WHCU Radio Broadcast

As usual, I took my AM radio to the game tonight. I always enjoy listening to Jason's broadcasts. He fills in some of the blanks for me.

Tonight, WHCU put in a 10 second time delay. Imagine trying to listen to a radio broadcast that is 10 seconds behind the action I'm watching. In speaking with Jason after the game, he was unaware of it. Hopefully, he'll be able to inspire the engineers to do away with the delay. I'm not optimistic. WHCU has a track record for not giving a shit about the quality of their radio broadcasts. I expect to be told that it's now "policy" to put a delay in all sports broadcasts......

redice
I expect to be told that it's now "policy" to put a delay in all sports broadcasts......

They might be afraid he's going to drop an F-bomb and bring the wrath of the FCC down on them. And they'd deserve it: after all, that would be the end of the fucking world, right?

Kyle Rose

redice
I expect to be told that it's now "policy" to put a delay in all sports broadcasts......

They might be afraid he's going to drop an F-bomb and bring the wrath of the FCC down on them. And they'd deserve it: after all, that would be the end of the fucking world, right?

It might be the end of the fucking world for a piddly-shit little station like WHCU.

Jeff Hopkins '82
It might be the end of the fucking world for a piddly-shit little station like WHCU.

My "end of the fucking world" comment referred to the absolute badness of someone saying an (OMG!) swear word on the radio: I have no doubt the FCC would squash them like a bug.

Kyle Rose

Jeff Hopkins '82
It might be the end of the fucking world for a piddly-shit little station like WHCU.

My "end of the fucking world" comment referred to the absolute badness of someone saying an (OMG!) swear word on the radio: I have no doubt the FCC would squash them like a bug.

Don't you know, Kyle? If a child, (A CHILD!) has a naughty word befall their ears, their heads instantly explode.

RichH
Don't you know, Kyle? If a child, (A CHILD!) has a naughty word befall their ears, their heads instantly explode.

Personally, as a parent, I consider it my job to deal with my kids. I don't curse in front of them (and this amuses people because I swear a blue streak in adult company). I don't expect other people to alter their behavior around them. I bring them to hockey. I don't care what they hear there. It's a teachable moment, at the worst.

They've heard far, far worse language walking down the sidewalk at noon on a Saturday then they've ever heard at Lynah Rink.

It's my job to make sure they know which words are appropriate for use in which circumstances. It isn't society's job to guard them from ever hearing them.

Granted, I'd be quite taken aback Dora the Explorer dropped an F-bomb.

CK

WHCU still has the 10 second audio delay in place for tonight's game. I guess Jason was not able to change it.

To WHCU: AND.....



Yes, I'm pissed!! Not that they would care. They are used to people being unhappy with their mediocrity...

redice
WHCU still has the 10 second audio delay in place for tonight's game. I guess Jason was not able to change it.

It was nice if you wanted to turn it on after a play and hear what they were saying about it; but overall it sucks, as early in the season I like to listen while I'm watching and couldn't with the delay.

When there was no change tonight, I sent an e-mail to the station GM. I doubt it will make a difference, but it's better than doing nothing, I guess.

Wasn't WVBR going to broadcast hockey games this year? I could have sworn I saw something about that.

Kyle Rose

Jeff Hopkins '82
It might be the end of the fucking world for a piddly-shit little station like WHCU.

My "end of the fucking world" comment referred to the absolute badness of someone saying an (OMG!) swear word on the radio: I have no doubt the FCC would squash them like a bug.

I knew. My joke was apparently equally obtuse

At a smaller station, could it be a safety valve in case the engineer back at the station is slow to queue up a commercial? Or to cache a scoring play that happens just as they come back from a long commercial?

WHCU's audience is so small that a couple fans who attend the games with radio might get the complaints listened to.

billhoward
WHCU's audience is so small that a couple fans who attend the games with radio might get the complaints listened to.

I hope you're right, Bill. But, if history serves as a guide, the audio delay will stay. As WHCU doesn't usually give a damn about the listening pleasure of their audience.

I've gone round & round with them on issues before. The first was the unsavory removal of Roy Ives from the CU Hockey broadcasts. There was a lot of objection voiced (by myself & others). All to no avail.....That's the result I'm expecting this time.

redice

billhoward
WHCU's audience is so small that a couple fans who attend the games with radio might get the complaints listened to.

