KXLT/107.9 Lite FM returned to regular programming today - cutting (most of) the Christmas music in favor of its regular mainstream AC lineup early this morning. The station is still mixing in a few holiday cuts per hour today - in case folks just didn’t get enough in the last month.
There’s something missing of course: on-air talent. The station lite-ened its payroll by cutting Melissa Dawn and Greg Williamson the day before Thanksgiving. Now, the format has picked up song tags - with each song ID’ed at the end by a neutral female voice. Kevin & Claire still hold down the morning fort.
Who needs jocks anymore? With automation performing the job function of a DJ - and now song tags taking care of the personality (that’s a joke) - what’s left for a human being to do?
The station rolled out new liners that attempt to back up their no-personality format: “We think sometimes the best company is just some really good songs.”
So they’ve stripped away the only thing that differentiates them from a hard drive full of MP3s or Internet radio - and that’s a positive?
Remember when Peak Broadcasting launched, execs planned to turn KSAS/103.3 Kiss FM into a Bob FM format station - but Tester Broadcasting outmaneuvered them and got on the air first with KSRV/96.1 Bob FM.
Now, the company has basically launched a “Bob FM” station for women. Variety hits aimed at females with no jocks.
on Dec 26th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
“So they’ve stripped away the only thing that differentiates them from a hard drive full of MP3s or Internet radio - and that’s a positive?”
Couldn’t agree with you more. In fact, a hard drive full of MP3’s has at least one advantage over personality-free radio–YOU choose the “playlist.”
The radio industry is run by imbeciles who don’t understand the first thing about show business. When I’m elected Pope of Show Biz, every one of these losers will be put on a deserted island in the middle of the Pacific where they can tell each other how they ruined the best medium in the world.
Personalities in radio are NOT an expense, they are a profit center.
on Dec 26th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
Oh, I forgot–your hard drive full of MP3’s doesn’t have any commercials.
on Dec 26th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
The fact that you think a “jocks” job is to backsell songs is the problem.
The reality is that being a radio personality goes beyond that was and this is. Unfortunately, there’s not enough real personalities in this market.
If you have non-compelling, typical DJs announcing songs without anything entertaining except the occassional witty catch phrase, why pay them when you can accomplish the same thing with great imaging?
Jockless is something an athlete does. Without personality is all too common in today’s radio. Radio needs to wake up and realize it’s not about the music anymore, but what you do in between.
peace.
on Dec 26th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Sad. Very Sad. Why should anyone in this business be surprised by their programming decison. Lets wait a while and a year from now at this time… See what new format they have running on that frequency.
on Dec 26th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
If they strip all the reasons people want to listen out of their format, it will have that other thing in common with a hard drive full of mp3’s as well ….. eventually they won’t have any commercials either.
on Dec 27th, 2007 at 12:02 am
As a social scientist, the discussion regarding automation replacing human talent in radio and other areas of employment intrigued me. My questions centered upon the issue of automation leading to human displacement in the labor force, and the impact outsourcing has had as a result of automation.
According to a brief article on Wikipedia, “…when automation was first introduced, it caused widespread fear. It was thought that the displacement of human workers by computerized systems would lead to severe unemployment. In fact, the opposite has often been true, e.g., the freeing up of the labor force allowed more people to enter higher skilled jobs, which are typically higher paying. One odd side effect of this shift is that “unskilled labor” now benefits in many “first-world” nations, because fewer people are available to fill such jobs. Some argue the reverse, at least in the long term. They argue that automation has only just begun and short-term conditions might partially obscure its long-term impact. Many manufacturing jobs left the United States during the early 1990s, but a one-time massive increase in IT jobs (which are only now being outsourced), at the same time, offset this.
It appears that automation does devalue labor through its replacement with less-expensive machines; however, the overall effect of this on the workforce as a whole remains unclear. Today automation of the workforce is quite advanced, and continues to advance increasingly more rapidly throughout the world and is encroaching on ever more skilled jobs, yet during the same period the general well-being of most people in the world (where political factors have not muddied the picture) has increased dramatically. What role automation has played in these changes has not been well studied.
One irony is that in recent years, outsourcing has been blamed for the loss of jobs in which automation is the more likely culprit[3]. This argument is supported by the fact that in the U.S., the number of insourced jobs is increasing at a greater rate than those outsourced[4]. Further, the rate of decline in U.S. manufacturing employment is no greater than the worldwide average: 11 percent between 1995 and 2002[5]. In the same period, China, which has been frequently criticized for “stealing” American manufacturing jobs, lost 15 million manufacturing jobs of its own (about 15% of its total), compared with 2 million lost in the U.S.”
on Dec 27th, 2007 at 2:17 am
This is a tragedy. The only way to win is with personality. It is what built radio and it is what will save radio. It’s sad when there’s not a jock who can relate to you and keep you company. I miss the old days of live radio. Voicetracking and jockless formats be damned. Again proving that it’s not mp3s killing us, the danger comes from within. Radio is killing itself. A little off topic, this can be extended to the awful marketing the HD Radio Alliance has done to itself, telling people how rotten regular radio *primary signals* are. All Access has a fascinating take on the matter, but I digress,radio is cannibalistic! Build a better radio station and they will come!
on Dec 27th, 2007 at 2:29 am
People don’t hate radio. They hate what’s ON the radio.
I’ve never read anything that convinces me that today’s audience wouldn’t respond to compelling personalities on the radio just as audiences in the past did. It certainly works in talk radio, where they can’t do without personalities. They would if they could, but but they can’t figure out how to make that work.
The companies that are the Big Players in radio today do not have Clue One about what works in radio. They just look at the balance sheet and think, “Hmm, why are we paying these disc jockeys?”
Eventually, someone will come along and realize the answer to that question, but it may be too late for the medium called “radio” by that point.
on Dec 27th, 2007 at 9:43 am
The Says, elchupacabras, RDS, RadioActive … DITTO!!!! It’s personality that drives great radio.
