Interview w. Matt Sneed WPST DJ

The second media professional I got in contact with at WPST was DJ Matt Sneed. Every weekday at 5pm Matt plays an hour of commercial free hit music for the drive home from work. I made contact with this individual through my Advanced Radio Production professor John Mozes. I told Mozes that I needed to complete an assignment with WPST, and I knew he had friends that worked at PST. Professor Mozes got in contact with Matt through e-mail, and then Matt e-mailed me back. Matt seemed to be pretty busy and told me to e-mail him the questions I wanted to ask, and he would send back the answers. I will be able to integrate the information I got from Matt very easily into my station profile assignment. He is an on-air personality, and the data I gathered from the interview can be used in many different categories.

Matt's Pics with famous people.

Matt got started right after college by going to various radio stations around the Bucks County area. He knew he wanted to be an on-air personality, and felt like it was something he could do for a long time. He always felt like he had a good sense of humor and could relate to listeners in several ways. Matt finally found a spot he could call home when he landed the job at WPST. Matt also added that in this business you might have to deal with the word "NO" a lot. He said it was important to keep putting a constant effort into whatever profession I choose, and not let a little disappointment get in the way of my goals.

When I asked Matt what he liked most about his job he said the atmosphere of where he works. He enjoys working with his co-workers a

nd he loves "jockin'." Matt is a very familiar voice to PST listeners, and has a number of fans that enjoy what he does on the air. Matt loves his fans, and enjoys bringing them the music they love, and adding his own spin to it. When I asked Matt what he dislikes about the job, he responded, "nothing." I feel Matt is in a great spot in his career, and has no complaints (at least thats what he told me). This is the type of job I could see myself at in the future. I know Matt is having a good time doing what he is doing.

When I asked Matt about the future of PST and how he thinks new

technology will effect the station he feels nothing will change. While Matt doesn't deny that the industry is constantly changing he explained, "It is up to the jocks, and the people involved with the station to adapt with the new technology, and continue to flourish." This is a key ingredient for radio stations being able to create income and to keep doing what they love. "Its up to the people," Matt continued.

When I asked Matt what suggestions he had for students he added that its important to do whatever it takes to get experience. He told me to try to get "on the air" at the college radio station, so I can get a familiar feel for what to expect. He told me that experience in this business is your number one ally. He told me to take any internship possible, and to do everything I am told while working. He added, no matter how dumb or useless it seems like what your doing is, just do it. He added that people like hard workers, and that he knows what it takes to get "on the air," and its not easy. "Remember hard work is key," he concluded. He also said that it helps to be outgoing, and have a fun personality. People want to be entertained thats why they are listening!

Matt's Blog

www.wpst.com

Interview w. Lydia Rios WPST

In my first interview with a media professional I contacted Lydia Rios from WPST. Mrs. Lios is Vice President of PST and is general sales manager of the station. It was not easy getting in contact with Mrs. Lios. I tried calling the station a number of times, and left countless voice mails on her machine. Once I noticed I was not getting called back I began to e-mail her, and other media professionals at PST. Finally, Mrs. Lios got back into contact with me through the phone, and we set up an appointment for me to come down to the station and conduct a brief interview. The information that was given to me from the interview is very valuable to my station profile assignment. Because Mrs. Lios expertise was in sales/advertising, and it is going to be simple to correlate her knowledge into the advertising/sales part of the assignment. Mrs. Lios also knew a lot about the station and shared much of her knowledge with me. The data I gathered from the interview will be the backbone of my station profile assignment.

When I asked Mrs. Lios how she got into the advertising part of her job s

he said it was unplanned. Lydia knew she wanted to be involved with broadcast in some way, but never saw herself in the sales department. She knew she was a good talker, and was always able to persuade people into doing what she wanted to do. She felt like it would be a good fit for her personality. Lydia started from the ground and worked herself up to the position she is in today. She started off as an intern in college, and slowly progressed. She kept explaining to me how important it was to get my foot in the door.

When I asked Mrs. Lios what she liked most about her job she answered me very quickly and said, "The people I work with." When I was at the station I noticed Mrs. Lios was very outgoing with her co-workers, and I could tell they appreciated her very much. Everybody seemed like they were working together to accomplish one important goal (making the station money through advertising). It made me want a job like hers where I could be friendly and outgoing with all my co-workers, and be able to enjoy myself while making a living. This is something I will search for when looking for a job in the future. When I asked what she disliked she answered quickly as well. Mrs. Lios does not like to be away from her children and family. The job can be demanding at times, and the hours can be draining.