I hope you're right, Bill. But, if history serves as a guide, the audio delay will stay. As WHCU doesn't usually give a damn about the listening pleasure of their audience.

I've gone round & round with them on issues before. The first was the unsavory removal of Roy Ives from the CU Hockey broadcasts. There was a lot of objection voiced (by myself & others). All to no avail.....That's the result I'm expecting this time.

However changing personnel is a lot different than tape delay. That's especially true since Roy Ives was way before this and they have not had this type of delay in the recent past. I, for one, am going to contact them.

Jim Hyla

redice

billhoward
WHCU's audience is so small that a couple fans who attend the games with radio might get the complaints listened to.

I hope you're right, Bill. But, if history serves as a guide, the audio delay will stay. As WHCU doesn't usually give a damn about the listening pleasure of their audience.

I've gone round & round with them on issues before. The first was the unsavory removal of Roy Ives from the CU Hockey broadcasts. There was a lot of objection voiced (by myself & others). All to no avail.....That's the result I'm expecting this time.

However changing personnel is a lot different than tape delay. That's especially true since Roy Ives was way before this and they have not had this type of delay in the recent past. I, for one, am going to contact them.

It will do you no good.

The FCC's new interpretation of "fleeting expletives" would impose a fine if Jason knocked hot coffee into his lap and yelled "Fuck!" Even though Fox "won" the Janet Jackson case, it was a victory on narrow procedural grounds. The Circuit Court held that the FCC couldn't announce and enforce a new rule at the same time and assumed (without actually reaching the question) that the FCC couldn't announce the "fleeting expletive" standard on a going-forward basis. The FCC is apparently going to appeal to SCOTUS.

You can expect all live broadcasts to include a delay until this rule is definitively changed. Failure to include a delay would be held against stations that let the stray f-bomb through.

Jim Hyla
However changing personnel is a lot different than tape delay. That's especially true since Roy Ives was way before this and they have not had this type of delay in the recent past. I, for one, am going to contact them.

The actual issues may be different. But, the thing that will remain constant is their attitude toward a complaining customer. They (WHCU) will do as they wish. In this case, ugarte's explanation is probably accurate and WHCU will take the CYA approach. The delay probably stays.

To satisfy my own curiosity, I'll take my radio to other sporting events to see if all stations are using the delay.

redice
But, the thing that will remain constant is their attitude toward a complaining customer. They (WHCU) will do as they wish.

So you think every time a customer complains that they need to be coddled to?

Have you thought of it from the station's point of view? There have been several very reasonable explanations as to why WHCU would implement the 10 second delay.

I am sure it inconveniences you to have to pay attention to the game to see what is happening, but I think you'll survive. WHCU probably isn't out to get you (though they might be if you keep going after them over little things), they are probably ensuring they are able to provide the highest quality broadcast to the highest number of people possible. If that means inconveniencing the couple dozen headphone wearing cornell types, that's the choice they are making.

In a more general sense, when a customer complains about something, The merchant/supplier should do everything in there power, within reason, to remedy the situation. But, in remedying the situation the merchant cannot compromise his business to coddle to one individual.

Whatever, just my opinion. Your mileage will probably vary.

Dpperk29
So you think every time a customer complains that they need to be coddled to?

Nice tone you're setting there!!

No, I don't expect them to coddle to every customer complaint. My point is that WHCU has shown little interest in "coddling" to any customer complaints of which I've heard or made. I know it's ridiculous to expect the "customer is always right" philosophy. But, it is equally ridiculous to expect a "customer is always wrong" philosophy, as well. And frankly, that's the track record.

I'm pleased that you've allowed our mileage to vary.... As it does....

redice

Nice tone you're setting there!!

I try.

redice

I'm pleased that you've allowed our mileage to vary.... As it does....

So nice to know that someone has a perfect odometer.

I guess I am just having trouble wrapping my head around listening to a radio broadcast of the game while you are at the game. What could you possibly garner from the radio that you can't with your own eyes?

Dpperk29

redice

Nice tone you're setting there!!

