[BC] Re: No More Remotes

[Xmitters@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/3/2007 7:04:21 PM Central Daylight Time, 
broadcast-request at radiolists.net writes:


> Message: 5
> Date: Tue, 03 Apr 2007 15:07:12 -0400
> From: "Dana  Puopolo" <dpuopolo at usa.net>
> Subject: RE: [BC] No More Remotes
> To: "Broadcasters' Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
> Message-ID: <017LDcTgm5610S12.1175627232 at cmsweb12.cms.usa.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> 
> I think that too many remotes dilutes their effectiveness. That's what Emmis
> has figured out.
> 
> I worked for a station that did about 4-6 remotes per week-all of them in
> afternoon drive. It really took a toll on the talent (and me-I had to run 
> the
> board at the remote site). To them, being back in the studio was a treat, 
> and
> their shows were much better from the studio.
> 
> Being on the road all the time simply became a drag....
> 
> -D 
> 

Dana:

There was a URL posted here that I tried, nomoreremotes.com I think, was 
nothing but a black screen on my computer. I never could figure out the logic of 
remotes. They are a lot of work for everyone involved. Signal problems, which 
are quite a problem in high population areas, cause embarrassment for the 
station and client alike. I don't know of many people that flock to a place of 
business because a remote is going on. I tune out immediately when I'm listening 
to a station doing a remote; I know that daypart is going to be more 
infomercial than music.

I proposed a long time ago that stations do Remote Appearances, where the air 
staff actually shows up at the place of business, but the jock at the studio 
does the on-air promotion. "join Jeff this afternoon at FlyByNight Computers 
and enter to win a free laptop computer complete with AOL installed. He's out 
there right now, waiting for the first ten people to mention this announcement. 
The tenth person to mention this message, wins!"  Now there are a lot of 
gimmicks to mention to get people to go to the remote venue for something free, 
something cheap or to meet the announcer. This example given is why I am an 
engineer and not a promotions specialist :-) I fail to understand why this 
attraction is only possible if the person at the remote, speaks into the microphone 
that feeds the broadcast transmitter. This makes no sense to me and I do not 
see the appeal this has with the modern day technology familiar consumer.

If you want to have talent at the remote with a microphone in their face, 
fine. Use the mic to feed a local PA rather than a Marti or other remote link. 
People showing up are not going to give a crap if their favorite announcer is 
actually live on the air! This may have had appeal 20 years ago, but I don't 
think it makes much sense nowadays. I doubt that the station actually makes a 
measurable profit when you consider the depreciation costs of the equipment, the 
loss of credibility of the station/client due to equipment problems, the 
engineering time required to keep the remote gear up to snuff, the cost of going to 
the remote a day or two ahead to do signal checks, etc. 


I can see full blown remotes having value in the case of live sports 
coverage. 

I hope more stations make the decision to no longer do remotes. Out of my 30 
years in this business, remotes have been the number one cause of frustration 
and hard feelings among the departments at radio stations where I have been. 
Not all of these hard feelings necessarily had o do with engineering. All of 
this hassle just to get a remote announcer on the air live. Who is this costly 
hookup intended to impress?

All the kids and mature teens that ever came near our remote van were doing 
so in search of finding free stuff. Sure, they are at the business site and 
hopefully would go inside and spend money. Why do we need a live on-air announcer 
before people will go in and spend money? The same on-site effect could be 
had with the jock and a simple PA. The only people that would know what's really 
going on would be the radio geeks showing up with a Walkman or an RPU 
scanner.

It all boils down to what the client thinks they want and what the station 
believes they are getting out of the event. In these days of high expenses, the 
true payoff is truly questionable.

Obviously, this experience and observation happened before joining an NPR 
affiliate. My particular station does not do remotes.

Jeff Glass, BSEE CSRE
Chief Engineer
WNIU WNIJ
Northern Illinois University
My Dell 2650 Win2000 SP4 AOL 7.0


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