As for Buster Bronco … SHUT UP!!! You are limited to 2 sentences from now on. NOBODY CARES!!!!! Hold on a second “…. partly cloudy through tomorrow with a high of 36 today. 27 degrees now at the Boomer!” OK, we’re back. And what does the new Lite-FM have to do with 15 million Chinese loosing their jobs … Gotta go, we have Rockin New Years Eve tickets to give away!
Big Jack & Bryan, Boomer 100.7
on Dec 27th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Elchupacabra’s statement, “This is a tragedy. The only way to win is with personality. It is what built radio and it is what will save radio. It’s sad when there’s not a jock who can relate to you and keep you company” and The Says comment, “he companies…do not have {a} clue…about what works…They just look at the balance sheet” illustrates a problem that is present in radio, television, education, and religion and one of the reasons people have been revolting against these entities in recent years.
Each entity seems to have forgotten they are entities composed of, by, and for the people. They are agents of the people providing a service society has demanded they provide. However, the are also entities composed of people, of personalities, not corporate puppets and high tech machinery. Because of the focus on the almighty dollar, we have forgotten what the original mission of the media, religion, and education was. Instead, we rely on providing information, academics, and religious support as quickly and cheaply as possible. We have not helped solve problems. We have simply been getting by as cheaply as possible and hoping nothing happens that causes us to get our hands dirty and fix the issue at the time of origin and at it’s source. Religion has forgotten it’s original mission. Sister Joan Chittister, Executive Director of Benetvision, a national resource center for contemporary spirituality and social psychologist, a renowned international speaker, and a widely published author, stated, “The purpose of holiness is to change the way we live in the world, not for our own sake but for the sake of others.” Instead of helping change the world, or at least our little corner of it, we focus more on the business of religion and whether or not the pastor’s salary or the power bill is paid.
The same is true of education. It has been said true education releases capacities, develops analytical abilities, confidence in himself, will power and goal setting competencies, and instills the vision that will enable him to become self-motivating agent of social change, serving the best interests of the community. Instead of becoming agents of social change we focus more on standardized testing and teaching methodologies that allow education to operate as cheaply as possible instead of providing students with tools they can use to improve their world.
We now see automation in media. Personalities are being stripped of jobs in favor of a profit margin. We need to re-focus our attention and energies toward restoring the original missions of religion, education, the media, and other things so that we use it as an aid to or a channel for social change and loving and helping our neighbors as ourselves as the original mission of religion asked us to do.
on Dec 27th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
after being in radio for over 33 years i have seen a lot of changes. but not as much as the last year. radio has gone out of the entertainment mode and has shifted to purly the sales mode. live jocks telling you information
about news, weather, lifes daily travels, who needs it
ownership says. did it bring in enough bucks to justify having them around??? in their eyes or by their wanten numbers “no” bye bye live jock. what gets me is these higher ups many of them have never set at a console for hours at a time doing what we do and if they have they havent for a long time……it will be interesting to see what 2 yearsout will bring when the area has been glutted by the ad barons and the pricing tosee if those little businesses can afford to buy the airtime. just a thought
on Dec 27th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Buster Bronco ….
You are now limited to only 2 sentences a week … PERIOD!!!! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??? Stop the novel writing already … geez … stick to the subject of “no jocks”!
You write: Sister Joan Chittister, Executive Director of Benetvision, a national resource center for contemporary spirituality and social psychologist, a renowned international speaker, and a widely published author, stated, “The purpose of holiness is to change the way we live in the world, not for our own sake but for the sake of others.”
Explain to me what that has to do with KXLT going to liners as a result of firing Melissa Dawn and Gee Dub????
Like Glenn Beck, I too am wrapping my head with duct tape so it won’t explode. You make reading this great service produced by Don quite painful … STOP IT!!!!
“Big Jack”
Hey Bronco Buster, how about full disclosure of who you are? No more hiding behind a football mascot.
on Dec 27th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
The purpose of my novel was to support Elchupacabra’s and The Says’ positions that radio has become dehumanized in order for corporations to make profits. This is why Melissa, Gee Dub and other have been canned.
Mass media, mostly owned by corporate enterprises and not private individuals or groups, has dehumanized radio in order to make a profit. K.J. Mac, Big Jack, Larry Lomax, etc. became radio icons because they were (and are) colorful personalities that people had fun listening to. Today, we have “roboradio” playing canned programming. People don’t relate to “roboradio” because it has no personality, no warmth, and is no fun.
The rant regarding religion and education (which should have been written in another forum) was simply meant to illustrate the corporate attitude prevalent in religion and education today and how that attitude is dehumanizing society.
As far a full disclosure, maybe someday. Stay tuned.
on Dec 27th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
For the love of Pete……Have any of you ever listened to Lite! When was it EVER a personality station? You think Mellisa and G W saying “That was Elton John and this is Josh Grobin… would make anyone listen for the personality?
Stop already!
on Dec 27th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Yes, I have suffered through Lite Radio when I go to the Dr. or am in an elevator. It’s as impersonal and sterile as the health care system and many of the health care employees. However, “Big Jack” has asked I limit my rants so he can hold his head together. None of us would want a cranial explosion. And Glenn Beck doesn’t ramble???
on Dec 27th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
I will say I’m a big fan of shorter comments. Especially comments with paragraph breaks. :)
VT said: “The fact that you think a “jocks” job is to backsell songs is the problem.”
No, I don’t - I was being flippant.
on Dec 27th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
I will endeavor to be more brief and grammatically correct. If I feel a discussion is necessary, I will offer it to you in smaller doses.
:)
on Dec 27th, 2007 at 10:48 pm
Don’t misunderstand - write as much as you want. I just know I personally tend to zone out during long comments.
on Dec 27th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
I knew I was getting carried away. There are so many socially relevant comments on the site that are worthy consideration that I can’t resist authoring lengthy responses. It comes from having two writing intensive majors: Political Science & History. I shall take note and do better.
on Dec 28th, 2007 at 4:52 am
Peak is doing the same thing in Fresno (listen to y101hits.com). I also hear sales are down 30-50% at Peak and they are having major cash flow issues. Expect them to let a ton of people go next year.
