FLC OF A B737 COMPLAINT REGARDING THE LENGTH AND CLARITY OF THE ATIS INFO BROADCAST. IT IS DISTRACTING FROM THEIR DUTIES SINCE MANY TIMES IT REQUIRES MORE THAN 1 LISTENING REVIEW TO DECIPHER THE MESSAGE.

Narrative

AS PLTS OF 2 MAN ACFT; WE ARE INCREASINGLY TASKED WITH MORE AND MORE DUTIES IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH OUR JOB. ONE SPECIFIC DUTY -- COLLECTING ATIS DATA OVER THE RADIO -- HAS BEEN MADE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT AS OF LATE. THE NEW AUTOMATED 'VOICE' IS A STEP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. IT IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND IN ALMOST ALL CASES. IT BLURS MANY WORDS TOGETHER; AND OFTEN REQUIRES 2 OR 3 ATTEMPTS TO DECIPHER. NOW; IN PHL; WE HAD AN ATIS THAT LASTED 92 SECONDS! AND YES; IT REQUIRED 2 ATTEMPTS TO DECIPHER IT ALL. 3 MINS AWAY FROM BACKING UP MY FO; IN A DSCNT; IS TOO LONG. AIRLINERS HAVE ALL PERTINENT NOTAMS; SO WHY NOT HAVE 2 ATIS FREQS? 1 FOR AIRLINES AND 1 FOR THOSE WITHOUT ACCESS TO ALL THE NOTAM INFO. AN ATIS BROADCAST SHOULD LAST; AT A MAX; 30 SECONDS. LUCKILY; NO NEAR MISS OR OTHER EVENT HAPPENED THIS DAY. WILL WE BE AS LUCKY TOMORROW? ALSO; DO WE REALLY NEED TO CHANGE ATIS AT THE TOP OF THE HR IF THERE ARE NO CHANGES? I SPOKE WITH THE APCH CTL PERSON IN PHL; AND HE AGREED THAT IT WAS TOO LONG; AND WOULD REFER MY COMMENT TO HIS SUPVR.