HFU HF Underground
General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: Ct Yankee on March 20, 2020, 0954 UTC
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I was listening to local 50,000 watt flame thrower WTIC AM 1080 from Hartford, CT at 0935 utc this morning. The two OM hosts were discussing staffing changes as of tomorrow (March 21). One noted he would be broadcasting from home as of Saturday, March 21 as with most of the other hosts. In a point I believe meant to not belittle their decision, the same OM noted that sister flame thrower (WFAN AM 660 NYC) has had all their hosts broadcasting from home/isolated locations for several days.
Methinks some corporate owners are noticing these broadcasting adjustments and could eventually require on air talent to have their own home studio set up, much like mechanics must own their own tools if they work for a fleet operator. Post-virus, there could be much divesting of brick and mortar in the broadcasting world.
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I've heard similar things here, as well as some folks in public radio working from home. It should be mentioned that a lot of air shifts are being voice tracked (pre-recorded) these days anyway.
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Not making light of the situation, I understand that radio stations and companies -- like other companies and jobsites -- are concerned for the health of their employees, as well as their industry.
But it also looks like IHeart's digital delivery center idea was right on time....
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Just before the restrictions on going to work came in effect here outside of Seattle, the little nonprofit community radio station I'm on the board of (KSER 90.7 FM) set up a remote-control online system so that the station manager and one other staff member could check in on programming and even make changes from their homes.
This was because the main on-air talent who did all this during the daytime fell ill a couple months ago. As it turns out, it was a fortuitous development. Because now, to minimize risk, the dozens of station volunteers are locked out of the studio and the remote-control system is being used to run the station 24/7. It's a little trickier than the normal operation would be, but it's working for now.
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Methinks some corporate owners are noticing these broadcasting adjustments and could eventually require on air talent to have their own home studio set up
Among the many changes I expect we will see, are things like this. A lot more de-centralization in everything, not just radio.