KJ
on Dec 28th, 2007 at 10:44 am
I was talking with a friend in Las Vegas recently about the problems at the Tropicanna Hotel. The main focus of the company that owns it is cutting costs to the bone and assuming people will tolerate the poor service that results. Maybe, for a while, but competition is stiff and eventually people will decide to stay at a well-run hotel.
The owners of the hotel are thinking in reverse. A casino is a revenue-based business with specific, fixed costs, which must be met in order to meet the expectations of the audience. The goal in running this kind of business is to figure out how to generate more revenue by getting as many people to stay as possible.
Its the same with radio. Radio in particular is a revenue-based business. Cutting costs and creating a jockless format just says “We give up and can’t compete, so we won’t try. Why bother.”
The emphasis really needs to be in the other direction: Creating sources of revenue and putting a quality product on the air. I hope the jockless format works. I always try to hope for the best. However, those who manage radio stations seem to be acting out of desperation by cutting costs.
The audience will say the same thing and tune out, along with advertisers. My attitude is: If radio is going to become little more than an iPod with commercials, let me save a step and listen to better programmed radio stations on my computer. They may not be local, but at least I’ll be entertained by personalities who will relate to ME.
Perhaps the fault lies in owning clusters. When stations were stand-alone business entities (the competition between KJR and KOL in Seattle comes to mind) there was a real drive to compete for audience numbers and advertising revenue. When you own 6 stations in a cluster the need to really compete seems to disappear.
I hope the jockless format works. I always try to hope for the best. However, those who manage radio stations seem to be acting out of desperation, cutting costs instead of trying to put a quality product on the air and expand their sources of revenue.
on Dec 28th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
I want to respond to a couple of things Rainshadow said:
1) Rainhadow: “The audience will say the same thing and tune out, along with advertisers. My attitude is: If radio is going to become little more than an iPod with commercials, let me save a step and listen to better programmed radio stations on my computer. They may not be local, but at least I’ll be entertained by personalities who will relate to ME.”
It seems to me that as automation slowly consumes radio stations and those station cut personnel and become I Pod-like, listeners in the Boise market are clambering toward the stations who have, at least to date, been able to retain their local personalities (e.g. KFXD with Jon & Chris, KBOI with C-Dub & Paul J., K-Hits with Tracy & Margo, and a couple others). People have developed a trust and interaction with these folks that will not happen in automated radio. As automated radio develops more of a stronghold, people will turn more toward talk radio (Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Barry Farber, ESPN Radio, etc.) for their interaction. Soon, local people will discover we will have to communicate with one another locally to solve local issues. So, communication could revert back to actual human to human communication. Wouldn’t that be nice?
2) “Perhaps the fault lies in owning clusters. When stations were stand-alone business entities (the competition between KJR and KOL in Seattle comes to mind) there was a real drive to compete for audience numbers and advertising revenue. When you own 6 stations in a cluster the need to really compete seems to disappear.”
Owning more automated stations and more clusters will only make people want to communicate with actual people more. There will be an initial wave of support for automated radio, but it will be relatively short lived and soon moderated by a movement for more human interaction in radio and then the return for interaction with local talent.
3) “I hope the jockless format works. I always try to hope for the best. However, those who manage radio stations seem to be acting out of desperation, cutting costs instead of trying to put a quality product on the air and expand their sources of revenue.
Expansion of revenue sources will mean more human interaction in the community. The stations who ask for community support will have to give back something to the community for tolerating automated radio. Where ties are cut for the sake of profit will mean having to anchor ties someplace else in order to be relevant in the market. If the new ties are established in community relations and stations can help society become a better place, maybe automated radio is worth a look. I just doubt that will happen.
on Dec 28th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Hey Jack… I’m blown away you took the time to read ALL of that… there’s 15 minutes of your life you’ll never get back. Lets do lunch and I’ll teach you to “skim”. :-)
Just like the listener, I loose interest if it takes me more than 15 seconds to get your point.
Next
on Dec 28th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
Radio is an entertainment based industry. If I think the jock is funny, entertaining, or just plain relatable I will listen and probably listen often. It’s the talent that makes the connection with the listener. It doesn’t matter what format. We have conditioned the listener on formatics. How many people switch while in their car during commercial breaks? They’re not as dumb as the higher ups want to think. If a station hits a liner card then goes into a 3-7 minute stop set after playing that “12 in a row”, the listener is GONE and the advertiser gets screwed!!!!I love the fact that so many people preach “Local, Local, keep it Local, that’s how we will win”! How the hell do you keep it local without a TALENT that can be LOCO!. A lot of this “old school” programming needs to go in order for radio to survive. Again it’s not about how many songs you can cram down a persons throat it’s about talent and entertainment. Look at the more successful morning show!
Happy New Year!
on Dec 28th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
As I become more chronologically challenged (older), I find that I like radio that will challenge my mind and make me think about issues of the world (i.e. current events, politics, sports issues, etc. ) I tend to listen to the KBOI Morning News, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, et al. Whether or not I agree or disagree is irrelevant. They present issues and thoughts I have found interesting and educational. Being stimulated by such shows allows me to engage in discussions and yell and scream if I so choose. I like that interaction and the local feel I get from listening to KBOI. But, maybe I’m just too old school to be willing to accept dummied down radio.
WARNING!!! I feel a soapbox coming regarding the dummying down of American media and education. I better sign off before I cause Jack another cranial implosion.
on Dec 28th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Daver … are you in town? Call me.
Doolyduwad … RIGHT ON! “it’s about talent and entertainment.” and the right music mixed in too. 104 in a row, 98 in a row, 12 in a row … how cares?!?! Make it live and local with personalities (not disc jockeys)and with the right music … UNSTOPPABLE!!!
on Dec 28th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
Now that’s more like it. A colorful, interactive personality instead of “roboradio” Big Jack has done a lot of great things for the community too and that’s why he is as popular as he is. The more personable and interactive, the better.
