Monday, 4 December 2006

Quoting a previous Steve Martin contribution:-

Maybe the future of radio is the talk format, like the pirates I have
been listening to over the past couple of weeks, discussing grass roots
community issues.

It's that CB radio thing again. There's something 'free' about it, even if it's quite ragged and un-formula in its style. In lots of ways, it could be an exciting time for radio once those running the stations have worked out that music-only radio is no longer needed.
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* Christopher England just said that *

Quoting a previous smellofdiesel Tim contribution:-

Tight playlists – ugh! Perhaps
it's the 'Borg' part that is the issue, we want some personal input as
far as the music choice is concerned.

But, did we ever have that with the non-Borg?

a listener requests something by the
Doors – what do we hear – yes, of course it's going to be Light my fire
– what else – well on the 70's Caroline it often was something else.

Strangely, I was checking out Mark Stafford this afternoon on Caroline Maidstone. He's supposed to be the bollocks when it comes to music. On came bloody Light My Fire! Whoosh, I was off.

How about the station having a
larger say in the 'sound' of the commercial, so it kind of fitted the
station's output. Would this help? I feel it would certainly improve the
overall 'sound' of the station.

The practical problems that stop this being implemented tend to include the fact that there isn't the money to pay somebody to do that. Yes, it would certainly help if it could be done. Maybe the move will be to integrating advertising into the sound itself – maybe spoken over the songs up to the vocals rather than those tedious voices just repeatedly saying the name of the station.

Perhaps that's why we may appear
confused – can we quantify what we think is wrong?

I think you are right with that statement: Part of our frustration is with the ability (or lack of it) to quantify what is wrong.
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* Christopher England just said that *

Quoting a previous jaybs jaybs contribution:-

Thanks for the "personal attack" of being "small minded"

You are welcome.

I am
a least civil with those I talk or debate with!

So, using Chris Cary's board to launch an attack on Anorak Nation is you being "civil" is it? Erm, ok mate.

The same thread you make reference to, I was replying to a poster, and I
said the reason I have not posted much on any radio site recently is
nothing is really happening in radio that Important! at present and some
discussion just goes around in circles?

Except of course, you didn't quite say it as politely as that, did you?

See, it doesn't matter how you try to spin this one John, the simple facts are that, (to quote you from Chris Cary's board)...

"most sites have been quiet, unlike one, which is so like "Last of the Summer Wine" a few old men who go on and on about the past – going round in circles and one keeps bringing up Caroline and having a pop at LW279!
– Sad!!"

...is you launching one of your legendary attacks and not being in the slightest bit as "civil" as you claim.

I know you usually do this kind of attacking against the free-thinkers who you disagree with in your debates on Digital Spy, but this time you initiated your unprovoked attack on Anorak Nation and the wonderful people who write here. How "civil" of you John, eh?

You do have an habit of twisting anything to suit your own argument

Aha. And we've just witnessed that you don't, of course!

you seem to stand still and wish to talk about Caroline? okay also at
times the Superstation and LW279

Aha, so what you're saying is that I "stand still" and also don't "stand still". Make yer "civil" mind up mate!
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* Christopher England just said that *

Quoting a previous jaybs jaybs contribution:-

I forgot to mention also your quote that I am a "Nutter" – I presume
that is your opinion, as I am one that differs to your opinion?

Well, there's got to be something wrong with you to drive you to use Chris Cary's board to make such a "civil" attack on Anorak Nation and me.

How would you better explain it?
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* Christopher England just said that *

What's going on at Radio 1?

Either there is some obscure mental condition affecting those in control or it's really really really time to cull the old people again. They did it once before in the early 90s when they repositioned Radio 1 for da yoof instead of the older listeners it had accidentally drifted into serving.

Well, once again Radio 1 is doing that odd thing of playing less and less new and current music and more and more oldies. The most obscure example of all this is that during the chart show on a Sunday evening we have to take a break from the run down of what's current and, er, in the charts, to play a 10 minute bunch of oldies.

Before they culled the whole show, you'd switch on Top of the Pops, and the latest, er, 'top of the pops' was constantly interrupted by the random and unexplained showing of 20 to 30 year old videos of songs from a long time ago. Why? No wonder the ratings slid away to nothing.

Oh how da yoof would have thought it most strange if in 1967 Top of the Pops included old recordings of Vera Lynn in the middle of a show supposedly highlighting the current top of the pops.

I'm sure if Sunday night's Alan Freeman chart rundown on Radios 1 and 2, alright, had not played the current pop run down but dropped songs in favour of spending 10 minutes in the company of Gracie Fields, people would have thought it most odd. As odd as a TV news programme randomly including a pop video rather than a news package.

