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WCBS 880

J

jsalzone

Guest
Strange question...

When WCBS airs special reports and hourlies from CBS Radio, there's often a sound I can only describe as a 'chirp.' Is that the sound of the automation signal, or am I slowly beginning to lose my mind?<P ID="signature">______________
Joe Salzone
Host, "World View with Joe Salzone" on WGBB 1240 every Sunday night at 7 ET.</P>
 
> Strange question...
>
> When WCBS airs special reports and hourlies from CBS Radio,
> there's often a sound I can only describe as a 'chirp.' Is
> that the sound of the automation signal, or am I slowly
> beginning to lose my mind?
>

It is an automation signal. Check with you doctor to see about the other option.
 
> Strange question...
>
> When WCBS airs special reports and hourlies from CBS Radio,
> there's often a sound I can only describe as a 'chirp.' Is
> that the sound of the automation signal, or am I slowly
> beginning to lose my mind?
>
Automation.....although, since you work in radio, the latter is entirely possible!

MB<P ID="signature">______________

</P>
 
> Strange question...
>
> When WCBS airs special reports and hourlies from CBS Radio,
> there's often a sound I can only describe as a 'chirp.' Is
> that the sound of the automation signal, or am I slowly
> beginning to lose my mind?
>
It's called a netalert. It is sent at the start, end and at certain commercial cut-a-ways of CBS programs. Actually, the trend is towards closures (Inaudible relay closures) but at this time they are limited to two per channel, although expansion systems are coming on line.The chirp or net alert is actually 5 discrete tones sent at a quick rate.
 
Re: The CBS/WW1 "Chirp"

> > When WCBS airs special reports and hourlies from CBS Radio,
> > there's often a sound I can only describe as a 'chirp.' Is
> > that the sound of the automation signal...
> >
> It's called a netalert. It is sent at the start, end and at
> certain commercial cut-a-ways of CBS programs. Actually, the
> trend is towards closures (Inaudible relay closures) but at
> this time they are limited to two per channel, although
> expansion systems are coming on line.The chirp or net alert
> is actually 5 discrete tones sent at a quick rate.

Westwood One also utilizes this "chirp" signal on the satellite feeds of their programming.<P ID="signature">______________


New York City Radio and TV</P>
 
> > Strange question...
> >
> > When WCBS airs special reports and hourlies from CBS
> Radio,
> > there's often a sound I can only describe as a 'chirp.' Is
>
> > that the sound of the automation signal, or am I slowly
> > beginning to lose my mind?
> >
>
> It is an automation signal. Check with you doctor to see
> about the other option.
>

My station flipped to Fox from CBS recently...I miss the chirp and the "bong" at the top of the hour.
 
Re: The CBS/WW1 "Chirp"

>
> Westwood One also utilizes this "chirp" signal on the
> satellite feeds of their programming.
>
That's because Westwood is operating out of CBS in NYC. They distribute the network and are using the CBS radio facilities. They are trying to get away from the more intrusive Bee Doops.
 
> My station flipped to Fox from CBS recently...I miss the
> chirp and the "bong" at the top of the hour.
>

Around 1988 or 1989, I happened to record when the clock went ahead on WCBS-AM 880 that spring. The announcer said "Four tones will follow. The fourth and final tone marks the exact time." After that? (About a second apart from each other) DONG! DONG! DONG! BONG! Dum-deh-dum-deh-duh (or however CBS News' sounder is on the hour).
 
> > My station flipped to Fox from CBS recently...I miss the
> > chirp and the "bong" at the top of the hour.
> >
>
> Around 1988 or 1989, I happened to record when the clock
> went ahead on WCBS-AM 880 that spring. The announcer said
> "Four tones will follow. The fourth and final tone marks the
> exact time." After that? (About a second apart from each
> other) DONG! DONG! DONG! BONG! Dum-deh-dum-deh-duh (or
> however CBS News' sounder is on the hour).
>

You know? I have the old ABC Radio News ID somewhere (the one they used previously), and I believe it has the same 4 tone setup before the sounder.
 
