WHLO studio picture
 

John Higdon wrote:

I was musing just today about how easy (and cheap) it is now to do a
full remote broadcast from anywhere in the world, and yet no one seems
to be interested in remotes anymore. [irony on] Too much work, I guess!
[irony off]

More than 30 years ago a popular DJ at KNEW did a remote from somewhere, I
forget. I think it was Hillsdale Mall. Anyhow, his setup was (1) mic, (2)
headphones, (3) mixer, (4) button. Wasn't much to look at.

Today I doubt that many advertisers would pay to have remotes, and likely
because with so much stereo and studio equipment in people's homes, there is
no magic in showing off a radio remote. My new housemate has a bigger mixing
board with more channels and more effects than any commercial broadcast
console in existence.

Now, as to the the location advantage, that only really works for interviews,
and few stations but talk stations do interviews much. It'd be good if KGO
got out. Some years back I tried to get KALW interested in siting their
studio in a storefront in a rent/promo exchange. I had a potential landlord
lined up but the KALW people were already destined to locate at the Burton
high school instead.

WHLO studio picture
 

In article ,
dave wrote:

Excellent points. Speaking of remotes, most stations use a cell phone.
It is difficult for me to watch a radio personality wait for the
program cue ("...and now, live and remote..."), then they talk into a
cell phone until the automation takes back control. Contrast that to
the 60's when the radio station had a dedicated broadcast line, a Sparta
board, and a live board operator at the station. Yes, it is easier this
way, but TV diners are easier than a good meal too.

That actually wasn't what I was talking about. I was referring to
remotes with full-fidelity stereo links to the studio, with full
broadcast setups from the remote site. KKIQ periodically does the whole
morning show from Tommy T's in Pleasanton. The setup is scalable to do
that show from anywhere in the world.

Now, instead of ordering broadcast circuits from the east coast or
Europe, or even ISND lines, it can be done over the Internet for
zero-cost per minute.

By the way, WHLO was one of the kings of remotes. They did a lot of
them in the 60's. Car dealers, restaurants, furniture stores,
exhibitions, amusement park, department stores, etc.

KKIQ used to do several "real" remotes a week. That's been cut
considerably, even though today's technology provides quality
unattainable in past years.

One other point that I'm hearing a lot -- there is no money in radio
unless one is in a major market. Thus, creative people go elsewhere,
and the remote is as cheap as possible. Elaborate jingles -- gone.
News coverage 24/365 -- gone. Good radio personality 24 hrs. -- gone.

Yes, that is how the creative-less conglomerates excuse themselves for
only being able to sustain stations in the top ten (maybe top twenty)
markets. I'm at the NAB for the primary purpose to deal with a shopping
list of major equipment for the small stations I work for. They're doing
just fine, thank you very much.

Thank goodness for the mp3 player. It is as good as radio is today.

I have to agree with you. But please remember where the blame lies. We
have financiers, investment brokers, MBAs of every description,
self-proclaimed programming consultants, and private equity companies
controlling the major so-called broadcasting companies these days...not
broadcasters.

--
John Higdon
+1 408 ANdrews 6-4400
AT&T-Free At Last

WHLO studio picture
 

"Mark Howell" wrote:

I know of one who does a request show from his home studio via
voice-tracking. The station's request line is forwarded to his house, he
takes and records the calls, cuts and edits the voice tracks, and sends them
via high-speed internet to the station's automation system, which he also
can control remotely, and changes the playlist and inserts the tracks as
needed. The calls and requests are delayed by mere minutes.

Gosh, this beats Wolfman Jack's days when you didn't hear your request to the
next night at the very same time...

You bring up a fascinating point: Will radio stations become the server farms
of broadcasting? On the weekends, it's not unusual for KGO's "live 'n' local"
talkshows to come from a station with empty studios.

I remember one day when KGO aired Leo Laporte from 11 to 1, Bob Brinker from 1
to 4, Len Tillem from 4 to 7, Karel from 7 to 10, Bill Wattenburg from 10 to
1, and Christine Craft from 1 to 5am -- none in the KGO studios.

