad point has been made here. the vast majority of the general public no longer generally cares about radio air talent. too bad most of them don't recall the days of Dan Ingram, Jean Shepard, Steve Allen, William B. Williams, Ted Brown, Gene Klaven, Jim Lowe, etc, etc, etc! Great Radio air talents! (Steve Allen on WNEW-am was quite humorous. I think his co-host was Mark Simone.) (PS-- I did not leave out any great radio air talents here on purpose. I just must run now and see if I can discover any voicetracking on radio right now!)
Funny you should mention comuputerized voices on the radio. I remember when NOAA weather had a real voice on it. Now its a robot voice in my area. The thing I can't figure out is wouldn't it be easier to just record the forcast with a real person that to type it out on a computer? Its a lot easier to talk than to type. and its faster. They also have the computer voice on the EBS weather warnings. Which always seem to interupt something you were actually listening too.
I guess robot jocks will be the next big thing in radio.
I guess robot jocks will be the next big thing in radio.
Computer generated voices may appeal to radio owners. Cheap and no health benefits need be offered. I bet radio owners already have it on the drawing board for the future.
Some people think delilah after dark is local.
B
bub
Guest
I remember a station replaced their jocks with the Music of Your Life satellite. The station would actually get calls from listeners asking how was it possible to get Gary Owens and Wink Martindale to work at that station. ;D
Years before that, around 1989-90 or therabouts, a station replaced their jocks with a satellite. A business owner was so impressed with the PM drive jock that he called the station's Ops. Manager asking if the jock can do a 3-hour remote at his business...unbeknownst to him that the jock was being piped out of a bird in LA. The Ops Mgr forwarded the call to the station's Owner/GM with a message from the Ops. Mgr, "You tell him." ;D
Another thing to remember about the average listener, it doesn't matter whether the average listener is dumb or doesn't care or whatever. By and large, we who actually work in radio do not listen to radio the same way that an "average listener" listens to radio.
Years before that, around 1989-90 or therabouts, a station replaced their jocks with a satellite. A business owner was so impressed with the PM drive jock that he called the station's Ops. Manager asking if the jock can do a 3-hour remote at his business...unbeknownst to him that the jock was being piped out of a bird in LA. The Ops Mgr forwarded the call to the station's Owner/GM with a message from the Ops. Mgr, "You tell him." ;D
Another thing to remember about the average listener, it doesn't matter whether the average listener is dumb or doesn't care or whatever. By and large, we who actually work in radio do not listen to radio the same way that an "average listener" listens to radio.
B
bub
Guest
I realize that my previous post dealt with satellite repeater formats, not VT, but it works the same way.
K
KDRadio
Guest
I can tell you this, down here in market 50 where I am located people dont care about the jocks because quite simply the jock is not saying anything relevant to anyone. now when when of our hip hop stations (Power 104.1) flipped and people lost Wendy and Steve Harvey there was an outrage!! but as for the local jocks on the station who where just there not saying anything, well..........
B
bub
Guest
This is the other side of the "diminished role of the jock" arguement in radio today. How many times have you heard a jock on any given station crack open the mic and talk and talk and talk and are oblivious to the fact that they are NOT SAYING ANYTHING? In those cases, a satellite or voicetrack makes sense.KDRadio said:
Clayton Douglas said:
Consultant Pete Salant predicted exactly that in his radio parody called "99":
http://www.reelradio.com/99/index.html#99
If anyone ever gets a copy I'd love to get it - I had subscribed to ReelRadio a couple of years ago and never got access to the site, so I'm not too quick to make a contribution to uncle ricky's funland.
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