Mrs. Lios thinks new technologies will not have an effect on WPST. She feels the radio station is currently flourishing, and does not see satellite radio posing a threat. She went into talking about the PST website and how it has helped improve the station, and how the station was getting positive feedback from the majority of listeners. She told me that some listeners are beginning to listen to PST by streaming it from their computers, and other mobile devices. Mrs. Lios thinks that in the next 5 to 10 years PST will remain the power house radio station that it is today.

Mrs. Lios made it very clear to me that if I wanted to pursue a career in radio I must take every opportunity that I can. She said that current interns now at PST do not get too much hands on experience, but they are getting their foot in the door just by being around the station. She told me that there is no room for laziness in this profession, and the harder I work the more pleased I will be with my career. I admire Mrs. Lios because I can tell she is doing what she loves, and making solid income. I could see myself on the sales side of a radio station just because I feel I can learn the trade and be effective.

www.wpst.com

Television: Back to the Future

The scholarly article "Television: Back to the Future" talks about how although TV keeps changing, one thing remains constant. Television viewing behavior continues to stay the same by following "law like" patterns that have remained in place for over 40 years. It is because of these patterns that the author suggests that television will remain the most effective advertising vehicle for many years. This article made me ponder the idea if television is doomed after all. If the prediction that television is going to remain the most effective advertising tool then whose to say it will just roll over and die? The article adds that using these television behaviors like special reach of high-rating programs, channel loyalty, low program repeat rates, lack of segmented audiences, and weak genre loyalty can be used to guide advertisers in buying the most effective TV schedules. This is one key ingredient that gives television an advantage over online media. The advertisers are going to want to spend their money on a sure thing. In past communication classes I remember covering how effective online ads are compared to television ads. It proved to be that television ads were more effective in the study.

I chose this article because my groups Webisode final project deals with the future of AM radio. When looking for an article I was trying to find different aspects and factors of the broadcast industry that could help a medium stay alive and are frequently used by the majority of people. By finding out what helps an industry stay afloat I could determine better what the future of AM radio has in store and observe different ways that it can adapt and survive. I feel as though although the information in this article seems new to me it is not new to the broadcast industry. Advertisers are very knowledgeable of their demographic and know when its the right time and place to advertise the product they want to sell. The highest bidder will get the best time and place to advertise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t44I9MIlNds

In chapter 2 of the Media Programing text it talks about how important it is for a broadcasting network to know who their demographic is for the particular show that is being aired on the network. After reading this scholarly article it clarified to me once more how important advertising dollars are to networks. This is a prime example of why television remains at the top of the list for media in my opinion.

Relating to the real world it all comes together. The top products that have the advertising dollars to spare are going to go to the prime time networks that get the most views and best ratings to expose their product to the public. That is how these companies stay number one. The brand that is being advertised is everywhere and you trust it. Its important to stay at the top for these particular companies to get the results they want.

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=41572532&site=ehost-live

The Future of Radio News

The future of Radio news definitely seems uncertain at times. With all the new innovative ways to access breaking information, access to news is more at our finger tips than ever before. It makes you wonder if Radio news will always be around to get the information to the public. In the scholarly article I read, a study was done in the United Kingdom interviewing 27 Radio journalists to find out their perception of what they thought the future of radio news held in store for the next generation. As the photo above indicates an outdated Radio-Newspaper Receiver, it makes me think if the next picture 30 years from now will be a woman listening to the radio with her family, instead of looking at her iPhone, or going on the computer. Surprisingly to me out of 27 interviewed radio journalists, most of the people thought the future looked bright for radio news and were overwhelmingly optimistic. The journalists were aware of the challenges that await with being in the
radio industry, and the majority of journalists felts as though they need to adapt to the changes, and at the same time become better at what they do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AheffVOh0PQ

The youtube clip shows Digital Journal trying to show people advances that a

re being made to get the information they want faster and more effective. It also talks about the

future of media and radio, and new innovations that can be made for people in the field to adapt.

I chose this article because my groups Webisode project is on the future of AM radio and I feel this scholarly article can be a great addition to what we have been working on.

My group’s idea is to interview different professionals and non professionals to get a better idea of what the people thought, and this article contributes nicely. I feel this article raises many new trends because if all radio journalists have a positive outlook on the future of their industry than it will become contagious. I feel a positive mental outlook on the industry you choose to specialize in will only lead to good things. Perhaps it is up to the people that are working in radio news to keep the industry afloat, and not the people listening. A real world example for the future of radio would have to be a newspaper. Older people are used to getting a newspaper, and like to have a tangible way to read the news. By that same token I feel that radio news will not go away. People are used to being in the car and on the way to work when they hear the news. Its hard to break a cycle that someone has been doing for such a long time. This simple fact along with innovative ideas by radio journalists makes me feel the future of radio news has a bright future, and will not disappear anytime soon.

