Re: voice-tracking is the symptom, but it's not the disease

["Chris Beckwith" <beckwith@ime.net>]

SteveOrdinetz wrote:

> Does being live 24/7 even gain you anything?  <

Sure it does!  Just ask anyone who listens to WBZ overnights; no wonder they
own the daypart!

> It's been argued (again and again) that being live gives you the flexibility
in an emergency, and there's no disputing that, but how often does a situation
come along that demands it? <

It was a major advantage to stations that were live when, for instance, news
broke late on a Saturday night that Princess Diana had died.  In radio, just as
in any other industry, there are leaders and followers.

Take care,
Chris

P.S.  I was out of the broadcast loop when news broke last Saturday that
longtime Portland, Maine City Manager Bob Ganley had died suddenly--which of
the news operations in Portland was most on top of the story?  In terms of
online resources, the first I read of it was an email from WMTW's notification
service.  Following up, I discovered that Pegasus' "OurMaine.com" and WMTW's
web page had posted stories (and OurMaine even had RealVideo!)  The Portland
Newspapers' site and WGME's news page made no mention of it, and WCSH's web
pages *still* have no local news content (but they've got a link to USA Today!
:)