"Are you on-air or just behind the scenes?" , people ask when they discover you're in radio. When you mumble " behind the scenes'" the conversation then usually reverts from Moyles to Moyes. It doesn't sound very interesting, this 'behind the scenes' busine…
Read morePlease take care of the BBC. It is precious.
The future of BBC funding is again under discussion. It will always be thus. The Sykes report rejected advertising in 1923. Annan in '77 suggested local radio should all be commercial. Peacock recommended privatising Radio 1 and 2 in '86. Davies in '98 trotted out the bright idea of …
Read moreBRMB - The story from 1961 to launch
The Board Minutes from 1961 onwards In the 1960s, with a sniff of commercial radio in the air, a number of enterprising folk across the Country, not least those in local press, thought the whole thing sounded pretty exciting. Companies were duly formed, with the aspiration of operating a franchise…
Read moreWere the old days better?
The early days of commercial radio were truly great. After all, back then, everything was local. Local ownership. Locally originated live output. Local management. Presenters could chatter away at will and show their personalities; and have a real influence on the songs they played. If you were o…
Read moreNo more green ink
“I hate the sound of your voice” said a listener text the other day to an old colleague of mine whilst he hosted a weekend show on a commercial music station. Listeners can be brutally honest. Actually, they can be downright rude. I cannot imagine walking into Tesco, not liking the decor and shou…
Read moreA Letter to my Young, and not so Young, Friends: there is a revolution going on.
From the snow capped mountains I walk across the brown-green fells of the Lake District, up past the noisy waterfall to the placid tarn – a place of mirrors and reflections… As the logs crackle in the fire and sparks explode when they are moved, thoughts move from past, to present, to future…. I…
Read moreMerry Radio Christmas?
Much has been made of the Christmas TV schedule - but what of the fare in radio-land? Some good stuff, actually, on the 'airwaves', as the press might say. But some things puzzle me. Why do presenters insist on saying they are 'sitting in' for someone over the long festive spell? …
Read moreDon't take Pringles to Focus Groups
My favourite focus group participant ever was the woman in the brown parka who returned to the room just afterwards and asked if she could take home the unopened packet of Pringles. Focus groups are seriously bad for the health. Some contributors make you want to pull your hair out. But they can …
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