Extreme radio automation

I would agree with you, Chuck. I worked overnights at that station, and started the automation at the end of my shift. I had nothing to do with actually loading programming into the automation, so I had no idea what the automation dropped, or why. I only know that the first program in the automation started correctly.

When programming live, we occasionally had problems with wavecart mysteriously "dropping" programs whenever we clicked on something to play it, but that was not unique to me. Everyone had that problem.

Chuck said:

The old saying, "To err is human, but to really foul things up takes a computer," comes to mind. Of course it is people who load the play list, programs, spots, etc. into the computer. If something isn't there, it will just go on to the next event.

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I worked with only one decent automated system, a no-name (that I can remember) system that used a PDP-11 as the automation controller. If it missed something, it went to a music tape deck which played until the clock in the system reached the next timed event.

The station was a beautiful music format, and all the music was on 10.5 inch reels, about 12 minutes per sweep. All short items were on cart, three IGM Carousels and there was an ITC triple deck that had a jingle cart, a station ID and a weather cart.

Three of the reel-to-reel tape machines had the music tapes, and a fourth tape machine had an alibi music reel, which the system went to, if it was not time for once of the carted sources, or if one of the three main tape decks had run out of tape.

The system clock for events used a real time and lazy time selection. Real time meant the system would go to the source at that specific time- generally ID and then network news. Lazy time was for all other events that were scheduled to play, but only after that time had passed and the playing event was concluded.

Thanks. Y'all have made my point--"extreme automation" ain't nothing new. It just works a lot better now. So much better that we, as an industry, have managed to effectively eliminate two of the five standard radio jock shifts--7 to midnight & Overnights--thus reducing the number of jock jobs by a whopping 40 percent. Well, really, AT LEAST 40 percent, since many stations have eliminated mid-days, as well. And many clusters use a single jock staff to VT entire days on sister-stations. Zero part-time hours, anywhere.

Yeah, for the jocks it's worse, now. It's just nothing new.

amfmxm said:

Yeah, for the jocks it's worse, now. It's just nothing new.

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Unless you're one of the jocks who've adapted to the new reality, and creates content for the new automation. Yes the competition for those jobs is harder, but no one said doing what you love is easy.

TheBigA said:

Unless you're one of the jocks who've adapted to the new reality, and creates content for the new automation. Yes the competition for those jobs is harder, but no one said doing what you love is easy.

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I agree totally. If you love creating content for automation, there is a radio job for you if you compete for it and win. For everyone else, well, there is a big ol' world out there outside radio. It's worth exploring.

Salty Dog said:

TheBigA said:

Unless you're one of the jocks who've adapted to the new reality, and creates content for the new automation. Yes the competition for those jobs is harder, but no one said doing what you love is easy.

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I agree totally. If you love creating content for automation, there is a radio job for you if you compete for it and win. For everyone else, well, there is a big ol' world out there outside radio. It's worth exploring.

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I generally agree with you guys. FWIW, I run a cluster of stations but also knock-out a morning show for one of the stations. It takes me about 45 minutes a day--about 15-20 minutes for prep, and 20-25 minutes to VT. So I'm not just looking at this as an academic exercise. I was a large-market jock/PD in my youth, so I churn-out competitive stuff, and save a high-price salary. Win-win.

What we've lost is the training ground--the apprentice field. It's very hard to get through the door, now, and very hard to hone the skills required to be a top-notch performer.

No matter how much you love it.

amfmxm said:

What we've lost is the training ground--the apprentice field. It's very hard to get through the door, now, and very hard to hone the skills required to be a top-notch performer.

No matter how much you love it.

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Radio is not the only line of work where getting in the door is hard. After I left radio, I wanted to "do computers". There was a time when you took a programmer's class, found a job in some shop doing "heads down code writing". Kind of like getting a job as a jock in radio in the old days. About time I wanted into computers, they began developing software that would write software! (Can you spell a-u-t-o-m-a-t-i-o-n?)

In broadcasting I had a First Phone... that was a bit of a meal-ticket "back in the day". In my new life I got a job baby-sitting an IBM 370 main-frame. It filled a 20 x 20 room to the point that I had no room for a desk. I went back to visit the place one day. A truckload of IBM "heavy iron" had been replaced by a small box that looked like a P.C. that had been working out at the gym. That same place today probably has no computer. They just run the business "from the cloud".

So if you want to be the next Bill Gates or the next Steve Jobs... you can't begin your career in a motel in Phoenix or a garage in the back yard in California. That train has left the station.

If a young person at church came up to me and said: "I want to be in radio. Tell me where to start." What would I say? maybe: "Beats the hell out of me!"

amfmxm said:

What we've lost is the training ground--the apprentice field. It's very hard to get through the door, now, and very hard to hone the skills required to be a top-notch performer.

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People keep saying that, and somehow great new performers appear. I'm sure when Vaudeville died, a lot of people worried about the future of comedy. There are far more training grounds today than there were 40 years ago. Back then, the only option was in AM commercial radio. Today, there is LPFM radio, online radio, college radio, podcasts, and lots of other things. If you have the drive and the interest, there are lots of options.

Goat Rodeo Cowboy said:

If a young person at church came up to me and said: "I want to be in radio. Tell me where to start." What would I say? maybe: "Beats the hell out of me!"

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It happens to me a lot. I had lunch with a music business student who asked me out of the blue, "Is there something in radio for someone with a music business background?" Actually, there is. It's a promotions assistant, someone who co-ordinates between record labels, artists, and radio stations to do local contesting and meet & greets. Even automated stations have them, and it's typically a perfect entry level job for a kid out of college. Just often it involves on-air work too.

TheBigA said:

Goat Rodeo Cowboy said:

If a young person at church came up to me and said: "I want to be in radio. Tell me where to start." What would I say? maybe: "Beats the hell out of me!"

