WXXI & The Little Theater Merger

[TheBigA]

I think that people should know exactly what facility they're listening to, and should be able to refer to the correct source if they wish to report problems with audio, noise, signal, etc.   

Back in the days of tuning dials, it was difficult to know what station you were listening to.  Today with digital tuners, you can see at a glance what station you're listening to.  No need to use airspace to tell people what they already know. 

[heydaybegone]

I think that people should know exactly what facility they're listening to, and should be able to refer to the correct source if they wish to report problems with audio, noise, signal, etc.   

Back in the days of tuning dials, it was difficult to know what station you were listening to.  Today with digital tuners, you can see at a glance what station you're listening to.  No need to use airspace to tell people what they already know. 

So, I rarely go toe to toe with Rox!  But I gotta agree with "A" this time.!

Not that it matters here on the boards...but Digital is a way of life now....even with the "old timers".  They know "the numbers" of their favorite radio station!!  Nuff said on that.

I'm also curious (Rox) just how many times any average listener has reported any problems with audio, noise, signal, etc.?  (Besides calling the station switchboard operator that doesn't have a clue--or the automated system that doesn't acknowledge such events)     Hey, you might have info---benefit of the doubt question. 

HDBG

[Savage]

Rox, my friend!  "Report problems with audio?" (Pause for audience to stop laughing)  I know market-cluster GMs who aren't even aware of the formats on their HD subs!    And most of the station day-to-day operations people hardly monitor their own signals despite all kinds of automated interfaces, dead-air alarms, etc.

In he unlikely event a listener reaches a live person at a station in today's typical cluster, I seriously doubt that person will be able to give any advice or take any action.  Most station personnel these days are completely clueless on technical matters.  I include management in that statement.

We've come a long ways - and generally not in a positive way - since those days of a generation ago, when "a certain GM I know" had an oscilloscope on his desk to monitor modulation continuously.

[SirRoxalot]

First of all, not everybody has a digital tuner...

With that said, it's quite possible that we've lowered expectations by the public so much that they don't really care what they're listening to, and would simply move on if the audio sucked, or went out altogether.

I'd think that the radio geeks in the crowd would at least like to know what they're listening to once an hour without having to look it up on radio-locator.com.

[TheBigA]

First of all, not everybody has a digital tuner...

At some point, you really need to come into the present.  Dial tuners went away more than 30 years ago. 

With that said, it's quite possible that we've lowered expectations by the public so much that they don't really care what they're listening to, and would simply move on if the audio sucked, or went out altogether.

 

Huh? "We" haven't done anything.  Have you seen the devices people use these days?  Radio companies don't sell those devices.  People listen to radio on cheap crappy devices.  That's been the case for a very long time.  But the facts are that the people inherently KNOW which stations they listen to, because they only listen to a handful of stations: Their favorites.  They don't "spin the dial," because it doesn't exist, and they often don't sample stations outside their favorites, even if those stations flip formats to something those people might like. 

As for the "radio geeks," I learned a long long time ago that you don't program a station to the .1%.  That ensures you'll lose.

[heydaybegone]

I'd think that the radio geeks in the crowd would at least like to know what they're listening to once an hour without having to look it up on radio-locator.com.

And it comes down to ratings.  (Here we go again- please no!)  If the ratings company (Arb*%&^) is doing their job correctly, the statistical odds of research methodology (been there-done that) says these Geeks aren't going to get that one golden diary!!
So who cares 

[SirRoxalot]

The "scan" button on my car radio has discovered a lot more stations - or new iterations of existing stations - than "spinning the dial" ever did. Studies show that more people listen to radio in the car than in any other place. Surely, car audio systems these days are MUCH better than they were "back in the day". Except for the AM tuner sections, and the antennas, of course.

[heydaybegone]

The "scan" button on my car radio has discovered a lot more stations - or new iterations of existing stations - than "spinning the dial" ever did. Studies show that more people listen to radio in the car than in any other place. Surely, car audio systems these days are MUCH better than they were "back in the day". Except for the AM tuner sections, and the antennas, of course

The radio makers are doing their job (OK - so they put CD players & subscription receivers in too!..not to mention MP3 downloadable)  SO..........................now what!!

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

This discussion called for a survey, so I sauntered around the house to check the digital v. analog count. Two analog Panasonics in the basement workshop. Receiver in the studio, digital. Bathroom? Analog. Family room? Digital. Garage? An old Sony AM/FM/TV/WX analog that's been dropped, had at least two runaway hose showers, been sprayed with WD40 and survived a close encounter with a Berns-O-Matic. Still, it defies death and I can't throw it out. Cars? Both digital, one with RDS (BTW, there's one radio station in Buffalo that needs to reset its RDS). Personal players, digital. So, at least in my domain, it's about an even split and the analog units are still active. The analog sets seem to have better selectivity and fidelity.

[SirRoxalot]

BTW, the only unit I have with RDS is one of my car radios. And, yes, I'm a cheapskate. I generally buy things that work, and use them until they don't anymore. Even my MP3 player is 8 years old - and has FM that sounds pretty darn good via headphone.