WHLO studio picture
 

In article ,
(David Kaye) wrote:

I remember one day when KGO aired Leo Laporte from 11 to 1, Bob Brinker from
1
to 4, Len Tillem from 4 to 7, Karel from 7 to 10, Bill Wattenburg from 10 to
1, and Christine Craft from 1 to 5am -- none in the KGO studios.

This is nothing new. For years, Sunday has been the day when engineers
could get into the studios to work on them. Indeed, back they only had
one studio, Sunday was a lifesaver. Having two studios has taken the
heat off considerably.

--
John Higdon
+1 408 ANdrews 6-4400
AT&T-Free At Last

WHLO studio picture
 

John Higdon wrote:

This is nothing new. For years, Sunday has been the day when engineers
could get into the studios to work on them.

A *real* engineer works nights and weekends, in the rain and sleet and snow
and gloom of night. This daytime work is for sissies.

Indeed, back they only had
one studio, Sunday was a lifesaver. Having two studios has taken the
heat off considerably.

At least KGO works on their equipment. I find it hard to fathom that KNBR,
former NBC West Coast flagship, has audio so bad you have to turn up the
volume to understand what they're saying. Sounds like their high end rolls
off at 1khz.

WHLO studio picture
 

In article ,
David Kaye wrote:
John Higdon wrote:

This is nothing new. For years, Sunday has been the day when engineers
could get into the studios to work on them.

A *real* engineer works nights and weekends, in the rain and sleet and snow
and gloom of night. This daytime work is for sissies.

What makes you think that the Sunday work is *instead* of the other
six days and nights?


Patty

WHLO studio picture
 

In article ,
(David Kaye) wrote:

A *real* engineer works nights and weekends, in the rain and sleet and snow
and gloom of night. This daytime work is for sissies.

With all due respect, that is very easy to say for someone who has not
spent decades walking the walk. Today, there is increasingly more
daytime administration required and it is very difficult to put in a
full-day's work and then stay up all night. I've reached a point that I
cannot do that anymore, and I have so advised my charges that if I have
to work overnight, they will not see me in the studio during the day for
two or three days thereafter.

The pay does not support martyrdom.

At least KGO works on their equipment. I find it hard to fathom that KNBR,
former NBC West Coast flagship, has audio so bad you have to turn up the
volume to understand what they're saying. Sounds like their high end rolls
off at 1khz.

KGO takes its audio very seriously. Unfortunately, there are stations
that don't. Some stations don't even know they sound bad, so it is
unknown whether they would fix the problems or not if they were aware of
them.

--
John Higdon
+1 408 ANdrews 6-4400
AT&T-Free At Last

WHLO studio picture
 

Patty Winter wrote:

What makes you think that the Sunday work is *instead* of the other
six days and nights?

(1) The equipment is too dependable these days to require all that much work.
You have engineers today who service 3 to 5 or more stations whereas there
used to be one engineer per station, who maybe moonlighted at a non-comm.

(2) Stations used to care about making a good presentation, so they wouldn't
allow the station to go off the air between 6am and midnight. Now, they don't
really care, as long as they can get their spotbreaks in when they come back
on.

WHLO studio picture
 

On Wed, 13 Apr 2011 22:25:05 EDT, (David Kaye)
wrote:

I find it hard to fathom that KNBR,
former NBC West Coast flagship, has audio so bad you have to turn up the
volume to understand what they're saying. Sounds like their high end rolls
off at 1khz.

Of course, to paraphrase Prof. Dr. C.T. Yang, he of MIT fame in the
early 1950s - "_THIS_ KNBR not same as _THAT_ KNBR - it only con-fuze
you". Its technical quality really went downhill after Susquehanna
sold it.
--
Phil Kane
Beaverton, OR

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On 4/17/2011 8:17 PM, Phil Kane wrote:

Of course, to paraphrase Prof. Dr. C.T. Yang, he of MIT fame in the
early 1950s - "_THIS_ KNBR not same as _THAT_ KNBR - it only con-fuze
you". Its technical quality really went downhill after Susquehanna
sold it.

There was a point - maybe about a year ago or so - where the transition
was dramatic. I remember there was speculation that they were getting
ready to turn on HD, and narrowed the bandwidth in preparation. But
that never happened.

Dave B.