WBZ newsroom closed from 8pm-4;30am

[jk111]

As I put it in another thread over the weekend local live news has disappeared after the newsblock ends at 8pm with recorded local updates following CBS toh news,and 60 second CBS updates at bottom of hour. 8.5 hours of no live and local.

 

[ChrisNH]

This is actually fine. I have it on good authority that nothing newsworthy will happen between those hours ever again...as long as this we exist on this planet. WBZ and CBS got that memo, even if we didn't. :

I hope the FCC goes knocking on WBZs door and says "Give us back 40,000 of your 50,000 watts between those hours because it's clear that you're behaving like a 10,000-watter anyway."

 

[BostonRandy]

With the "Closed: will re-open at 4:30AM" sign on the door, has that affected Kim Tunnicliffe's position? She's still on the website and I always liked her style. Then again, I've known her since we were kids in Cumberland, RI.

 

[kenglish]

"WBZ newsroom closed from 8pm-4:30am"....
At least, until the first EAS or Amber Alert at 3 AM is missed, or some big story gets by them (but not the competition).

 

[CrankyYankee]

Re: WBZ newsroom closed from 8pm-4:30am...
What would "Streeter Glick" think of this? Not much, methinks!

 

[aaronread]

I hope the FCC goes knocking on WBZs door and says "Give us back 40,000 of your 50,000 watts between those hours because it's clear that you're behaving like a 10,000-watter anyway."

Actually, as the past week or so have ably demonstrated, 10kW on AM works quite well when you're on a "clear channel" (the frequency, not the company). Hell, as WJIB demonstrates, even 250 watts can work pretty well if it's in the right place and on the right freq.

At least, until the first EAS or Amber Alert at 3 AM is missed, or some big story gets by them (but not the competition).

Just because the newsroom is "closed" doesn't necessarily mean nobody is in the building. Are there still board-ops on the overnights who can wake up the PD/News Director if a newsworthy event happens, and then start doing basic news while the news team is called in?

And hell, I don't know if WBZ has actually done this, but the entire EAS setup COULD be rigged to be operated completely remotely if necessary. With call forwarding and dial-up remote controls, it's not that hard to do.

 

[the scribe]

KimTunicliffe is still with the station but her hours have been reduced.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

And hell, I don't know if WBZ has actually done this, but the entire EAS setup COULD be rigged to be operated completely remotely if necessary. With call forwarding and dial-up remote controls, it's not that hard to do.

The EAS can be set up to interrupt programming in the station airchain and automatically forward (rebroadcast) any emergencies, amber alerts, etc... just a moment after it receives them.

WMBR at MIT has it set up to do this (and also rebroadcast the required monthly tests) to keep the station EAS compliant in case the on-air DJ/engineer may fail to do it.

 

[BostonRandy]

KimTunicliffe is still with the station but her hours have been reduced.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Garrett]

Just because the newsroom is "closed" doesn't necessarily mean nobody is in the building. Are there still board-ops on the overnights who can wake up the PD/News Director if a newsworthy event happens, and then start doing basic news while the news team is called in?

And hell, I don't know if WBZ has actually done this, but the entire EAS setup COULD be rigged to be operated completely remotely if necessary. With call forwarding and dial-up remote controls, it's not that hard to do.

Don't be so sure! After Gulfstar put 6 stations on automation down here, I was the last person to leave the building after board oping sports events from network! And yes, 6 stations ran without a single person in the building!

 

[pocket-radio]

As I put it in another thread over the weekend local live news has disappeared after the newsblock ends at 8pm with recorded local updates following CBS toh news,and 60 second CBS updates at bottom of hour. 8.5 hours of no live and local.

Dude in the biz it's called: " less is more" money in our pockets. Or optimizing share holders value.
optimizing operations for greater returns. Efficient use of corporate resources. Wait I'll reread my emails and come back with more, corporate speak that always means here's how we screw you..

 

[ChrisNH]

As I put it in another thread over the weekend local live news has disappeared after the newsblock ends at 8pm with recorded local updates following CBS toh news,and 60 second CBS updates at bottom of hour. 8.5 hours of no live and local.

Dude in the biz it's called: " less is more" money in our pockets. Or optimizing share holders value.
optimizing operations for greater returns. Efficient use of corporate resources. Wait I'll reread my emails and come back with more, corporate speak that always means here's how we screw you..