The oldies on Top of the Pops and on Radio 1's chart show were the beginning. Slowly oldies have crept into dominating the weekends, and are now peppering all of the weekday mainstream programming. Why?

I don't mind the odd oldie, pathologically hate most of them, but shouldn't I be tuning to an old people's station to hear them, not Radio 1 which is supposed to be playing new music and talking to da yoof.

How long have the people running Radio 1 been there? They must be very old by now. Time to cull the old people running the station methinks, and get young blood back in control, innit.
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* Christopher England just said that *

Christopher England <...> said:
Quoting a previous jaybs jaybs contribution:-

"I am at least civil with those I talk or debate with!"

So, using Chris Cary's board to launch an attack on Anorak Nation is you being "civil" is it? Erm, ok mate.
 
See, it doesn't matter how you try to spin this one John, the simple facts are that, (to quote you from Chris Cary's board)...
 
"most sites have been quiet, unlike one, which is so like "Last of the Summer Wine" a few old men who go on and on about the past – going round
 in circles and one keeps bringing up Caroline and having a pop at LW279!
– Sad!!"
 
Aha, so what you're saying is that I "stand still" and also don't "stand still". Make yer "civil" mind up mate!
 —
* Christopher England just said that *
..................................................................

Christopher,

As always as a form of your defence you have to attack further, it is the only way you know?

The comments made on another radio website where nothing like you make daily about others sites and others, I am assured that nothing I say is "libel" to anyone while your personal comments made again me on a public board are! – my comments where just that "comment" and not a "personal attack"

Yes Christopher, you last quotes about standing still another form of trying to get one better, it is plain to see what is being stated: You set yourself up as one that leads the way with the future of radio, if that is the case why do you have to spend so much time being petty, in attacking something in the past such as Radio Caroline, everyone always presumes you have some anger or that you are bitter at something that has happened to you?

I have no objection to saying my comments where wrong about posters or yourself, that is your opinion, but I still claim it is not justified to call someone "Small Minded and Part of a Collective – also a Nutter"

We are not going to agree and it is not worth boring other posters, you have my email, but I still feel strong that you should withdraw the over the top personal comments about me.

Regards John

Christopher England <...> said:

What's going on at Radio 1?

How long have the people running Radio 1 been there? They must be very old by now. Time to cull the old people running the station methinks, and get young blood back in control, innit.
 —
* Christopher England just said that *
.............................................

Christopher,

So we agree on something, or you have come around to what I have been saying for a while, but I am not convinced with the argument that young people Only want to listen to New Music.

Radio One does need new Young Blood, but young people who are in touch, which does rule out both Yourself and me as we are far too Old!

 Cheers John

Hi Eric

I am having trouble in getting my e-mails through and apparently it's because my e-mail address won't accept stuff at my end.

This would not appear to be correct but I cannot get any response from admin@anorak ... etc ... is it possible please to send a short e-mail on my behalf saying that I can be contacted on these:

...
...
...

This would be appreciated ... thanks in anticipation
Yours

Graham

Tight playlists – ugh!

So didn't you like Big L (60's), Laser, Nova?

Not a big fan, no. As a small child I did listen to the 60's Big L, but even then I had a feeling that they were just jumping on the bandwagon started by Ronan. Which, of course they were, along with all the others – don't blame them for that.

Another point perhaps? I know adverts are pain as far as I'm concerned,
but I recognise their need for commercial reasons – but hold on a
minute! Have I hit on part of the reason? How about the station having a
larger say in the 'sound' of the commercial, so it kind of fitted the
station's output. Would this help?

Hmm, interesting idea in theory, but wouldn't it just add to a stations
costs?

Well it might, but it could be worth looking into – I know from what I have read on here that one station (was it Capital?) were experimenting with the amount of ads they played in a session, so it would seem to me that someone there feels that it may be an issue.

Regards – Tim

Christopher England <...> said:

including Will (the 80s one) a
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* Christopher England just said that *

You can add Classical to that,, as the test stream seems more popular than the retro thingy..

Quoting a previous smellofdiesel Tim contribution:-

one station (was it Capital?) were experimenting
with the amount of ads they played in a session,

I don't think they make a fuss about it any more, but there was a time at the beginning of the move to it that they used to promote it as "no more than two ads away from...". I've not heard that pushed as much as it used to be, although I think they still have only two ads in a row and no more – however, they don't include the annoying 'trails' as part of their 'only two' batches, so it's creeping bigger!
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* Christopher England just said that *

Quoting a previous jaybs jaybs contribution:-

The comments made on another radio website where nothing like you make
daily about others sites and others,

What in the world has the way you claim I act got to do with your defence about the way you suddenly launched your unprovoked rude attack on Anorak Nation? Try seeing that work in a Court of Law!