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It happens to me a lot. I had lunch with a music business student who asked me out of the blue, "Is there something in radio for someone with a music business background?" Actually, there is. It's a promotions assistant, someone who co-ordinates between record labels, artists, and radio stations to do local contesting and meet & greets. Even automated stations have them, and it's typically a perfect entry level job for a kid out of college. Just often it involves on-air work too.

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Big A, they DO have those kind of gigs in large markets. Those of us running the other 10,000 stations actually don't.

amfmxm said:

Big A, they DO have those kind of gigs in large markets. Those of us running the other 10,000 stations actually don't.

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They have those gigs at any station in any size market that reports its airplay to a trade like Billboard or Mediabase.

TheBigA said:

amfmxm said:

Big A, they DO have those kind of gigs in large markets. Those of us running the other 10,000 stations actually don't.

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They have those gigs at any station in any size market that reports its airplay to a trade like Billboard or Mediabase.

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Now that BDS and MediaBase are based on detections and not actual reports, there really is not much to do. And since the record companies do so little promotion any more, there's not much to coordinate.

DavidEduardo said:

Now that BDS and MediaBase are based on detections and not actual reports, there really is not much to do. And since the record companies do so little promotion any more, there's not much to coordinate.

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Not true. Yes, the reporting has been automated, but the resulting influence labels exert is still pretty obvious. Take a look at any country station in any size market, including Terre Haute Indiana, and you'll see lots of contesting and label promotions. Concert meet & greets, CD give-aways, and various other goodies. So there needs to be a local marketing and promotions co-ordinator. And there is.

In the specific case of WTHI-FM, communicating with the record labels falls to the program director and at WMGI-FM it takes place at headquarters in Wisconsin.

To say that every station has a promotions coordinator is as ridiculous as the Ad Council CDs that come addressed to "PSA Director," as if that is its own position.

Market #207? If Emmis didn't own it, WTHI would get no attention at all, from anyone. Those days are gone.

"Reporting" is something a machine does, and only if you happen to have a station that is current-based... in a market large enough to move the iTunes meter.

I haven't seen (or heard from) a record/label person since 1996...

amfmxm said:

I haven't seen (or heard from) a record/label person since 1996...

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The point is that there are hundreds of radio stations in all size markets who have full time local promotion people.My choice of market 207 proves that even small market stations have promotion people. They may not have local air talent, but they have someone to interact with the audience. Why? Because that's where the money is. And yes, you have to be a currents-based station that gets good ratings. Lots of stations qualify.

PTBoardOp94 said:

To say that every station has a promotions coordinator is as ridiculous as the Ad Council CDs that come addressed to "PSA Director," as if that is its own position.

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I didn't say "every station," but it's not restricted to large markets. WTHI has a full time person (other than the PD) who oversees contests and promotions that are provided by record labels.

TheBigA said:

Not true. Yes, the reporting has been automated, but the resulting influence labels exert is still pretty obvious. Take a look at any country station in any size market, including Terre Haute Indiana, and you'll see lots of contesting and label promotions. Concert meet & greets, CD give-aways, and various other goodies. So there needs to be a local marketing and promotions co-ordinator. And there is.

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And at most, if the position exists, they spend perhaps 5% of their time dealing with record company people.

A station that is "big" enough in its market to do significant promotions will likely be working on most artist promotions with the local venue or venues about show promotion. And that is just a small part of the job which involves everything from doing remotes to online content and other client-based stuff.

The door to a promotions director or coordinator position is accessed via the street promotion position, which is basically hanging banners at remotes, doing street promotions, etc., if the station is big enough... and that may be a part-time position. In large markets, candidates for promotion manager may come from programming, but it is just as likely they come from venues, attractions or even agencies.

DavidEduardo said:

The door to a promotions director or coordinator position is accessed via the street promotion position, which is basically hanging banners at remotes, doing street promotions, etc., if the station is big enough... and that may be a part-time position.

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And as I said earlier, it's a great entry level position for a college kid. Some of these folks get on the air, and a few have been promoted to full time air positions and even higher. Even if a station is running Premium Choice, they need someone to interact with the listeners at remotes and meet & greets. Many of us got started with minimum wage part time gigs (myself included), and those jobs still exist.

Goat Rodeo Cowboy said:

So if you want to be the next Bill Gates or the next Steve Jobs... you can't begin your career in a motel in Phoenix or a garage in the back yard in California. That train has left the station.

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If anything, it's easier. No garage necessary. Back in the day, crowdfunding consisted of asking friends and family you actually knew for money. Now you can advertise the product before it's done and raise money online while you work on it. http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-minuum-keyboard-project?website_name=minuum

Salty Dog said:

Goat Rodeo Cowboy said:

So if you want to be the next Bill Gates or the next Steve Jobs... you can't begin your career in a motel in Phoenix or a garage in the back yard in California. That train has left the station.

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If anything, it's easier. No garage necessary. Back in the day, crowdfunding consisted of asking friends and family you actually knew for money. Now you can advertise the product before it's done and raise money online while you work on it. http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-minuum-keyboard-project?website_name=minuum

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Thanks for the link.

But how did this person get this project far enough along to be able to have pictures like this to put on a website? It may not have been a garage. Maybe his bedroom? Maybe a loft apartment in some bit city where he/she lived on Raman Noodles while doing the same kind of blood-sweat-and-tears that Jobs and Wozniak did in their day. They had actual wires and resistors and parts. Maybe this modern day entrepreneur deals only in "intellectual knowledge". You may be making a leap-of-faith to assume he/she got to the point of being able to develop the concept until it was ready to to on line looking for investors...... with no input from friends and family to get to this point.