Whew...People 'in the biz' would whine at me for abandoning WBZ and all AM radio in favor of my iPod. But I don't give a hoot about some nameless, faceless CBS shareholder. If that's who you want me to prop up by listening to WBZ and Gil Santos warble for a full minute about Purina Cat Chow, no thanks.

 

[raccoonradio]

"Tell em what you really feel". The WBZ listener survey.

http://www.srvy.net/x/1.p?14686794916729479922

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

The EAS can be set up to interrupt programming in the station airchain and automatically forward (rebroadcast) any emergencies, amber alerts, etc... just a moment after it receives them.

WMBR at MIT has it set up to do this (and also rebroadcast the required monthly tests) to keep the station EAS compliant in case the on-air DJ/engineer may fail to do it.

EAS MUST be set up to automatically interrupt programming. I have it on good authority (an FCC inspector) that any other method violates FCC rules...specifically, the one which states that presidential messages transmitted during an EAS activation must be aired live and immediately.

 

[JIBGUY]

This reminds me of another news station here in the Northeast (not WBZ) which boasted on air, of their "24-hour News Desk". As I kept hearing same-repeated newscasts on the overnights, I chuckled to myself knowing that yes, the DESK was there 24 hours every day.....

 

[DanStrassberg]

This reminds me of another news station here in the Northeast (not WBZ) which boasted on air, of their "24-hour News Desk". As I kept hearing same-repeated newscasts on the overnights, I chuckled to myself knowing that yes, the DESK was there 24 hours every day.....

Desks (or some of them anyway) are apparently a lot smarter than most of us would have believed. It has all come about in the last decade or so. Maybe the desk manufacturers have been feeding the wood that they use in desks some kind of brain stimulant. Ever get a memo that has printed on it, right at the top, "From the desk of so-and-so"? I'll tell ya, if I ever find out that MY desk has a) gotten special note paper printed up with "from the desk of Dan Strassberg" printed on it, I am going to be pretty upset. And if b) I find out that my desk has been using that note paper to send notes to ITS friends and colleagues, I am REALLY going to let my desk know just who is boss around here. I provide my desk with a nice home. I don't make unreasonable demads of it. The least I can expect is that, if it wants to send notes to its friends, it's got to secure my permission--in advance. Not necessarily in writing, mind you; that would be unnecessary paperwork; oral permission would be fine.

 

[JoshuaC]

EAS MUST be set up to automatically interrupt programming. I have it on good authority (an FCC inspector) that any other method violates FCC rules...specifically, the one which states that presidential messages transmitted during an EAS activation must be aired live and immediately.

Almost... The part about the Presidential Level EAS is indeed true. EAS Weekly and Monthly tests are given a window within which you are able to rebroadcast (60 minutes and 15 minutes I believe, respectively). Most equipment can be rigged such that it WILL automatically rebroadcast if you don't manually launch it within this window.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

EAS MUST be set up to automatically interrupt programming. I have it on good authority (an FCC inspector) that any other method violates FCC rules...specifically, the one which states that presidential messages transmitted during an EAS activation must be aired live and immediately.

Almost... The part about the Presidential Level EAS is indeed true. EAS Weekly and Monthly tests are given a window within which you are able to rebroadcast (60 minutes and 15 minutes I believe, respectively).

Yes, Required Monthly Tests (RMT) must be rebroadcast by the participating stations within 15 minutes of receiving them from the area primary station(s).

However, there's currently no obligation for participating stations to rebroadcast Required Weekly Tests (RWT) within a certain time limit of receiving them from the primary station(s). The participating stations must note receipt of a RWT in their operations log (confirming that their EAS receiving equipment is working), but then they are supposed to conduct their own RWT at any time of their choosing at some point within every week (even if they didn't receive one from a primary station, though they should have).

WBMX, the primary FM EAS for the Boston market, sends a RWT every Sunday morning at approximately 3:10 AM.

 

[JoshuaC]

However, there's currently no obligation for participating stations to rebroadcast Required Weekly Tests (RWT) within a certain time limit of receiving them from the primary station(s). The participating stations must note receipt of a RWT in their operations log (confirming that their EAS receiving equipment is working), but then they are supposed to conduct their own RWT at any time of their choosing at some point within every week (even if they didn't receive one from a primary station, though they should have).

I do stand corrected. That is indeed the case. Thank you Eli