How can you claim to be above what you suggest I do, when you do worse and without any provocation!

We are not going to agree and it is not worth boring other posters, you
have my email, but I still feel strong that you should withdraw the over
the top personal comments about me.

Absolutely can't do that until you remove you uncalled for attack on Anorak Nation from Chris Cary's board. Please do that immediately and replace it with an apology for the way you've behaved.

This topic is now closed in public, by the way.
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* Christopher England just said that *

Quoting a previous jaybs jaybs contribution:-

I am not convinced with the argument that young
people Only want to listen to New Music.

Based on what research exactly?

Radio One does need new Young Blood, but young people who are in touch,
which does rule out both Yourself and me as we are far too Old!

Yeah, and John Peel were he still alive, or Annie Nightingale (who is still alive), yada yada yada.
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* Christopher England just said that *

Quoting a previous Eric Wiltsher contribution:-

(quoting a Graham email:)

I can be contacted on these:

<snip>

Well, they're all bouncing, so he can't be contacted on any of 'em!

Graham, if you are reading, you need to talk to your ISP, mate.
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* Christopher England just said that *

Christopher England <...> said:

What's going on at Radio 1?

How long have the people running Radio 1 been there? They must be very
old by now. Time to cull the old people running the station methinks,
and get young blood back in control, innit.

--

Yes, I agree. I does sound strange at times, even with the great Zane Lowe dropping in the odd oldie. I even heard the Beach Boys once!

Last night Rob da Bank, whom I dont rate as a presenter, played a very strange mix.Other specialist programmes often play early incarnations of hip hop, like the Sugar Hill Gang and Rappers delight. This mix of oldies and current stuff is far preferable to the endless playing to death of oldies on the "mould" ie gold stations, including 10 gold and arrow, to the point of nausea. Radio 1 cannot be guilty of this.

However, radio1 trumpet proudly their slogan "in new music we trust" and this is generally the case. In fact Zane Lowe played Gnarls Barkley's smash hit "Crazy" earlier in the year, and certainly helped it on the way to the number one spot. There are quite a few oldies on the listeners requests on saturday evening, but this is mainly old school dance from the early 90's. This being the case, I don't think it is time yet to call in the services of Harry Enfield to bring to the attention of the manangement at radio1 that a cull is needed. However, Chris, your point is certainly valid and worthy of attention.

tesug tesug <...> said:

Hi Eric

I am having trouble in getting my e-mails through and apparently it's
because my e-mail address won't accept stuff at my end.

This would not appear to be correct but I cannot get any response from
admin@anorak … etc … is it possible please to send a short e-mail on
my behalf saying that I can be contacted on these:

...
...
...

This would be appreciated … thanks in anticipation
Yours

Graham

Aaah! I think it's OK now! Fingers crossed!

Graham 

Christopher England <...> said:

Quoting a previous jaybs jaybs contribution:-

I forgot to mention also your quote that I am a "Nutter" – I presume
that is your opinion, as I am one that differs to your opinion?

Well, there's got to be something wrong with you to drive you to use
Chris Cary's board to make such a "civil" attack on Anorak Nation and
me.

How would you better explain it?
—
* Christopher England just said that *

So you two won't be swapping cards this year then?

Graham 

Quoting a previous txeng1 txeng1 contribution:-

I even heard the Beach Boys once!

I heard those awful fellows The Rolling Stones a few weeks back!

However, radio1 trumpet proudly their slogan "in new music we trust" and
this is generally the case. In fact Zane Lowe played Gnarls Barkley's
smash hit "Crazy" earlier in the year, and certainly helped it on the
way to the number one spot.

"In Downloads alone"

There are quite a few oldies on the
listeners requests on saturday evening, but this is mainly old school
dance from the early 90's.

See, now to me this isn't what Radio 1 should be doing. That old school stuff should be on Radio 2, and if the genre (as in Pete Tong's music) is now no longer today's thang, then surely it has no place on Radio 1.

It's bad enough weekends being ruined by Sunday morning oldies with that obnoxious Vernon Kay, but now you've still got people on the air like Sara Cox who want to talk nearly non-stop about how touch it is being a wealthy single mum. During the week in contrast, Jo Whiley, despite being an old person and a mum certainly manages to talk intelligently about the music, the artists, the gigs – and that's what those that 'trust' new music want to hear, not all this stuff that should be shuttled off to Radio 2.
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* Christopher England just said that *

Quoting a previous Graham Jones HKt.B Jones contribution:-

So you two won't be swapping cards this year then?

I don't do Christmas cards. I ain't a Christian. I do New Year cards though. Don't forget to send me one!
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* Christopher England just said that *