Big Jack, I tip my glass of New Year’s Coors (or other carefully selected adult beverage) your way in salute and tribute. I wonder what you would be like in a talk radio format. Hmmmmmmmmm.
:)
on Dec 28th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
Rainshadow said:
“I hope the jockless format works.”
I don’t. I hope it fails miserably so that the owners of those stations have to sell them at fire sale prices. Then some would-be owners with more enlightened ideas of how to run radio can buy them up and do it right.
Other than that one sentence, I agree with just about everything you said, Rainshadow.
on Dec 28th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
You guys say it’s about talent??? I guess that explains why I’m not on the air anymore!!! Gimme my shovel, I got guvment work to do…
on Dec 28th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Well, Jim, I know of some local civilian employment that is run like a gov-ment operation and its in your own back yard. BUT- Somedays even it beats the radio biz as it seems to be shaking out right now!
Like so many others who contribute to this site on a regular basis I often dreamed of owning a station, but the more I read of how things seem to be going it makes me question that dream. Maybe things will “shake out” and in the end it will be worth trying again, after this little bout with corporate conglomeration is done with.
on Dec 28th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
I have bitten my tongue so hard for so long I now speak with a lisp.
Bronco Billy: you are living proof that those who can, do. Those that can’t…expound on message boards in a verbose fashion.
Radiochick: Nice try. Sales are actually way above anything CC ever posted. Perhaps you’re peakaboo with a different URL.
Big Jack: 4 sentences from you are worth 25 posts from the peanut gallery.
The KXLT death-watch: It’s a format that really doesn’t require live, local announcers to sell the product to doctors, dentists and lawyers. That’s not a slam at GW and Melissa. I worked with them for years and love ‘em both, but it’s freakin’ elevator music! Their talents need to be applied where they’ll be appreciated and better utilized.
The rest of you: Stop beating a dead horse. A dufuss that cracks a mike in Boise Idaho is NOT automatically better than anything else coming out of your speakers. If you want more opportunities for compelling local announcers then it may possibly be incumbent upon you to practice your trade to the point that hiring you makes more sense financially than voice-tracking or going “jockless”. It’s about growing an audience. If you can make that happen by virtue of talent, you’ll get hired. The fact that you have a pulse and live here doesn’t guarantee you a job in ANY industry. Why should broadcasting be any different?
on Dec 28th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
Hey, I’m just a listener. I prefer my radio live and local with real live, honest to goodness personalities that I can relate to.
on Dec 28th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
So how exactly does an “honest to goodness” personality compell you to spend more quarter-hours with Celine Dion, Michael Bolton and Gloria Estefan when you’re not already pre-disposed to listen to that pap?
Don’t get me wrong. There are at least a dozen formats and sub-formats that benefit from articulate, informed, talented and entertaining personalities. Lite AC isn’t one of them. But hey…it’s an opportunity to pile on, so don’t let common sense get in the way.
on Dec 28th, 2007 at 11:22 pm
Knowing Don’s Dad,
Regarding your comment above, I have not, will not, and would not want to considering the state of radio today. I’m too busy trying to educate our children in an educational system that, like radio, is slowly becoming a “corporate conglomeration” (thanks for the phrase, RadioActive) that has sacrificed the quality of education for profit motive by creating standardized testing and dry, boring, uncreative curriculum. Teachers no longer have creativity in the classroom because we find ourselves under a profit motivated mandate to teach curriculum that adheres to a test. As a result, kids do not have analytical skills and cannot analyze situations because the curriculum and the standardized test don’t ask them to. I ask them to read and analyze something and they say they can’t. Sad part of it is, they are telling the truth.
We are losing the quality of media, education, health care, and religion quickly. We need to find out why and get it corrected or we will slowly become servants to the corporate powers that be.
on Dec 29th, 2007 at 2:58 am
Knows Don’s Dad said:
“If you want more opportunities for compelling local announcers then it may possibly be incumbent upon you to practice your trade to the point that hiring you makes more sense financially than voice-tracking or going ‘jockless’.”
And who would be doing the hiring currently for that, please? Oh, that’s right, no one.
on Dec 29th, 2007 at 2:02 pm
I realize that light AC is generally a format that is better suited for background music than other more exciting formats such as talk, hot AC, and active rock. However, it does not hurt to have occasional interesting commentary from a living human being to stir the interest of the listener. Why? Simple. If listeners zone out of the station’s typical program content, they certainly won’t pay attention to the commercial spots. Those are how the money is made, and if they don’t work, neither will the entire format. That will then turn out to be a 50Kw station benefitting no one. Especially Peak Broadcasting.
on Dec 29th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
knows don’s dad,
i am not using the name of “radiochick” on this blog, but thanks for thinking of me. i’m just sitting back with an ice cold beverage, reading all the comments and realizing the truth is coming out without me saying a word. cheers to you.
on Dec 29th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Knows Don`s Dad, you are absolutely correct. And Peak is NOT going to be cleaning house ANYTIME soon. That I can guarantee. They had to let some go… And of course that is hard. But do NOT assume this is going to happen.
on Dec 29th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
Peak is bleeding. A salesperson in Fresno tells me it is bad, and they are having problems paying the loan back. They let a lot of people go in Fresno, and more cuts are coming. Tobin tells me that Peak has blocked access to idahoradionews at Kev’s request.
on Dec 29th, 2007 at 11:25 pm
Prohibiting employees from the site while keeping them figuratively chained in a cave unable to see the shadows of truth, huh??? (reference to Socrates’s Allegory of the Cave).
Someday very soon a key will unlock the padlock that prevents the truth from being known and the truth will be known.
