US radio not giving the time of day

[IBadget1]

I have recently traveled to the Philippines and noticed that their radio stations always give the time of day, e.g., "Check your time. It is (insert current time)." A majority of US radio stations don't give the time of day. It gives me the impression that the US is growing backwards, making the Philippines seem more advanced. The US radio stations that do give the time of day are very few. Variety 106.5 KBVA in Belle Vista, Arkansas, is one of the few radio stations that give the time of day, particularly every hour on the hour. The US radio stations that are not giving the time of day need to take a lesson from the Philippine radio stations and start giving the time of day.

 

[DavidEduardo]

I have recently traveled to the Philippines and noticed that their radio stations always give the time of day, e.g., "Check your time. It is (insert current time)." A majority of US radio stations don't give the time of day.

Radio also generally does not do traffic reports at 2 AM. It is a question of need. In the US, everyone can afford a watch... their cellular phone has a clock display... the cable box has a time display... the personal vehicle has a clock... and so on. Time checks are far less needed on US radio than on stations in third world nations where time-telling devices are less common.

 

[Nostalgia]

Ivan,
Too many sattelite feeds, automation systems, voice-tracked programs, and other canned shows being distributed to lots of radio stations in different time zones. There are automation systems that can insert times but most operators dont use the feature. They figure in this day and age everyone has the time either on their watch or portable electronic gadget.

I am sure the examples you state have a live DJ behind the mic both in PI and AR. Back in the good old days of rock and roll radio it was: hey there, hi there, ho there, that was (last song name) on (insert call letters), I am (say your name) its (say time and throw in the temperature if you want) and here is (say the name of next song, preferably over the lead in) or a jingle. And that was pretty much between every song!

Think I'm kidding? I can prove it with an air check from K-POI (the 1380 one) right there in your neighborhood!!
Nostalgia
(a former Poi-Boy who now spends his days on the internet reminiscing about the "good old days of rock and roll radio")

 

[PTBoardOp94]

I can listen to any radio station in town and know the time within 5 minutes based on where they are in their hourly clock.

(Exception: the all-sports station during play-by-play)

 

[firepoint525]

We've been having the same discussion on the Memphis board. Check us out here:

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=132292.0

 

[DavidEduardo]

Back in the good old days of rock and roll radio it was: hey there, hi there, ho there, that was (last song name) on (insert call letters), I am (say your name) its (say time and throw in the temperature if you want) and here is (say the name of next song, preferably over the lead in) or a jingle. And that was pretty much between every song!

I had a totally live "good old days" hot AC in the mid to late 70's where, outside of morning drive, we purposely did not give the time. Those who needed the time knew how to get it, and we avoided reminding people of when to turn on the daytime soap, etc.

We never gave the temperature... seasonal temperatures never varied from day to day, so the info was useless. We tried to make anything we did say relevant. Time and termperature were not in the "relevancy" basket. :-\

(a former Poi-Boy who now spends his days on the internet reminiscing about the "good old days of rock and roll radio")

Were you there when TR and RJ were also Poi Boys?

 

[elchupacabras]

While it is an important feature in AM drive, it can be rather annoying during other dayparts. Just come to Mexico. Every damn broadcaster (at least the majority, even the big ones like La Zeta in Mexico City), feature the time AFTER EVERY SONG! Drives me nuts. Even during automated hours, you hear it. And no, its not hard to do. I had fun downloading a free version of Zara Radio and added the time check, put in a play-list with generic jingles and plugged in the part-15 transmitter. Sounded like local radio! Little research, a huge playlist and yes, the time check after every song! You can probably detect the irony in my voice, but I am glad at least the U.S. is past the obligatory time check (other than maybe KXOS in L.A.)

 

[DavidEduardo]

You can probably detect the irony in my voice, but I am glad at least the U.S. is past the obligatory time check (other than maybe KXOS in L.A.)

KXOS has to go down as the worst major market launch in years... not a bit of movement since the first week, even with a reported $1,200,000 ad budget. It's rated about at the level of KHJ AM, and is the lowest of the FMs in Spanish, although it is nearly as good, signal wise, as KLVE.

