Re: WLLH

[Doug Bassett <dbassett@sover.net>]

SteveOrdinetz wrote:

> At 11:13 AM 8/5/98 -0500, BUMP MARTIN wrote:
> >
> >While I am happy they don't appear to be going "on the bird"...They DO
> >seem to be heading for "automation-land".
> >
> >And this disturbs me.  (Are they taking lessons from Capstar?)
> >
>
> While I don't specifically know about WLLH, voicetracked automation is the
> way much of the industry is going...I, for one see nothing wrong with it
> (the stations I work for are both voicetracked)...while it takes a little
> getting used to, once everything is up and running properly, it is
> difficult to tell that it isn't live.  It solves the problem of staffing
> 24/7 (anyone who thinks there are loads of qualified, dependable people
> looking for work...guess again!) and frees the operator on duty from being
> chained to the board for the entire shift.
>

This is the way one of the stations I work for is going. (The AM side has been
automated satellite talk for years, though we do provide local news, weather
and sports.) The FM side is dropping the bird feed (sometime in the next week
or two, once all the equipment is installed) in favor of locally voicetracked
automation (we'll still be live during drive times). I think this type of
automation, when it's done right, is the lesser of the two evils (the other
being satellite, and having virtually no local air talent/community
involvement). It keeps local folks (like me) employed, doing what we love to
do. <g>

Doug Bassett
WKVT 1490/ WKVT-FM 92.7
Brattleboro, Vt.
(opinions are mine; they've got their own opinions to worry about)

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