I try.

redice

I'm pleased that you've allowed our mileage to vary.... As it does....

So nice to know that someone has a perfect odometer.

I guess I am just having trouble wrapping my head around listening to a radio broadcast of the game while you are at the game. What could you possibly garner from the radio that you can't with your own eyes?

I'm not sure what side of the bed you rolled out of this morning, but people are allowed to want to hear others' analysis or between period interviews, etc, as well as dislike women's hockey. I'm very impressed that you've spent so much time around hockey that you have the end-all opinion of what is "beautiful" hockey and that you never miss anything while watching with your own eyes. Kudos to you!

redice
I'm pleased that you've allowed our mileage to vary.... As it does....

Just don't let it vary too much. If you get 5 miles outside of Ithaca, you won't be able to pick up WHCU anyway. (yes, this soapbox again).

MOVE THE GAMES TO FM!

RichH

redice
I'm pleased that you've allowed our mileage to vary.... As it does....

Just don't let it vary too much. If you get 5 miles outside of Ithaca, you won't be able to pick up WHCU anyway. (yes, this soapbox again).

MOVE THE GAMES TO FM!

Ah yes, another one of those issues that WHCU will not correct. I live 25 miles from Ithaca. And no, I am not able to listen to the away games on the radio. I can recall when the games were on FM. Not to mention that the Elmira Jackals' games are on FM. I don't understand the folks at WHCU keeping them on AM.

Dpperk29

redice

Nice tone you're setting there!!

I try.

redice

I'm pleased that you've allowed our mileage to vary.... As it does....

So nice to know that someone has a perfect odometer.

I guess I am just having trouble wrapping my head around listening to a radio broadcast of the game while you are at the game. What could you possibly garner from the radio that you can't with your own eyes?

I think BCrespi said it best:

BCrespi
I'm not sure what side of the bed you rolled out of this morning, but people are allowed to want to hear others' analysis or between period interviews, etc, as well as dislike women's hockey. I'm very impressed that you've spent so much time around hockey that you have the end-all opinion of what is "beautiful" hockey and that you never miss anything while watching with your own eyes. Kudos to you!

I thought about giving the same response. I didn't originally do it because I didn't see the need to act offended and start a pissing contest.. But, since he/she already said it....

I will add that listening to the radio allows me to get the perspective of one, possibly two other people, who could very well be looking at some other part of the ice surface than I. And the color guy is a former player, who has a perspective of the game that I just do not have.

I admit that it looks a bit dorky to be sitting there with earbuds/headphones. But, others (sitting around me) are constantly asking me about things that are happening on the ice. I expect that's because those people know I'm listening to the radio.

Does that help you wrap your head around it?

redice

Does that help you wrap your head around it?

Yes, it does. When I listen to the radio I often find the color guys rather annoying because in my opinion they only say things that I already know, but I see now that someone with a different background than I (less playing/reffing and more watching) would find find it helpful.

Sorry if I came across rude or grumpy, wasn't intended to be.

Dpperk29

redice

Does that help you wrap your head around it?

Yes, it does. When I listen to the radio I often find the color guys rather annoying because in my opinion they only say things that I already know, but I see now that someone with a different background than I (less playing/reffing and more watching) would find find it helpful.

Sorry if I came across rude or grumpy, wasn't intended to be.

Well if you want someone to be grumpy this is a good way to start. I've held back responding till now, but can't seem to hold back any longer.


I've watched hockey for around 46 years, and yes while I've never reffed and only played pond hockey in my younger days, I actually do find that others can have a perspective that I don't see. Imagine that! As an aside, I generally find that people who feel they can't learn from others actually have a lot to learn. So sorry if I've added to the pissing contest.

Jim Hyla

Dpperk29

redice

Does that help you wrap your head around it?

Yes, it does. When I listen to the radio I often find the color guys rather annoying because in my opinion they only say things that I already know, but I see now that someone with a different background than I (less playing/reffing and more watching) would find find it helpful.

Sorry if I came across rude or grumpy, wasn't intended to be.

Well if you want someone to be grumpy this is a good way to start. I've held back responding till now, but can't seem to hold back any longer.