Maybe Idaho Community Radio will soon be on KIDO or KFXD.
on Dec 30th, 2007 at 12:55 am
Like Peak is going to block access to any given site for their employees who have home access, internet cafe, WiFi, or other means to log on and “see the light” etc away from the work site. If that is true its not very smart. If you want to really demoralize your employees morale go ahead and do petty, childish, stupid crap like this and it will go a long ways to building long-term loyalty from your employee base. Even basic reverse psychology or child psychology is more advanced than this kind of behavior. I hope this is not true. I have no way of knowing one way of the other. If its true, its another reason for me not to want to work for an organization like this.
on Dec 30th, 2007 at 9:49 am
it is true. idahoradionews.com cannot be viewed from inside the peak building. if you look through previous entries on this very website dating back to october, you’ll see it posted.
on Dec 30th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
A top Peak manager told me in the early Summer that access to this site would be blocked once they got control of their own servers away from Clear Channel. Sure enough, they made good on the threat. But just as happened when those same managers blocked this site at Citadel - traffic went up… since everyone started checking from home.
The odd thing is that I still get a few user sessions a week from Peak — which means SOMEONE inside that building is able to log-on and take a look. Doesn’t seem quite right, does it?
on Dec 30th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
the tags are anoying as hell!
on Dec 31st, 2007 at 1:17 am
Maybe it’s because they want you to WORK and not waste time on viewing posts from folks that are, I must admit, quite bitter at times. I get the impression, at times, and not always, mind you, but at times from folks who do not work in the “biz” anymore and have nothing better to do than to whine and complain about everybody and everything. Look, I realize folks would like radio to be like it was “in the good ‘ol daze”… At times, I do as well. But, let have a reality check… It’s NOT GOING TO HAPPEN ANY TIME SOON! So, wether you, I, or anybody else likes it, all we can do is trudge forward and make the best of things. It sucks sometimes but someone has to do it! I have my job, and I do it to the best of my ability, and as long as I am happy and my boss is happy, life is good. ‘Nuff said!
on Dec 31st, 2007 at 2:47 am
I’m semi-retired from the “biz” so I’m still involved in a small way (I fix movie scripts). I listen to stations in major markets (New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle to name a few) where they have excellent talent and well-managed formats.
I admit these markets have a more dynamic talent pool and certainly more financial resources to produce a better product, but I have also heard incredible formats run on a shoestring that would put much of the programming on Boise stations to shame (and that includes all local talk formats).
The listeners of Boise deserve better than they are getting. I don’t think telling the truth about the state of things is being bitter.
on Dec 31st, 2007 at 7:14 am
Stripes, you don’t have to read tbe blogs. If you don’t like it, go back to your “world” and enjoy life. Not all is bad, I have to give credit to my owner for allowing me total programming freedom. At my station, I still run a full-service format with 60 hours of LIVE, non voice tracked programming a week. Stripes, it’s just like radio, you don’t like a station, by damned you don’t have to listen to it.
on Dec 31st, 2007 at 9:28 am
Rain, and Elchupa, I would agree to an extent of what you are saying. Bigger markets have much more, if not, an unlimited cash supply to get what they need to do done. The REASON I read this, and post only in limited fashion, is when I hear rumor and speculation of things that are completely false and have no basis. It makes me bust out laughing! I’ll admit it, I work for Peak! I couldn’t be happier! It is absolutely nothing like the days of Clear Channel. I have more freedoms with regards to content, programming, imaging, etc. than I EVER had with CC. Management made the decision to block this site at work for a couple of reasons… One, they would actually like you to WORK, not sit around reading a gossip column. We are more than free to read it at home. I am sure management from time to time reads it themselves. It would be nice if someone would actually do homework and know facts about us before they make statements. Someone above said something about “Seeing the light” reading this posting site. At times, the light seems a little dim.
on Dec 31st, 2007 at 10:06 am
Rainshadow, not to rain on your…er…uh…but, I, too, have listened to stations in much bigger markets than Boise….and yes, they do have more money….but, I wouldn’t say that the talent is necessarily better. some is..but not all. I have heard some pretty bad talent …or lackthereof… in some of those same markets. the market size is not necessarily the best guideline for gauging quality. that goes for both TV and Radio talent. A lot of media folk figure out that they can be just as happy in a smaller market….so there are great talents in small markets. not all…but some. And having worked in several markets in other states myself, I feel I can truthfully say that there are some well-programmed stations right here in Boise. ironically, some of those are on shoestring budgets compared to some of the “big boys.”
on Dec 31st, 2007 at 11:36 am
Honestly if they really wanted listeners to stick around after the Christmas music was gone the best move they could make would be to get rid of Kevin. We loved Tobin & Claire together, they really play off of each other well. Kevin sounds like an idiot, interupts Claire while she is doing a bit and talks over the top of what Claire has to say, then tries to reclarrify what she just said as if the listeners are morons and don’t get the joke and then snorts –yes, I said snorts — at this own dumb jokes. Snorting really attracts female listeners, NOT!
Bring back Melissa Dawn - she was wonderful to listen to. Her, Claire and Margo (107.1) are the only female voices in this local market that don’t sound like they smoke 4 packs of Camels a day.
on Dec 31st, 2007 at 4:56 pm
Coincidentally, I smoke 4 packs a day. Does anyone have a good solution for quitting? Because I’ve tried going cold turkey and also the gum, and for some reason I just can’t quit radio.
on Dec 31st, 2007 at 5:21 pm
When one looks into the mirror and sees what an empty and vast chasm one’s brain has become listening to radio, one soon finds other activities worthy of filling the space with more fruitful intellectual pursuits. However, one must also realize radio is not the only culprit. Television is also guilty of the same crime. However, cable and satellite TV does offer some reprieve if one has the ability and willingness to search for it.
on Dec 31st, 2007 at 6:31 pm
Buster, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I smoke cigarettes, not pot.
