[BC] Operators

[Jeff Glass]

In a message dated 4/7/2010 8:00:47 AM Central Daylight Time, broadcast-request at radiolists.net writes:

>Perhaps it should be the engineers who train the operators, but programmers and thierOM buddies have made sure for the last 30 years that it is indeed programmers, and not engineers who supervise the operators and largely run the station.

>So rocket science or not, common sense or not, it is in fact the job, the legally required and enforcable by fine, duty of the operator to operate the station.  No talent, announcing, jocking, DJing etc is recognized by law.  In fact, about the most that comes into play is when 'talent' break phone, obscenity or other content laws.

This seems to me to be a false dilemma. At all stations where I've worked, the PD supervised the jocks, gave them format training, and the engineering department trained the operators to operate the transmitter, That organizational system worked quite well. If I were the jock supervisor, then I would have to train them for the formattics too, because I'm their supervisor. So Ed, what you're saying does not compute.

I had an operator who could not do pattern change on time. I worked with the person until I suggested to the PD that the person be canned. That person was then promptly canned.

<<Ed Said:
No talent, announcing, jocking, DJing etc is recognized by law. >>

Not sure what your point is. The jocks and programmers are a required part of a successful radio station. Ift does not matter that they are mentioned in the FCC rules. The commission expects us to know what we need to do business.

The key to any structure working properly is effective communication. My PD's always respected the role of engineering, because we always respected them. A team effort is what makes this all work; it's not so much a function as who is in the supervisory role.

Ed, I'm probably misinterpreting your position. It sure sounds adversarial and confrontational to me. Programming and engineering has always worked well in my experience Operators have been trainable in my experience. When they are not, management has always been supportive. Usually that thick headed operator also drives the PD crazy on the format side also.

Jeff Glass
Northern Illinois University