[BC] Silent HD-2 operations

[WFIFeng@aol.com]

In a message dated 02/18/2007 9:49:56 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
warp99 at hotmail.com writes:

> In fairness, let's not limit this to the HD channels.  Barry and I 
>  both have quite a bit of experience with a certain cluster where dead 
>  air/multiple sources on the main analog channels seems to be 
>  tolerated to an uncomfortable extent.

I believe you. I know that this happens, too... but how many major markets 
have *days* of dead air on analog stations?

When Rich said that he encountered nothing but a voicemail maze when 
attempting to contact that station via the phone numbers listed on their own WEBsite, 
I completely believe him. He's not going to exaggerate or lie about something 
like that. Even in his sarcasm, there is some truth... but there would be no 
reason to lie about what he encountered on the telephone. Someone else denied 
that this could have happened. That had me scratching my head... Rich didn't 
make it up... so unless that WEBsite has the *wrong* phone numbers listed, or a 
lot of people just happened to be sick or there was a major all-staff meeting 
when he tried to call, is anybody's guess. All I can say is that I believe his 
report that there was no human to be found on the line.

>  Without going into a lot of detail, let's just say that I spent a lot 
>  of time rigging up alarms to catch dead air, and found myself the 
>  only one who cared about such problems when they happened after hours.

That is a shame. The way you describe this, it surprises me that they even 
bothered to pay not only for the alarms, but for your time installing them! <:/

>  This is ultimately a management issue.  

Agreed, 1000%.

There's a saying we use in Christian circles that applies: "The fire in the 
pews will only be as hot as the fire in the pulpit." If the preacher is a 
lukewarm milquetoast, then there's not much chance of there being anyone in that 
congregation being "on fire" for the cause, so-to-speak. If Management doesn't 
give a rat's posterior about their stations, that will automatically be 
"trickled-down" to the staff... "If they don't care, why should I?"

>  The outfits that lock up the 
>  building at 6PM and can't be bothered to pay anybody to do quality 
>  control, are the ones that will have dead or messed-up HD2 
>  channels.  The stations where management really cares about the 
>  product will do something about these problems.

Agreed 100% on both points. I don't think this scenario was "after 6pm", but 
Rich could clarify the time-frame, if he wishes to do so.

I just find that when dead air starts being measured in **Days** that there 
is something *really rotten* in Denmark. That's why I'm now starting to 
describe this whole IBUZ thing as a bathtub that is slowly being filled with 
cement... yet they actually expect it to fly??? The phenomenal return rate on these 
radios speaks volumes, as will the word-of-mouth of everyone who buys and 
subsequently returns one. Nobody's going to want to buy this dog. It ain't hunt'n 
now, and at this rate, never will.

Willie...