Well, most of the time anyway.
on Dec 31st, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Instead of smoking cigarettes, listening to bad radio, and watching bad TV to fill your time, not to mention your cerebral chasm, one might want to pursue more fruitful intellectual pursuits. For instance, you may want to figure out a way to save Boise radio before it becomes extinct.
on Jan 1st, 2008 at 9:44 am
On the other hand…one might want to get over one’s self.
on Jan 1st, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Happy New Year to all!!!! May all the infighting in the radio world be resolved so we can get back to having quality radio again.
on Jan 2nd, 2008 at 10:49 am
Let me suggest a slightly different approach on Stripe’s comments. I would be the first one to say that I don’t always agree with Don’s editorial perspective, but I don’t believe it is a waste of time to read this “gossip” column at work, as you perceive it to be. Staying up on what happens in the market and the region is smart. Let me ask you, do you have access restricted to All Access or Radio and Records? Aren’t they doing the same thing, but on a larger level? I read those in addition to “TV Spy’s Shoptalk” and RAB’s newsletter every day at work, because I believe it is important to be abreast of the latest happenings. I don’t think it is wrong to stay on top of the biz’. In fact, I think it is quite a healthy forum to help build a cohesive biz’.
on Jan 2nd, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I agree. You don’t want to ignore or hide from whats going on in the outside world in this business. Peak should be especially aware of this. Remember Bob FM?
on Jan 2nd, 2008 at 10:48 pm
I don’t think Cat, Brenda or Debi sound like they smoke.
on Jan 7th, 2008 at 7:51 am
I listen to local radio on a sporadic basis. I have operated stations throughout the Northwest in years past. The arguments presented as to live or automated tickle me. The ONE point everyone keeps missing is this….Talent has brought this on themselves. I never ever want to go back and get involved in an industry that is akin to herding cats.
Never again would I ever go back to fishing dead drunk “local talents” heads out of toilets. Dealing with “high” persons going through some sort of psychosis or whatever the term might be. Pompous “talent” explaining how they can not do this or that because it may be beneath them. Yet they will make utter fools of themselves on the air by mispronouncing a local town, or area name.
Stop all ready…Paul J. Snyder’s call of Boise State 30 seconds behind the play is not TALENT. But in the incestuous world of Boise radio you all stand around and pat each other on the butt calling something good that is really……AWFUL.
on Jan 7th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Roger w. Morgan, lets not pool all of the “talent” shall we? Theres a few problem cases on every creative team. Hopefully, you’re not above it all and judging us to be beneath you, are you? I wouldn’t want to lump you into some category.
on Jan 7th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Dang. I never get patted on the butt. I’m missing out.
on Jan 7th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I would not pool all of the “talent.” Nor am I saying that everyone is beneath me. What I am saying is this….Unless/until the “local talent” gets real about their work ethic, the move to automation will continue.
on Jan 7th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Roger, you write “Unless/until the “local talent” gets real about their work ethic, the move to automation will continue.” Does that mean a de-facto support of automation?Not all talent pukes their head into the watercloset, and if anything some of the talent now has to do MORE than before. You have to in order to survive, and if that means some sales, copywriting, web work, news, engineering, it’s called survival of the fittest. My biggest concern is that of “Generation Y” or the Millenials. Many have a bad “entitlement” attitude and the others have no real place to hone skills in order to get hired, other than through maybe podcasting. It frightens me that some of the newbies have never bulked a cart, spliced a tape, or for that matter run a live show. Those with minimal experience know how to voice-track, but couldn’t run a live show if they were paid to do it. It is a rough problem, but who knows what the future will hold. What is sure though is that WE ALL HAVE TO ESPOUSE being REAL broadcasters with personality. And besides, what the hell is the difference between automation and an IPOD on shuffle? The IPOD is $20,000 cheaper and has NO commercials and “pleasures” its listener with instant gratification. Go figure!
on Jan 7th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
It really has to do with corporate investment strategy. If a station like WABC (Citadel) earns an average of 5 million dollars a month and that equals roughly what the entire Boise cluster (KBOI, KTIK, KIZN, etc) earns in a year, where are you going invest your resources.
Few stations want to invest directly in the market any more. Its perceived to be too expensive to maintain a staff of 10 or 15 on-air personalities (per station) plus the support staff in todays market (prevailing mentality). Automation and voice tracking do a much better job in that way of thinking/investing.
Since I am primarily a listener, now, I don’t have to agree with this kind of thinking. Whether I have the right or not, I can make my feelings known that the owners/managers of the local stations can do a LOT better by investing in the market. Corporate budgets and automation be damned. Entertain and inform me and keep me interested in tuning in.
on Jan 7th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Just as a point of full disclosure, I was in the business when we had to write, produce, tape, edit (with scotch tape and a razor blade), insert live continuity and god knows what else. At one station I even had three air names: One for my mid-day show, one for the afternoon news and one for “special reports”. Thanks to some creative miking and editing by a very talented engineer I sounded different enough in all those segments that no one caught on.
As automation took over more and more of the industry the fun of all those jobs (and much of the challenge) went away, since news was, according to the market researchers, “boring and unnecessary”.
on Jan 7th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
elchup…..says: What is sure though is that WE ALL HAVE TO ESPOUSE being REAL broadcasters with personality. And besides, what the hell is the difference between automation and an IPOD on shuffle?
There would be no difference!! However back to my original point. The damage has been done. The bad apples have destroyed personality and LOCAL Radio. Television is next. Simply listen to the “Reporters.” Count in one report how many times the word NOW is used…they cannot even use proper English. Oh and here is the kicker. The “local” reporters telling me how they care about “boyzee.” Another couple of examples, “we go now to Koona, or the accident happened in Niceah. It really endears one to even waste time listening or supporting the local media.
I remember the days when KYME had talent that was exciting. When KFXD compelled you to listen with their talent lineup. So then, to conclude….want to change the landscape?….get involved with THIS community. Not the B.S. save the whales or the desert rat organizations!! Get involved with the things that make this community valuable to those of us who live here. Become part of it…DOWN TO YOUR CORE. Quit the crap about flirting with 14 year old girls on the air. Quit the garbage about showing your buddies how knowledgeable you are about drugs. ENTERTAIN FOR GOSH SAKES. It is easy to go to the bottom of the gutter….it is hard to entertain by being involved.
