Is Tracked Talent “Personality Take-Out?”

Many stations are using tracked talent these days and probably will for years to come. The pandemic proved that you don’t have to be in a radio station to do your job effectively. There are differences though. While technology has made it possible, there are sound quality issues that still exist. Some stations have it down, but many don’t. Engineers are getting it on the air but stop short of improving sound quality, whether it’s because of an expense issue or thinking air talent working from home would be temporary. Here we are, 16 months later and radio stations are just beginning to get their staff back in the building. Some never will.

Air shifts that were tracked before the pandemic are certainly cost effective but many programmers use it as an easy way out. Digital interfaces allow a simple, plug and play process but tracked talent lacks the local connection with their audience. Listen to a tracked show and you’ll notice most breaks could be put on any station in the country. Local relatability is few and far between unless the PD is determined to make their trackers sound like they’re in the market. In essence, it’s a team effort. The more local information PD’s give tracked talent, the more they will sound local. It’s that simple.

Broadcasters have found a way to cut expenses by using trackers. Full-time positions have become part-time and the company saves on paying employee health benefits. Air talent that wished their shows were syndicated on 100 stations have unfortunately, gotten what they wished for. The big difference is, they’re not getting paid for it as they should. There are so many people in the industry out of work, they’ll settle for whatever they can get even if it means working for short money.

The economics of it all makes sense but why aren’t tracked talent treated like restaurant take-out? When you place an order to go, restaurants charge the same money for your dinner as if you sat at a table. It’s not like that in radio. Sadly, tracked talent is paid less for their shift.

What’s the solution? There might not be one. It may be a sign that our industry has turned a corner on how much local talent means to their station. Tracking works and to the listener, it’s not noticeable until something better comes along that resembles their on-air companion, entrenched in their market, living their lives side-by-side with their audience.