Castanet

Tony wrote:Seriously, if there was a natural disaster, or an unnatural disaster for that matter, you don't think every radio station, TV station etc wouldn't turn their mics on and and start broadcasting live? There's almost always somebody at a station and they are more than capable to get on the air and direct people on what to do.

Tony .. were you into the goofy juice again last night? To turn on their mics there has to be an actual live breathing human being in the building!! There are not little people running around these stations 24 hours a day. Automation on both radio and television has driven profit margins to the point these corporations don't need people. Some stations have back generators some don't .. flip a coin. There have been some very good posts here on this issue with some very good links .. you might want to check them out.

southy wrote: To turn on their mics there has to be an actual live breathing human being in the building!! There are not little people running around these stations 24 hours a day. Automation on both radio and television has driven profit margins to the point these corporations don't need people.

So this day and age doesn't have the capablility to remotely change a feed?

Perhaps you've been away from the business so long that you don't know what exactly they can and can't do. Technology has advanced somewhat. It's entirely possible that you don't know exactly what Country 100.7 can or can't do in the event of an emergency, or what equipment changes they may have made in concert with their staffing changes.

Besides which, if there were need of an actual person on the premises to deal with emergency broadcasting, I'm sure people would survive the whole five minutes it would take the person to get to the station from elsewhere in Penticton.

Clearly between this and the other thread it's clear that you have some sort of axe to grind, so feigning some sort of seemingly legitimate concern for peoples welfare, plays well into your agenda I suspect.

I could easily counter your position by playing devils advocate, and asking what difference would it make if a radio station in fact had on air live personnel, but the disaster was so severe that the station got levelled or incapacitated in some fashion?

I mean we are after all playing the what if game.

Come on Wolfy relax!! It's not the end of the world, it was simply a question about 'WHAT IF". Of course I know about technological advances in the broadast world. Axe to grind? Like I keep saying you seem to appear to lack the awareness to hear me ... I have no axe to grind with Newcap or Astral. I just find it rather interesting that you and a couple others on this thread get so excited everytime something you don't agree with about Country 100.7 is mentioned. From your reactions it would appear you and what's his name ... Uptown something are the one's with the connection to this Jukebox.

My entire motivation for this thread "How would we know?" came as a result of what has happend both on the west coast of BC and on the eastern coast. I do believe I and everyone else in this area is entitled to know what emergency response resources are available. I used media, emphasis on media to bring to light the fact that communication would be very difficult. Media, specifically radio who have replaced communication with automation are the worst of the bunch. The fact Country 100.7 has even gone one step further by ditching their only live source of phone contact on any given day is testiment to that. It's not bashing Country 100.7. It's a FACT! I suppose the right thing I should have done so it would not upset you would be to say ... "a fairly new radio station in Penticton that is automated more than they are live and a station that does not offer up any substantial local news per say has made further human contact cuts by removing the person who held the receptionist position, this will make it very difficult for this radio station to react to a major emergency." Would that have worked for you Wolfy?????

Astral and Shaw (both cable & CHBC) have the same issues so it's not like we're picking on poor Country 100.7. You're reading way to much into this there Wolfy.