As far as being incestuous…think back on how many stations in this valley some of you have worked. IF YOU CANNOT ENTERTAIN AT ONE STATION…YOU CAN’T ENTERTAIN AT THE DOZEN OTHERS YOU HAVE WORKED AT. For gosh sakes, at some point in time you have to stop changing the pins on a dirty diaper.
on Jan 8th, 2008 at 11:10 am
I’m not sure who “Roger W. Morgan” is who wrote the message above, but it isn’t me. You can learn more about the real Roger W. Morgan at http://www.paradise935fm.com
on Jan 8th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Well said, Roger! I get the point and have to say I agree. After being a TV reporter/producer, I must tell you that the consultants are the ones who coerce the reporters to talk like that, using a billion references to “now,” or “happening now.” I always had a pet peeve while in the industry of reviewing scripts where reporters always used the present tense of EVERYTHING, even if an event had transpired in the PAST. You watch TV news now and the buzzword of the week is “break it down.” I heard it 12 times in an hour on CNN’s election coverage the other night. Straying a little from topic, it seems like the political consultants have also contrived their own 2008 cliche; that being “change!” If I hear it one more time, I think my stomach will turn!
on Jan 8th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Edward R. Murrow had a sense that, in time, news would be packaged and disguised as a form of entertainment once networks and local stations discovered it could be a profit center.
My son-in-law is an anchor on channel 7 in Boston. He insists that he is a newsman. I call him an “infotainer”. We don’t talk much.
on Jan 8th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
So Roger, who in this market is good?
on Jan 8th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Honestly, the only one that I have really listened for any length of time is Big Jack. I think he is good. Without knowing anything up close and personal…it seems to me that he is by gosh and by darn going to stay in Boise. If that assumption is correct, then he has been willing to pay the price.
I personally get very annoyed at Jon Duane…because he mumbles more in the last few years than I remembered in the past. (of course my hearing isn’t getting bad.) However, Jon and Chris entertain, when they are not on some do gooder crusade, and exemplify being part of this community “down to their core.”
It is my opinion that if some station owner would get deadly serious about being part of this community…if they would invest the money and cut lose all the damn “consultants”….and turn Jack and people like him lose….they would have a winner. May take more than two books….but it would be solid business.
Of course my thoughts have only addressed the programing side of the business. I could go on and on and on about the sales side. Dealing with egomaniac’s who run agencies. In and effort to pump up their all ready bloated damn ego’s they hire some big breasted, blond…who’s only real thought is who she is going to sleep with tonight….to be the “media buyer.” The Salesperson goes in to make a presentation, and they are met with….”like we have like totally spent all of the budget.” But hell all the Ego driven maniac has to do is buy their client a couple of drinks every once in a while and “we are good to go.”
I will stop now…..and quit this blabbering.
on Jan 9th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Sounds like someone is bitter and resentful. A little bit?
on Jan 9th, 2008 at 9:01 am
This is probably the longest set of blog entries ever on this site, but since Roger mentioned agencies, let me ask: Are agency buys becoming fewer and fewer these days? I am seeing a lot less agency business than in the past. It may have something to do with the national business climate of consolidation, or perhaps more competition? Any thoughts?
on Jan 9th, 2008 at 10:30 am
It’s actually not… the most ever commented story had 116 comments. This is about the 8th most popular thread.
on Jan 9th, 2008 at 11:31 am
The Consultant’s Creed:
“if you aren’t part of the soulution, there’s big bucks in prolonging the problem”.
on Jan 9th, 2008 at 11:46 am
If anyone knows about prolonging the probelm it’s “knows don’s dad.”
Took him for ever to fire me! :/
on Jan 9th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
If the advice of consultants is so good, why isn’t every station in the number one slot? Some consultants are better than others or management takes some of their suggestions with a really, really big grain of salt and does it their way anyway. Take your pick.
on Jan 9th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
I realize the last post of mine sounded very bitter. Quite frankly I did not mean it to sound that way. I loved Radio, and almost lost the most important asset a man can have….his family, because of it. I worked more hours than my wife could understand. So forgive me if I sounded bitter….I guess just realistic. To tell you how much I loved the business…not knowing how to get into Radio…I went to a station, not in this community, and told them I would work for free if they would train me. They did, and I did.
on Jan 9th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I didn’t actually fire Don’s dad…he finally quit coming to work :)
on Jan 9th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
I wish I had a witty comment or deep insight to go along with the dialogue this thread has turned into. (Sorry Mr. Morgan, I just realized I didn’t use proper English by ending a sentence with a preposition. Bad Tommy!) I just miss Melissa and Greg. If anyone knows anyone looking for talent, there are a couple of the finest examples I’ve worked with in 20 years. No egomaniacal tendencies and a fairly good grasp of the English language. Although, there was that time Melissa had trouble with the “Stunt Kite Competition.” Ken, I believe you can sympathize. ;-)
on Jan 9th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Many many years ago (it must have been a previous life time or something) I wrote an essay on the impact automation would have on the work place, particularly the workers themselves. The point I made back then was automation could free us from the repetative tasks, and free us to be more creative. To survive in the automated world, people would need to improve their skills. Businesses would need fewer people, but the people would need to be better trained and offer something the automation could not. I think if businesses had recognized the truth in this, and paid the talented people to expand their talent, rather than just cutting the number of employees without rewarding the talent that remained, a balance might have been created where we would still see people capable of entertaining still doing just that. Instead, we have pushed anyone with talent into other fields, leaving button-pushing voice-trackers that pretend to entertain. The bland, boring radio we have today is the end result.
Now, before I get crucified — there do exist some good people in radio, that can still entertain, and love to do it, and those have an audience. But, soon these folks will move on by choice or age, with no one to fill their shoes, because we have no platform to train and nurture new talent — the stockholders are too stingy to allow an investment in talent. They expect it to walk thru the door, be willing to work for not much more than minimum wage, and then wonder why the number of listeners still falls off. Until the bean counters put aside a few beans to fertilize the the future of the business, it will continue to die.