I've watched hockey for around 46 years, and yes while I've never reffed and only played pond hockey in my younger days, I actually do find that others can have a perspective that I don't see. Imagine that! As an aside, I generally find that people who feel they can't learn from others actually have a lot to learn. So sorry if I've added to the pissing contest.

I fully understand that I can learn from everyone I meet in some way or another, and I also know I have a whole lot about everything to learn.

For example, through this little exchange I have learned that some people find listening to the radio broadcast of the game enhances their hockey experience. I wasn't implying that you (or anyone else) knows any more/less about hockey than I do, just that someone who's primary connection to the game is watching it might find that color commentators have something interesting to say. I feel that color commentators generally say what I was already thinking, so I find they add very little to my experience.

The point I was making is that we all have different backgrounds and find that different things help us enjoy things differently from others. For example Jim, you would probably find a lecture about the basics of how the spinal column work very boring (because you are a doctor) whereas someone like me would find it informative/interesting (because my knowledge of the spine is extremely limited).

Honestly, I am sorry if you think I was taking a shot at people who haven't played/reffed/coached the game. I was not. I was explaining why I found color commentators boring. Often in conversations with people who are simply fans of hockey I learn more about the game.

Dpperk29
Sorry if I came across rude or grumpy, wasn't intended to be.

Apology accepted.... Pissing contest over..... No piling on, guys/gals...

Now, we all understand one another....

redice and RichH, I agree - I miss the FM away game broadcasts and I am near top of hill about 20 miles south of Ithaca. AM is impossible to listen to most evenings. WHCU, please switch to FM for sports coverage.

profudge
redice and RichH, I agree - I miss the FM away game broadcasts and I am near top of hill about 20 miles south of Ithaca. AM is impossible to listen to most evenings. WHCU, please switch to FM for sports coverage.

I admit that I don't know that radio business. So, I don't fully understand why they make their decisions. (And, as you might expect, they offer no explanations.) But, it's frustrating to know that Cayuga Radio Group has five FM stations and they can't find a way to broadcast CU Hockey on one of them. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say that there must be a good reason. But, given the fact that the Elmira Jackals are ALWAYS on FM, I can't believe the reason is that compelling.... Or should I believe that Cayuga Radio Group is just miles ahead of all the other stations in the decision-making process? I seriously doubt it.

I've just gotta say it:

redice

profudge
redice and RichH, I agree - I miss the FM away game broadcasts and I am near top of hill about 20 miles south of Ithaca. AM is impossible to listen to most evenings. WHCU, please switch to FM for sports coverage.

I admit that I don't know that radio business. So, I don't fully understand why they make their decisions. (And, as you might expect, they offer no explanations.) But, it's frustrating to know that Cayuga Radio Group has five FM stations and they can't find a way to broadcast CU Hockey on one of them. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say that there must be a good reason. But, given the fact that the Elmira Jackals are ALWAYS on FM, I can't believe the reason is that compelling.... Or should I believe that Cayuga Radio Group is just miles ahead of all the other stations in the decision-making process? I seriously doubt it.

I've just gotta say it:

To add more fuel to the fire, I'll share my experiences:

When I lived in Rochester, the games were on 103.7 FM. I could pull them in from my apartment on a good night. On a bad night, all I'd have to do is hop in the car and drive to Victor for clear reception (yes, I'm crazy, but so are all of you.) Once they made the switch to 870 AM, I couldn't hear a thing (besides WWL from New Orleans) when I was any further than 15 miles outside of Ithaca.

During the day, 870 is great. They pump out at 5000 Watts and I can pick up CU football games at my parents' house, which is more than a 90 minute drive SW of Ithaca. At night, when all the hockey games are, FCC rules requires WHCU AM to power down to 1000 Watts. And goodbye reception to a potential audience that could cover Binghamton, Corning, Elmira, Syracuse, and the outskirts of the Rochester market.

It's dumb not to put the games back on FM.

RichH

It's dumb not to put the games back on FM.

Think of all the redcast subscriptions they'd lose if radio were free to people who weren't already at the game!

RichH

redice

profudge
redice and RichH, I agree - I miss the FM away game broadcasts and I am near top of hill about 20 miles south of Ithaca. AM is impossible to listen to most evenings. WHCU, please switch to FM for sports coverage.