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=48574073&site=ehost-live

TV Shows on the Web

The article "TV Shows on the Web: The Haggling Begins," talks about the possibility of cable subscribers cancelling their subscription to Comcast, or DirectTV, to simply watch their favorite television shows on the Web at a much lower cost. It truly does not seem that far fetched with online programs like Hulu. Chief Executive of Disney Robert Iger truly believes that we are headed in this direction and wants his company to be the first to offer the capability. The article also talks about ways cable companies are trying to prevent customers from ending their service. The article suggests that cable companies will not give up without a fight and are coming up with innovative ideas to prevent subscribers from discontinuing their cable service. "How they would do so isn't clear, although cable companies such as Time Warner Cable (TWC) are already working on ways to bill folks for time they use the Internet" (Grover p.1).

This article raises several different insights and possible trends that could take place. One major trend could simply be word of mouth from one person to another. For example, my brother told me about Hulu last year. Ever since he told me I very rarely watch my favorite television show (The Office) on NBC anymore. Now I watch the episodes at my convenience on Hulu or any other television streaming network website. My parents however, do not know how to use Hulu and are subjected to television viewing. I feel if more people knew about Hulu, and knew how to operate the technology on the site than more and more cable subscriptions would vaporize. Another major idea that will continue to evolve from TV shows on the web is the ability to connect your laptop to your HD television so you can watch your favorite television shows on you're television instead of your computer. This will make people want to really drop their cable service when they have mass amounts of television programs that can be streamed from their laptop to their 50 inch LCD HDTV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq08ThBVanI

The book offers a new idea I have never heard of before to watch your favorite television shows anywhere without infringing copyright laws. The device that is talked about in the book is called a Slingbox. "Hook your home cable or satelite to the Slingbox and then tune into all of your channels with a broadband connection from any remote location" (pg. 316).

It seems that the world is changing and people can choose the way they want to get their information and entertainment. The days of sitting around the television with the family could soon be gone. Or will they?

http://blackboard.rider.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_56860_1%26url%3D

Olympics 2010: NBCU's HD Leap Into Vancouver

The Olympics have always been a major interest of mine whether it be Summer or Winter. There is something about the best athletes in the world all competing at the same time that really grabs my interest. When I discovered the article " Olympics 2010: NBCU's HD Leap

into Vancouver," I knew it was something that could relate to the Broadcasting Industry as well as keep me intrigued with the information. The article specifically talks about how the 2010 Winter Games will be the first to be produced and broad casted completely in high definition. The article also talks about how the NBCU staff will be covering more of the Olympic games then ever before with 835 hours across its broadcast, compared to 419 hours in Torino, Italy in 2006. The last major idea the article talks about is the NBCU Olympics staff has worked together to reduce some of the complexity in NBCU's over technical plan, primarily with streaming on on demand video coverage for the fans. NBCU wants to make their Olympic website easier and more user friendly.

This will be the first Olympics in high definition but certainly not the last I predict. I feel this will definitely start a trend and more people will want to get HD televisions so they can appreciate the Olympics in a much better way. I also feel the adjustments that are being made by the NBCU Olympics staff on their website will lead to more users that want to catch important highlights from their favorite athletes. I feel that more companies will follow the lead of NBCU, and create On Demand websites of important events that are aired on their networks. My text book suggests that not many homes have HD televisions but eventually change will come, and more homes will have HD televisions. "To date, only a small portion of television and radio programming reaches homes in HD, but change is coming" (pg. 2). This proves that just like NBCU decided to switch Olympic broadcasting to HD, eventually the people at home will want to do the same thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DULT4L8c8IM

One problem I see with families making the transition from a Standard TV to an HDTV would have to be the cost. These are hard times for Americans economically and buying a brand new HD ready television may not be in the families best interest. Prices on HDTV's have dropped slightly in recent years, but I feel the cost of these HD ready televisions play a huge a roll in the lack of homes that have the technology. The relationship between my example, and the article is that although the Olympics will be broad casted in HD most homes will not have the technology to view the event in HD and will be forced to watch the Winter Games on a standard television. Perhaps this major event will influence people to upgrade their technology.

http//www.broadcastingcable.com/article/447917-Olympics_2010_NBCU_s_HD_Leap_Into_Vancouver.php