Voice-tracking
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Voice tracking, also called cyber jocking and referred to sometimes colloquially as a robojock, is a technique employed by some radio stations to produce the illusion of a live disc jockey or announcer sitting in the studios of the station when one is not actually present.
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[edit] Background
Strictly speaking, "voice tracking" refers to the process of a disc jockey prerecording his or her on-air "patter." It's then combined with songs, commercials, and other elements in order to produce a product that sounds like an ordinary live air shift.
The process goes back decades and was very common on FM stations in the 1970s. At the time, elements were recorded on reel-to-reel tapes and cartridges and played by specialized (and often ungainly) equipment. It has become more controversial recently as computer technology permits the process to be more flexible and cheaper, allowing for fewer station employees and an effective illusion of live, local programming.
Most contemporary radio automation systems at music stations effectively function as high-tech jukeboxes. Pieces of audio are digitized as computer files and saved on one or more hard drives. Station personnel create "program logs" which list exactly what is supposed to be on the air and in what order. The computer follows the instructions set out in the logs.
[edit] Variations
In some cases, voice tracking is done in order to give station employees the flexibility to carry out other responsibilities. For example, a DJ may also have managerial duties as a program director or general manager. Voice tracking allows that person to record a three-hour air shift in under a half-hour, freeing him or her up to do office work. Alternately, a popular live weekday morning host can record voice tracks for a Saturday show, allowing him or her to be on the air six days a week without actually spending extra time at the station.
Companies that house more than one station can use the technique to stretch out their air staff. For example, the live midday disc jockey on a country station can then record voice tracks for the overnight shift of the sister rock station (often using a different name).
Undoubtedly, the most notorious form of voice tracking involves using out-of-market talent. In this form, the station contracts with a disc jockey in another city (often employed by the same corporation, but sometimes as a freelancer). The outsider will add local color using information provided by the station and news stories gleaned from newspapers available on the Internet. The recorded voice tracks are then sent to the station by shipping tapes, e-mailing the file as audio attachments, FTP, or dedicated networks. DJ's of this style often make a point of trying to sound as local as possible, falsely claiming to have visited a local landmark or attended a station promotional event.
One motivation is to provide smaller-market radio stations with a polished, "big-city" sound. Using experienced professional disc jockeys can avoid mistakes often made by younger or less-experienced talent.
In all cases, DJ's will consult the predetermined playlist on the program log so they can refer to the songs they will be "playing" on-air. It's critical that each voice track is properly labelled within the computer so it will play at the appropriate time. Otherwise, the DJ will be heard introducing the wrong songs.
Some "cyber jocks" provide voice tracking services for several different stations (and in several formats), sometimes located hundreds of miles away from each other.
Some voice tracking technology is so advanced that the end of one song and the beginning of another can be previewed by the DJ recording the voice tracks, making the recording of the voice actually live, though it is played back at a later time.
Depending on how the system is set up, a cyber jock may be able to plug the sound directly into the station's automation system remotely, meaning the local staff doesn't have to do anything at all (other than shipping local information and logs to the disc jockey).
When it is done correctly, the average listener (and even many professionals) cannot tell the difference. When it is done incorrectly, or an error occurs, it can be startling.
Another form of voice tracking is "Random VTing" or "Generic VTing" This is done by having the voice tracker say various things such as the station's name, various things related to the station, and other stuff but does not mention the song names or what is currently going on. The voice tracks then play in between the songs a few times an hour. This system requires less diligence, but it isn't done as much as regular voice tracking because it eliminates much of the local sound that is supposed to be a hallmark of the practice. Stations that are not concerned about local sound will generally use generic satellite-delivered formats instead of going to the trouble of voice tracking.
[edit] Formatics
Different radio stations want their DJs to speak at only certain times, so cyber jocks have to be made aware of each station's rules. What follows is an example.
At example station ZZZZ, the DJs have to follow certain rules. These are called formatics. Armed with the knowledge of these rules, and with the station's music log, the cyber jock can recreate what the finished program should sound like.
- DJs have to backsell (or give the title and artist of a song played previously) three songs before playing the commercials at 22 minutes past the hour.
- DJs have to read or play a pre-recorded weather forecast at 44 minutes past the hour
- DJs have to play the station's legally required identification near the top of the hour
- DJs are allowed to speak only over the song's instrumental portion at the beginning. (This is the one important to our example)
As an example, consider at the following graphic. Picture it as a tape running through a player from left to right.
As song one begins to fade out the next song begins. In this case, the DJ does not start talking until the second song starts, and he stops at the point that the song's vocals start. This interval is called an intro, ramp, or post. This is the most common method. If the cyber jock knows the song that his voice will be played over, he knows how much time he has until he has to stop talking to avoid talking over the vocals of the song. If he times his speech correctly, he will do just that. DJ's call this "Pegging the Post" or "hitting the post".
If the station employs other methods of doing this, the cyber jock should be familiar with them, and can alter his speech and timing to accommodate them. Cyber jocks can also listen to tapes of other people on the station to get an idea of the overall sound the station is working toward.
[edit] Controversy
Voice-tracking is a hotly contested issue within radio circles. Many claim that the sense of locality is lost, especially when a station employs a disc jockey who has never set foot in that station's town. There is also concern about voice-tracking taking away job opportunities and providing fewer opportunities for disc jockeys just starting out to build their skills.
Still, supporters of voice tracking contend that a professional presentation on the air by an outsider is preferable to using a local DJ who is not very good. They claim listeners generally like the sound, usually can't tell that there is not a live disc jockey, and often couldn't care less about the issue even when told.
Proponents also claim that the cost savings gleaned from judicious use of voice tracking can help keep a struggling station afloat. In those cases, they argue, the process is actually saving other jobs.
Since voice tracking is designed to work without human intervention, stations using the process may have no one in the building at all outside of business hours. However, a station manager can often log into the station's main computer system from home (or other remote location) in certain instances, such as if a song track is not working properly.
Another concern is how to alert the public in the event of emergencies. If a warning of some kind (tornadoes, hurricanes, acts of war, blizzards, etc.) is issued by public officials, how will the public be alerted? In these cases, there are other automated systems that can come into play. Emergency Alert System (EAS) equipment can be programmed to automatically break in to whatever is playing and deliver information to the listener. If the EAS is not activated, then someone is usually responsible for getting the information to the station and on air as soon as possible. Many voice-tracked stations call this arrangement an on-call policy. If the EAS is not activated, then it is usually not a life and death emergency, but may be a breaking news story (such as a major fire or traffic accident that listeners need to be aware of).
[edit] Voice tracking in popular culture
In The Simpsons episode Bart Gets an Elephant, two DJs bring a lot of negative publicity on their radio station after making a gag to Bart when they offer him an elephant or $10,000 as a prize. Bart insists on the elephant, which they have trouble obtaining. The owner of the radio station shows the DJs a voice-tracking machine (called the "DJ 3000") which changes records and makes comments akin to "Let us play another Top 40 hit!" The owner tells the DJs they have 24 hours to give Bart an elephant or the DJ 3000 has their jobs. This may be a subtle barb that radio disc jockeys do not have a job that requires immense physical labor or intellectual effort. Another prerecorded comment the machine makes is "Well, looks like those clowns in Congress have done it again.", which amazes one of the DJs into wondering how that machine keeps up with current events.