I admit that I don't know that radio business. So, I don't fully understand why they make their decisions. (And, as you might expect, they offer no explanations.) But, it's frustrating to know that Cayuga Radio Group has five FM stations and they can't find a way to broadcast CU Hockey on one of them. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say that there must be a good reason. But, given the fact that the Elmira Jackals are ALWAYS on FM, I can't believe the reason is that compelling.... Or should I believe that Cayuga Radio Group is just miles ahead of all the other stations in the decision-making process? I seriously doubt it.

I've just gotta say it:

To add more fuel to the fire, I'll share my experiences:

When I lived in Rochester, the games were on 103.7 FM. I could pull them in from my apartment on a good night. On a bad night, all I'd have to do is hop in the car and drive to Victor for clear reception (yes, I'm crazy, but so are all of you.) Once they made the switch to 870 AM, I couldn't hear a thing (besides WWL from New Orleans) when I was any further than 15 miles outside of Ithaca.

During the day, 870 is great. They pump out at 5000 Watts and I can pick up CU football games at my parents' house, which is more than a 90 minute drive SW of Ithaca. At night, when all the hockey games are, FCC rules requires WHCU AM to power down to 1000 Watts. And goodbye reception to a potential audience that could cover Binghamton, Corning, Elmira, Syracuse, and the outskirts of the Rochester market.

It's dumb not to put the games back on FM.

Now I do not feel so bad about the times I sat up on the Crescent with my walkman so I could get AM1080 out of CT and listened to Whaler games.

You went to the top of the Crescent to pull in Whaler games? THAT is dedication to a home team that was about to treat its fans rudely by decamping.

RichH
To add more fuel to the fire, I'll share my experiences:

When I lived in Rochester, the games were on 103.7 FM. I could pull them in from my apartment on a good night. On a bad night, all I'd have to do is hop in the car and drive to Victor for clear reception (yes, I'm crazy, but so are all of you.) Once they made the switch to 870 AM, I couldn't hear a thing (besides WWL from New Orleans) when I was any further than 15 miles outside of Ithaca.

During the day, 870 is great. They pump out at 5000 Watts and I can pick up CU football games at my parents' house, which is more than a 90 minute drive SW of Ithaca. At night, when all the hockey games are, FCC rules requires WHCU AM to power down to 1000 Watts. And goodbye reception to a potential audience that could cover Binghamton, Corning, Elmira, Syracuse, and the outskirts of the Rochester market.

It's dumb not to put the games back on FM.

I have pretty much the same radio history. If they would get it on FM, I WILL get the station. In that frequency range, there is a lot that can be done with directional, gain antennas. Add in a preamp and just about any signal can be heard.... AM radio frequencies call for monster-sized antennas and just don't lend themselves to such practices. The only thing, on the FM band, that could foil me is a high-power local station (in Elmira) on the same or nearby frequency.

I understand the deal with WHCU's low power night time transmitter. It's my understanding that, when they went to being a 24 hour station, they had to take steps to NOT interfere with WWL in New Orleans. I do believe their nighttime antenna array is configured to have a null lobe to the southwest. Oh, did I tell you that I live southwest of the transmitter (shit)?

And, my favorite crazy story about listening to Cornell Hockey on the radio. After they went to AM, CU was playing a playoff game at Clarkson. I couldn't receive the game at home. So, I took my wife to a downtown Ithaca movie theater. She watched the movie. I listened to the hockey game on my radio. It ended in a 0-0 tie. As the game wore on, I sat there wondering if I could control myself if CU scored a goal. Fellow movie-goers aren't too keen on someone standing up, with arms in the air, & yelling a lot, you know....

redice
And, my favorite crazy story about listening to Cornell Hockey on the radio. After they went to AM, CU was playing a playoff game at Clarkson. I couldn't receive the game at home. So, I took my wife to a downtown Ithaca movie theater. She watched the movie. I listened to the hockey game on my radio. It ended in a 0-0 tie. As the game wore on, I sat there wondering if I could control myself if CU scored a goal. Fellow movie-goers aren't too keen on someone standing up, with arms in the air, & yelling a lot, you know....

That was one of my most favorite games of all time. A 0-0 tie with Clarkson pulling their goalie to try and win it.