By the way, it isn’t just radio that has suffered from this mentality. Many skills will soon be lost forever in many other fields if we don’t wake up and smell the burning computer real soon. We are fast becoming a bunch of zombies deriving our pleasure from computer-generated images and sounds, and will rapidly lose our very ability to survive should the computerized world we have come to depend on for everything ever has a fatal glitch.
on Jan 9th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Jon & Chris do-gooders? And there is a problem with this? They support a lot of causes which is probably a good thing. They go out of there way to support alot of great causes like the Boise Rescue Mission, Salvation Army, etc. and they never ask for anything in return. That is what makes them special. You can’t get any more “local” than that.
on Jan 9th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
RDS’s comments reminded me of a movie shown in my Mass Media & Society course several years ago. In addition to attending class, we were also required to attend a certain number of evening sessions in which professorially selected movies were played. We were asked to critically analyze the message the movie studios and/or stars were relaying to our about society via film.
The movie, “Modern Times”, “…is a 1936 comedy film by Charlie Chaplin that has his famous Little Tramp character struggling to survive in the modern, industrialized world. The film is a comment on the desperate employment and fiscal conditions many people faced during the Great Depression, conditions created, in Chaplin’s view, by the efficiencies of modern industrialization.” (Wikipedia under Modern Times)
I won’t provide any great social commentary here. I’ll let you see the movie and make judgments and commentaries as necessary. I just think it interesting we are having the same discussion regarding radio and television in this forum.
on Jan 10th, 2008 at 8:52 am
Just for perspective — I wrote my original essay on automation in 1964. Does anything really ever change?
on Jan 10th, 2008 at 9:21 am
RDS,
History tells us how Charlie Chaplin was viewed for his commentary on industrial modernization in the late 1930’s. For whom or what did you pen your essay and how was it viewed by your professors and/or audience?
on Jan 10th, 2008 at 9:54 am
It was either for an English or a Current Events class when I was a senior in High School. I got an A- on the piece. Knowing what I know now, it does not have the depth it could have, but as time has gone on, it’s points remain as valid or even more so as we have continued down the automated road. This was the time when many smaller stations were moving toward fully automated programming to free them from the problems so often cited of having a full-time live staff. I made the decesion I had to learn to use automation as a tool to make me more effecient and sound better, or I, too, would not have a job. I had to embrace it as a friend, not an enemy. Coming from the era I do, I am very comfortable using automation to assist me by handing me my spots and music, but I still like to be “live” otherwise, not voice-tracked. Having said that, I pretty much moved out from behind the mic several years ago, and went fully into the engineering aspect of radio instead. I never pretended to be great on the air, but I think I was at least fun to listen to. If you go to the air-check portion of my website, all of stuff from KBMY was done with the help of automation. It was a mixture of live and live assist, I guess you would say. Some stuff from tape (automation), some from records, and access to the the spots via the automation. It was still up to the “jock” to build the show, however. Yes, you could push the button and walk away for awhile, but we kept the “live” aspect going otherwise.
on Jan 10th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Hey, RDS, how about posting it? Sure it might have been written in ‘64, but it would be interesting to read. Post it! I’d be curious to read it.
on Jan 10th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
I agree. I think it would be interesting to read a paper written by a forward thinking high school student who foresaw the industrialization and automation of broadcasting almost a half decade ago. Please post it or make it available on your website.
on Jan 11th, 2008 at 9:36 am
I read it just a couple weeks ago, and put it back in the file cabinet. Now I can’t seem to find it. I’ll try to track it down this weekend, and either post it here or on my site. I’ll let you know when it’s out there. I hope I didn’t send it to storage !
on Jan 11th, 2008 at 9:56 am
Rocky, you should’ve foreseen that someone would want to read it!
on Mar 30th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
New comment on an old topic .. I promised if I found the article I was talking about I would post it. I did finally find it, and you can read it here: http://www.engineer-exchange.com/images/stories/rockyDocs/automation.pdf
It is posted on my website, but not yet “published” there. It will be soon, but you can still link to it from here now. This is a 2mb pdf, and may take a minute or two to load if you click on it.
A couple facts — I stated I wrote it in 1964 while a senior in High School. It was actually Jan 1966, and I was a freshman in college at the time. Sorry about that.. memories do fade over that many years. It is presented in its entirity — complete with comments from the person who graded it. I find the information about radio on page 5 of particular interest today….
on Apr 1st, 2008 at 9:05 am
Another interesting post-script to all this .. I was reading in a Handbook to Broadcasting published in 1941 that the radio “actors” were fearful of losing jobs and contracts to “transcriptions”. The transcription meant they only had to do a show once, and it could be replayed later on the network in the western time zones. And, it meant smaller stations didn’t need as many “live” actors, because they could get quality “transcribed” programs to fill the air time. And so, the evolution of job elimination continues….The machines are still taking over………
on Apr 1st, 2008 at 9:54 am
RDS: Very insightful essay that is nearly as valid today as when it was written! I liked the passages: “One should avoid becoming highly specialized in areas that are destined for automation,” and “We should work with the machine and not against it.” (Paraphrased of course!) Did you ever dream that computers would arrive at their current saturation point? Fascinating job. Thanks for posting it.
on Apr 1st, 2008 at 11:24 am
“Did you ever dream that computers would arrive at their current saturation point? ”
At the time I wrote it, probably not. That realization came a few years later as computers grew from being “hard wired” for specific tasks to be able to be “programmed”. The key to this was effective memory, something that only in the last decade or so has become a practical reality, allowing computers to do more and store more information than could have been imagined 42 years ago. The average watch today has a more sofisiticated computer and more memory than the computer aboard the first moon lander. I think for me the realization of the potential was when you could actually store audio on a hard drive, and play it back in real time. So again, as stated in my essay, I tend to think in the area I am most familiar — broadcasting.