The Guy Behind the Non-Human DJ Defends Himself. Screw You, Dude.
Dominque Garcia, the guy who’s getting all kinds of publicity for introducing “Denise,” the non-human radio “personality” wrote an essay explainging–and defending–himself.
The dude seems to think he’s performaing a service to the radio industry. I say he’s contributing to its death.
The premise of radio is that it’s always been personal, intimate and real. Getting a computer program to do the work of a real, live, empathetic, storytelling communicator is nothing short of perverse.
Check out what he writes:
“If Denise took over the role of a human on the air, a program worth roughly $200 buys a lifetime jock for that radio station. She does not require an annual salary, she never gets sick, does not need sleep, food, or has the need for restroom breaks. She can literally be on the air 24/7!
“Granted she requires human assistance to be on the air, but this is no different from an on-air shift that has been voice tracked- A voice tracked air shift is a prerecorded shift that requires a human to take the audio recorded by the jock and insert it accordingly within the play-list for that particular day.
“Would a human work an entire year straight, 24 hours a day 7 days a week for only $200? Clearly the answer is no. Would a human work 5 years straight, 24 hours a day 7 days a week for a one-time fee of only $200? It is easy to say absolutely not. Depending on the market and how much stations pay their on air talent, the money saved over the years easily adds up by not having to pay humans an annual salary.
So that’s the justification? Cost-savings? Job reductions? No nasty humans to pay and manage and coach and develop?
Here’s Garcia’s standard response to people like me:
“Ladies and gentlemen I did not create radio automation. Automation is already a standard at many radio companies around the world. I simply took a fairly inexpensive computer program and applied it to our industry. The idea and concept was never meant to blatantly disrespect any of my colleagues by creating a situation in which would place their jobs in jeopardy. My intention was solely to reinvent a possible new method of automation.”
Nice try, dude. Automation is indefensible for the same reasons. Radio is losing is relevance to millions of people because it’s not real, live, empathetic and personal. Automated radio of ANY sort is nothing but an iPod with a tiny playlist plus commercials!
Radio is already suffering from a talent crisis. Trust me that as a former program director in the fourth largest market in North America, I’m well aware of the decline in available talent.
The bio at the bottom of his essay says “Dominique Garcia grew up with a love of for radio.” He certainly has a funny way of showing it.
Why would I want a virtual DJ when I can click shuffle on any iPod? With a human DJ, song choices follow patterning and lead into stories. There's an effort and passion, that a cybernetic DJ simply lacks… Not to mention that at this time, we really can't afford to cut any job.
I agree with Garcia. We need more innovation of virtual technology. One day, you will turn on the radio and you will not be able to tell the difference between a human and a computer. Also, Denise is hot.
It's funny. This guy says he loves radio. I'm a student in a radio broadcast program and all we are told is that great radio relies on the personality. That a good on air personality knows how to connect with a listener. One needs to be a friend to the listeners. How is a computer program going to do that? I mean, does anyone like automated phone calls?
I recently saw a commercial on TV and the selling point was, "call us, and you'll talk to a REAL person." People want to hear and talk to REAL PEOPLE."
Communication ladies and gents.
This is simply ridiculous.
While I agree that this latest "innovation" is nothing short of a cash grab for the already money hungry owners of radio, Garcia does have a point. He didn't invent bread, he simply sliced it. In a radio world that requires little imagination, less effort and produces even less appeal, why are we shocked by this? Radio is a business… and it has been for some time. Unfortunately it is a business that has subscribed to the ideology of "the race to the bottom". Cheaper, faster, fewer and less risky. If we really want to change radio and how it is viewed in today's modern world, we don't need facebook groups, we don't need new widgets and gadgets and apps. What we need is to reinvent the medium. If a strength of the industry is the "human touch", start there. We can bitch and complain all we want about android DJs and automation but until someone has the stones to stand up and say they believe different, nothing will change. Innovation is up to the individual; the business world follows. I doubt Apple started out as a multi billion dollar business. It was an idea. Same rules apply here. Radio IS dead… but it can be reinvented and reshaped to matter once more.
Sometimes things have to be taken to the absolute extreme to demonstrate how absurd the slippery slope that got us to a radio real doll is, starting with automation. I fell in love with radio while pulling all nighters, the host had to make it through the night and so did I. You could hear the effects of a 4am cup of coffee in their voice, you were in the grind together. Real, live, empathetic and personal is the only thing that separates radio from every other single form of media that is competing for the audiences attention and dollar these days. Lose those qualities, and radio may as well surrender to Itunes shuffle.