One night last spring I was actually able to pick up WHCU from my car radio here in Allentown. Signal strentgh was horrible and it faded in and out a lot, but I was actually able to make out enough to know it was HCU (and Cornell was winning).

Rita

RichH

redice

profudge
redice and RichH, I agree - I miss the FM away game broadcasts and I am near top of hill about 20 miles south of Ithaca. AM is impossible to listen to most evenings. WHCU, please switch to FM for sports coverage.

I admit that I don't know that radio business. So, I don't fully understand why they make their decisions. (And, as you might expect, they offer no explanations.) But, it's frustrating to know that Cayuga Radio Group has five FM stations and they can't find a way to broadcast CU Hockey on one of them. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say that there must be a good reason. But, given the fact that the Elmira Jackals are ALWAYS on FM, I can't believe the reason is that compelling.... Or should I believe that Cayuga Radio Group is just miles ahead of all the other stations in the decision-making process? I seriously doubt it.

I've just gotta say it:

To add more fuel to the fire, I'll share my experiences:

When I lived in Rochester, the games were on 103.7 FM. I could pull them in from my apartment on a good night. On a bad night, all I'd have to do is hop in the car and drive to Victor for clear reception (yes, I'm crazy, but so are all of you.) Once they made the switch to 870 AM, I couldn't hear a thing (besides WWL from New Orleans) when I was any further than 15 miles outside of Ithaca.

During the day, 870 is great. They pump out at 5000 Watts and I can pick up CU football games at my parents' house, which is more than a 90 minute drive SW of Ithaca. At night, when all the hockey games are, FCC rules requires WHCU AM to power down to 1000 Watts. And goodbye reception to a potential audience that could cover Binghamton, Corning, Elmira, Syracuse, and the outskirts of the Rochester market.

It's dumb not to put the games back on FM.

Now I do not feel so bad about the times I sat up on the Crescent with my walkman so I could get AM1080 out of CT and listened to Whaler games.

HA!

Strange but true: You can actually get 870AM in West Hartford, driving on Whetten Road from Albany Avenue to Asylum. You can also get 870 on a few of the side roads in Bloomfield and Avon Mountain.

...Not that I did that on more than one occasion.

Yeah, that happens here in the Elmira area occasionally. I'm not sure if it was just fluky propagation or WHCU neglected to switch to their nighttime setup. Whatever the explanation, I liked it.

profudge
redice and RichH, I agree - I miss the FM away game broadcasts and I am near top of hill about 20 miles south of Ithaca. AM is impossible to listen to most evenings. WHCU, please switch to FM for sports coverage.

Heck even inside Ithaca the broadcast wasn't great. I remember having to rig my stereo's AM antenna in all sorts of orientations just to make the feed bearable to listen to. Frankly, it was easier just to go to the away games.

oceanst41

profudge
redice and RichH, I agree - I miss the FM away game broadcasts and I am near top of hill about 20 miles south of Ithaca. AM is impossible to listen to most evenings. WHCU, please switch to FM for sports coverage.

Heck even inside Ithaca the broadcast wasn't great. I remember having to rig my stereo's AM antenna in all sorts of orientations just to make the feed bearable to listen to. Frankly, it was easier just to go to the away games.

and more fun, too.

The WHCU broadcast is in time with the RedCast, does that mean that RedCast is on the 10 second delay?

munchkin
The WHCU broadcast is in time with the RedCast, does that mean that RedCast is on the 10 second delay?

The redcast picks up the audio by putting an extra microphone in front of the broadcasters, or tapping in to the feed out of the arena to the radio station, they aren't picking it up out of the air and broadcasting it. The video is certainly on some sort of delay for the time it takes to compress the video and broadcast it, but I imagine it is as "live" as they are capable of doing it.

Jacob '06
The redcast picks up the audio by putting an extra microphone in front of the broadcasters, or tapping in to the feed out of the arena to the radio station, they aren't picking it up out of the air and broadcasting it.

Clearly evidenced by the chatter in lieu of commercials.

There was no 10sec delay on the WHCU broadcast tonight.

If anyone from WHCU reads this, Thank you!!

It was nice to, once again, listen to Jason & Tony's commentary.