I was told the CBS ''Bong'' at the top of the hour was set to GMT..I always set my watch to it when in a market with CBS News..that way I have the exact time..
 
> I was told the CBS ''Bong'' at the top of the hour was set
> to GMT..I always set my watch to it when in a market with
> CBS News..that way I have the exact time..

Uh. The CBS Bong {1} goes off at exactly 00:00, though you actually get it a split second later due to the time it takes the signal to travel to the affiliate stations. Close enough though. It isn't coordinated to GMT or any other time zone. All USA time zones (and most world zones) all have hours that start at the same time. The only difference is the numbers in the hour place.



{1} The CBS Bong. Ah. That explains the insane programming moves like Jack.
 
CBS/WW1/Mutual/NBC/CNN cues

The Bee Doops are Mutualert cue tones. They are still used on various WW1 channels, including CNNB-E and W.The Mutualert tones are not used on CNN's full service channels: CNNA-E and W. NBC News Radio uses chirp tones similar to the CBS Netalert tones. The original NBC Hotline cues, which were used by Westwood's former NBC Radio Network and goes back to the original NBC Radio Network, were retired when WW1's satellite channels were realigned.
action central (GEC) chirp beedoop
 
Re: The CBS/WW1 "Chirp"

> They are trying to get away from the more
> intrusive Bee Doops.
>
I never thought the Bee Doop was intrusive at all. I did think it was exclusive to Mutual.

BTW what's Action Central?

ixnay
 
> I was told the CBS ''Bong'' at the top of the hour was set
> to GMT..I always set my watch to it when in a market with
> CBS News..that way I have the exact time..
>
I set my VCR to the toh tone of KYW 1060 Philadelphia FWIW.

ixnay
 
Re: The CBS/WW1 "Chirp"

Westwood One uses the Bee Doop on many WW1 Satellite Channels. Mutual doesn't exist anymore, although Westwood still has a trademark for it. They probably call a studio in Washington "Mutual" to keep the trademark active.
My handle, Action Central, goes back to the 60s when many Top 40 stations called their newscasts Action Central News.

> > They are trying to get away from the more
> > intrusive Bee Doops.
> >
> I never thought the Bee Doop was intrusive at all. I did
> think it was exclusive to Mutual.
>
> BTW what's Action Central?
>
> ixnay
>
 
> > I was told the CBS ''Bong'' at the top of the hour was set
>
> > to GMT..I always set my watch to it when in a market with
> > CBS News..that way I have the exact time..
> >
> I set my VCR to the toh tone of KYW 1060 Philadelphia FWIW.
>
> ixnay
>

Funny you should say that. WBZ in Boston STILL has that tone too!
-G.
 
KML0224 said:
Around 1988 or 1989, I happened to record when the clock went ahead on WCBS-AM 880 that spring. The announcer said "Four tones will follow. The fourth and final tone marks the exact time." After that? (About a second apart from each other) DONG! DONG! DONG! BONG! Dum-deh-dum-deh-duh (or however CBS News' sounder is on the hour).
Click to expand...

From what I could tell, that particular version of that V/O was by veteran CBS staff announcer Alan Berns.

However, it was preceded in the 1970's by an earlier notice by another announcer whose name escapes me at this time. That variation was worded thus: "Four tones will follow. The final, loudest one marks the exact time." It can be heard near the tail end of an audio clip (description: "WCBS ALERTS AND SOUNDERS") linked at this page from Don Swaim's WCBS Newsradio 88 tribute site.

I.I.N.M., the first three tones were at B=240, with the fourth and "final, loudest" being a combo of B=240, B=480 and B=960.
 
cawasinnj said:
...The CBS Bong goes off at exactly 00:00...

The CBS Bong. Ah. That explains the insane programming moves like Jack.
Click to expand...

More than five years later, with Jack long gone - and this post is still funny! :D
 
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