Traffic Announcer Takes Creativity Course

CINCINNATI, OH-- Local traffic announcer John B. Allen gives a traffic report on WLW-AM six times daily, Monday through Friday. It varies little most days, so last Monday he decided to test a theory.

"I thought I'd just play a tape of a typical report and see if I could go a week without anyone noticing. Just play the same tape from Monday morning's traffic all week."

No one noticed, at least to the point of calling the station and complaining.

"It's always the same back-ups, the same slow-downs, the same brake-lights. I could do it by rote:

Backups on I-71 between the Norwood Lateral and the River, 75 is slow at the Western Hills Viaduct...You'll see brake lights between the Cut-in-theHill and the Brent Spence...Slow-and-go at Ezzard Charles...Backed up just before you get to Hopple.'

His plan was hatched after attending a human resources workshop titled "Thinking Outside the Box: How to be more Creative at Work".

"A couple weeks back WLW's corporate parent made everyone go to one of those mandatory HR classes. I got to thinking: how I could spruce up the broadcast? Because it's hard to make it feel fresh. Hard to sound surprised or concerned after the 2,000th consecutive day of I-275 being slow between Montgomery Rd. and 471. So I taped one really good broadcast and began playing the tape. Now just don't go telling anyone! At least until a major tie-up I should be good to go."