 

[Nostalgia]

(a former Poi-Boy who now spends his days on the internet reminiscing about the "good old days of rock and roll radio")

Were you there when TR and RJ were also Poi Boys?
[/quote]

No, much later, around '69-'71. Uncle Tom Moffatt was still there as the GM. When I moved over to KKUA RJ came back to Hawaii and was on there as "WhoDaGuy" for awhile before moving to K-DEO.

And we didnt do the temp either because it was always the same!!

 

[TheBigA]

It gives me the impression that the US is growing backwards, making the Philippines seem more advanced.

Not to parse your words, but that seems to me to be a rather curious statement.

First of all, who cares?

But how does having someone speak the time, rather than reading the time from a device, make someone more advanced?

To me, time & temp is one of those ancient formulas required by dogmatic PDs who would tape hand-written instructions, usually made with Magic Marker, on control room windows.

I have a clock built into my car radio. I have one built into my clock-radio. In fact, most of my radios are close to clocks, and I actually own a watch. What percentage of Filipinos would you say own a watch?

I also agree with the comment that I can usually tell without looking what time it is by listening to the format of the station.

 

[IBadget1]

Not to parse your words, but that seems to me to be a rather curious statement.

First of all, who cares?

But how does having someone speak the time, rather than reading the time from a device, make someone more advanced?

To me, time & temp is one of those ancient formulas required by dogmatic PDs who would tape hand-written instructions, usually made with Magic Marker, on control room windows.

I have a clock built into my car radio. I have one built into my clock-radio. In fact, most of my radios are close to clocks, and I actually own a watch. What percentage of Filipinos would you say own a watch?

I also agree with the comment that I can usually tell without looking what time it is by listening to the format of the station.

What I meant was that the radio stations in the Philippines seem more advanced than those in the US. I want to be sure that the time on my watch is correct. So, IMHO US radio is embarrassing, both musically and feature-wise. As to the percentage of Filipinos that own a watch, I would hazard a guess of about 20%. As far as I understand, electronic devices in the Philippines are more expensive than in the US. I'm a Filipino American, and the Filipino side of me wants the features of a Philippine radio station.

 

[MsMusicRadio]

I think this is the de-evolution of radio. Some people work with the radio on and it is useful to get information through the ears. Not all work situations include a clock or a computer.

 

[gr8oldies]

Too often a crfutch for the DJ (I'll include myself) rather than useful info. I like it when my local news talkers gives it frequently in the morning while I'm getting ready and not staring at the clock. WLW's news will always say "the 10:30 (or whatever) report".

 

[TheBigA]

My last comment on this subject is to agree with someone else who said it's a function of daypart and format, more than anything else. At night, I don't listen to the radio for the time. In the morning, I do. Music intensive formats suffer from interruptions, including those involving information. It becomes "clutter." On the other hand, personality formats and news/talk benefit from time checks.

 

[One Who Knows]

A long time ago, it was generally explained to me like this:

Why do casinos in Las Vegas not have clocks? Because they don't want you to know the time, so you'll realize you have to do something other than gamble! Or, so it goes...

Outside of morning drive, radio's main goal is to entertain with music. Reminding people every few minutes what time it is might make them remember they have something to do...other than listening to the radio. Time of day is important, I was led to believe, while people are getting ready for, and travelling, to work. Outside of drive-time, not so important.

Still and yet...even today, I work for a station that does drop in time outside of morning drive once or twice an hour...

 

[gr8oldies]

Still kind of expect it on a news talker though, at least at news times.

 

[ROCKTHEMIC]

Aside from the other good reasons for the lack of time and temp during the day. For the most part that information, for American's, is really only important during the morning and afternoon. When it's good to know how far or close you are to the thing you have to be at next. Radio stations around the country are more and more voice tracked so you can't hear the current time and temp since there is no one really there, live!

 

[DavidEduardo]

Aside from the other good reasons for the lack of time and temp during the day. For the most part that information, for American's, is really only important during the morning and afternoon. When it's good to know how far or close you are to the thing you have to be at next. Radio stations around the country are more and more voice tracked so you can't hear the current time and temp since there is no one really there, live!

It's been relatively easy to have time checks on voice tracked stations since the early 70's.

 

[Silkie]

Chicago said it best: Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care about time?

 

[nd2023]

If I'm used to listening to a station, I can tell what part of the format hour they're in. And I know it's the top of the hour when stations either play their fancy legal ID or when the jock says the call letters and COL.