Subject: Re: silence in compositions - radio regs
From: Kevin Austin (kevin.austin@videotron.ca)
Date: Mon Oct 29 2007 - 14:42:24 EDT
Many years ago, on CBC the transmitter was set for about 7 - 10
seconds of 'below threshold' signal before it automatically went to
pre-recorded music. I did a radio program where in the space of one
hour, this 'We regret the transmission difficulties and will return
you to regular programing shortly.'
On that occasion the signal was below -20VU for more than about 10
seconds. The 'acceptable' dynamic range of "broadcast" fm is probably
on the order of 15 dB, and 25 dB if you are (very) lucky. Most
broadcast fm in Montreal has a dynamic range of a bit under 3 dB.
Commercial stations do not wish to risk one full second of 'dead
air'. If there is a potential audience of 2,000,000 (a large city),
and at any one time 5% of these people are looking for another
station to listen to, that's 100,000 searchers. If the station is
dead during that moment, even losing 10% of these changing stations
potentially drops the audience by 10,000 listeners.
This is also the reason DJs talked over the intros to songs many
years ago, and why many stations will have 2 or 3 people on air at
the same time -- much less chance of any silence.
Best
Kevin
At 2:03 PM -0400 10/29/07, Mediadrome@aol.com wrote:
>What is the max silence allowed in US radio?
>Are they the same in Canada?
>Anyone ever had a problem with this?
>
>thanks
>
>mediadrome
>international audiochrome, inc.
>
>
>
>
>**************************************
>See what's new at http://www.aol.com
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