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WILM and Rush ads

J

jhguthlac

Guest
I've noticed a situation on WILM that I find interesting. During spot breaks, Rush airs some really great and clever comic ads. When we used to listen to the off the satellite feed at WDEL, the breaks were the best part of Rush's program.

Now, WILM is airing at least portions of those ads during their stop sets. Sometimes, it is only part of an ad. Sometimes its one entire ad. I figure its bescause they have messed up the stop set and no one at the station bothers to actually listen to their product. But its fun anyway.
 
Yea, automation is great, but you do have to monitor it. I've noticed similar things at WDEL too, where the computer goes off line and you get dead air and 10 minutes later still dead air. Obviously there's not any sort of a light or something to alert the WSTW jock WDEL's off the air. Of course there may be times when both WDEL and WSTW are on auto pilot and the building is empty. I always thought that WDEL/WSTW had to have someone there at all times since they are the flagship for the EBS system for Delaware. So maybe there's no light or buzzer to alert the WSTW person WDEL is off the air, or he/she doesn't care and ignores it until someone calls in to complain.

The problem with trying to call WDEL after normal office hours is you've got to listen to a really long monologue before you can seek out via their menu the button for newsroom, which would be vacant then. They should include a button for the WSTW studio so you can at least get someone, but we know that's not going to happen.

So I guess when WDEL, WILM, and WWTX has computer issues affecting what we the audience hear or are NOT hearing, too bad, change stations until whenever the next real person shows up and notices their station has been off the air or airing two or three things simultaneously as has happened at WILM a number of times.

But think of how much money they've saved by not having part time weekenders there running the station. It's always about the money.
 
When I was at WDEL in the mid-90's, there was a strobe light that was activated when there was no audio on WDEL. This would alert the WSTW jock to fix the pc. They may still have that system, but when the FM is on autopilot also, you are out of luck.

And you are actually talking 3 stations here. WDEL, WSTW and WSTW-HD2, the alternative music station, which actually has DJ's. Like you, I am old school when it comes to radio. There should at least be a janitor in the building at night!

But I will give WDEL credit for one area they do spend on. When the Phillies have a day game, they continue their regular programming on WDEL.com and WSTW-HD3. Only the flagship station can carry the game on-line, so WDEL needs to fill the time. So Rick does his show and Allan does the news on-line and on the FM channel. They could just throw on a satellite show, but they don't.
 
jhguthlac, when you worked at WDEL, didn't WDEL/WTSW have to have someone in the building at all times due to the EBS? Apparently that is no longer a requirement. Maybe that is all computer generated or something from the weather service in Mt. Holly NJ (since we no longer have a live weather person at the New Castle Airport) sends a signal to WDEL/WSTW that activates the EBS network via the computer. Maybe Chris Carl can give us the scoop on this inside radio detail.

I agree that WDEL is going the extra mile by having Jensen and Allan's programs on line and HD-3 during the Phillies game. It's also a smart move. As more and more people are listening online, WDEL won't lose those online and HD-3 listeners due to the Phillies. Both Allan and Rick are probably salaried, so they're getting paid either way. Of course the producers' may be hourly workers, thus WDEL could save some money by going to the bird, but I think its a smarter move to keep the online and HD-3 stations alive and vital.

At work, when I listen to Al Messitti, I listen online rather than via radio as there's something in our building or nearby, that causes serious interference with 1150, oddly enough 1290, 1380,1450 all come in just fine. One day though I had both radio and online, as I was curious, and what I noticed is, the spots are different online than OTA radio. So apparently WDEL is even selling spots, possibly for a younger online demo audience than what's being heard on WDEL radio. My guess is that the online audience skews younger than the AM radio audience. This might also be why they keep the programming going online and HD-3 so they don't lose that spot revenue due to the regular shows and those spots being pre-empted for baseball on AM.

In any case, it seems that WDEL via Delmarva has thought this out pretty well. Maybe Chris Carl will fill us in on this better.
 
There is a royalty, talent fee issue for airing OTA spots on-line. WABC has some separate spots, but often it is a version of some banner they have on their player page. WPHT does the same thing.
 
Seems like that issue needs to be resolved so that radio stations and program providers can both really make some money airing programming online as online is becoming the next new radio band AM/FM/Online.
 
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