There's so much talk about having gigantic collections of songs being scheduled on automated playlists but that provides no magic for the listener and is exactly as dull as most licensed full power stations which are also automated. Isn't that our main complaint about them?
In my highly sought opinion a radio station must be hosted live to have a character and appeal to an audience.
My introduction to streaming radio in 2007 was a memorable experience, when the first streaming station I ever heard was KPAH from Pahrump, Nevada, with the owner (Harvey) holding a live phone-in show with two lady guests who'd come up the side of the mountain from town to volunteer at the ham-shack home of the 1700 kHz part 15 station with a Rangemaster Transmitter sharing a 60-foot tower.
My station started around that same time and I did some live shows streaming online, but got lazy and began pre-recording the shows and airing the recordings.
As I've looked around the internet I've noticed a few stations that schedule live hosted shows, but most of them just run playlists, which are boring.
Do more live programminmg.
But easier said than done. Much more complicated and one must be a good speaker and can keep talking to fill space without stumbling over words. Plus I would have to sit with this in my room endlessly talking to who? If anyone's listening!
Also if automated it runs itself with my voice doing the ID's etc and jingles pre recorded and I can listen to my own station on the radio like any other.
I can go out or to bed and it is on 24/7. I'm on there but just not live.
Mark spots the heart of the problem: "I would have to sit with this in my room endlessly talking."
That's why FCC Commissioner Aijet Pai should allow us to use radio slaves who would deliver live programming on our stations for no pay.
Where would the slaves come from?
They would be radio pirates busted by the FCC and sentenced to community service doing forced labor in the part 15 community.
If they knew anything about technolgy they might also double as engineers, but be careful they don't get you over-powered.
I agree with Carl's point and also with Mark. I have no interest in streaming, only OTA broadcasting. If I ever get an indication that I have an audience, I'd like to at least do a little bit of live programming. Or at least one time live and then re-run those shows. I think I saw something on the ALPB site about using Skype for call-in shows. If not that, at least something locally produced by me. Once Spring gets here I plan on gretly enhancing my ground radial system which I hope will get me more of an audience and then I have been asked by our town to interview long time residents about their memories to try to highlight our local history. Assuming I get some willing subjects these will be video and audio recorded for playback on HBR and the station's Youtube channel. Maybe that will get me some action.
On Saturady evenings at 6PM CT for 2 hours. Contact him and let him know you area airing.
"Dew and Celina Live on the Mic"
There is a grand epiphany that usually descends upon low-power broadcasters a few weeks into the mission: we only have three good live shows in us. After that, we scramble to fill the clock.
I am no great fan of voicetracking, but if you want to sound live without having to be epoxied to the chair in front of the console for 8 to 12 hours, its the only way to go. Hit the shuffle key to generate a new music log, find a couple of good places to drop in some jock banter, record some then get back to the music. You can create four to five live-sounding hours in about 45-60 minutes. Computer software such as RadioHost and Rivendell allow very real-sounding VT'ing.
Live programming, while desired, can sound just as crummy as an unattended playlist if the content is lousy. We fall back on "crutch" phrases, weather snippets, visit-our-website promos and little else. Broadcast content is easy to find -- even something as banal as the Daily Almanac can be fun when you give it your own spin. My own favorite resource is "Chase's Calendar of Events", where I found National Printer's Ink Day and other obscure "holidays". Even if you're not live and do resort to 'tracking, you need interesting material. Remember that overused radio phrase, Content Is King. It's true.
I agree with Carl. But if you cant do more live programming, do more interesting programming.
Good point, Carl. My new year's resolution was to further promote my station, and do some live programs....but I've already falllen off on that a bit. Part of that is because I'me fighting a damn cold...but I agree. I've got to get back to work! LOL. 🙂
Radio is, obviously, a tough business. I don't get too many streaming listeners myself, and there's no way of knowing how many listeners might be tuning into my 1650 AM signal. That can lead to a general malaise, so to speak. If I knew that I was getting an audience, I might be a bit more enthusiastic, heh. 🙁