Wednesday, 3 September 2008

Emily Power at Absolute said:

Thanks for your comments. It’s so hard to find something that pleases everyone. Maybe once you’ve lived with it while you’ll come to like it
.............................................

I found it amazing some of the many different interpretations of "Absolute" for me it is always been quite clear!!!! it is something I am certain or clear about.

Emily you have to get used to some making judgements here long before they ever listen or ever will listen??? – Everything has to be given a chance and opportunity, then make your decision! but then perhaps is more easy for some! to charge in and make quick pronouncements?

John

Jay BS <...> said:

I found it amazing some of the many different interpretations of
"Absolute" for me it is always been quite clear!!!! it is something I am
certain or clear about.

I think it's a really good name. The bit I didn't 'get' was why none of the pundits sussed that it was the most obvious name to give the station, as that was the name of the company!

If it's really true that the format is changing to a more realistic one (larger number of songs, personality presenters, less highly structured and restrictive links), then that's also got to be good news, surely?

I'd assume that the whole music and presentation format will slowly bend towards the new style over the coming weeks even though I hear there'll be an official end of Virgin and new beginning for Absolute, rather than a slow morphing from one name to the other.

Hmmm. Radio stations closing down and opening up, an anorak's dream! I might even listen.

It’s going to be inevitable that some people won’t like the name initially. We tried loads of names – we had so many good suggestions many from listeners and site visitors. After testing a long short list out, against lots of criteria – from URL availability to listener group preferences, Absolute came out strongest in terms of our passion for discovering and re-discovering great music, more of it, more live music and wanting to do things differently with more listener, staff and presenter input.

As for music and the playlist, we have ten times as many tracks which means we can commit to no 9–5 weekday repeats, and our 365 day ‘I Haven’t Heard It For Ages’ guarantee. And more live music (Zoo Sessions, concerts and festivals) with live being introduced for the first time on digital only stations. Something else we’re really excited about, which reflects our commitment to redefining the way our industry works, is our listener playlist meetings. Stay tuned for your chance to come into programming sessions to plan the music output. And that’s just the start.

Emily Power at Absolute <...> said:

As for music and the playlist, we have ten times as many tracks which
means we can commit to no 9–5 weekday repeats, and our 365 day ‘I
Haven’t Heard It For Ages’ guarantee.

Here's a request for you: Please don't have the DJs or stupid liner-men constantly telling people it's a 'no repeat workday' or constant flagging up of such things about the format.

Just get on and do it without telegraphing it.

The excitement of radio should be that things bubble away and happen without the mechanics of what's happening being effectively explained on air. I think of it as being like a scenic coach journey – you want the driver to be using the PA system to tell you what great and interesting stuff is outside, you don't want him telling you every time he changes gear or where the petrol gauge is pointing, do you?

From: "Emily Power at Absolute" <...>

As for music and the playlist, we have ten times as many tracks which
means we can commit to no 9–5 weekday repeats, and our 365 day ‘I
Haven’t Heard It For Ages’ guarantee.

Now that can only be a good thing. That is one of my pet hates while working, hearing the same songs every couple of hours. Now that is fine for a brand new song, it is how people get used to it and learn to "sing along" to it. But some stations push this boundary far too much. As for the "I haven't heard it for ages" guarantee then that is something I love about radio, also very brave from a station, as most stations seem to play far too safe, which normally makes me switch off.
I'm willing to have a listen with an open mind. I loved Virgin when it first started in 93, in fact so much so, I thought it was me programming it as it was virtually exactly how I might have done it. However it didn't last too long.
I just hope the Absolute management don't panic if the first RAJAR isn't too good, I hope they give it a chance.

Something else we’re really excited about, which
reflects our commitment to redefining the way our industry works, is our
listener playlist meetings. Stay tuned for your chance to come into
programming sessions to plan the music output. And that’s just the
start.

Very brave! I'd love to have a go at that, but I can see some problems with this as everyone has different ideas.

From: "Christopher England" <...>

Here's a request for you: Please don't have the DJs or stupid liner-men
constantly telling people it's a 'no repeat workday' or constant
flagging up of such things about the format.

Just get on and do it without telegraphing it.

The excitement of radio should be that things bubble away and happen
without the mechanics of what's happening being effectively explained on
air. I think of it as being like a scenic coach journey – you want the
driver to be using the PA system to tell you what great and interesting
stuff is outside, you don't want him telling you every time he changes
gear or where the petrol gauge is pointing, do you?

That is a great shout CE, but I don't think it will happen.

In article <...>, ... (Steve Martin) wrote:

programming sessions to plan the music output. And that_s just the
start.

Very brave! I'd love to have a go at that, but I can see some
problems with this as everyone has different ideas.

I'll add to that many individuals have different ideas, one when asked officially and another when asked in a relaxed atmosphere.
I say that as we have just looked at this area and found VERY interesting/differing results.

Eric

Steve Martin <...> said:

That is a great shout CE, but I don't think it will happen.

I dipped in to about 20 minutes of 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' and to my amazement found that, apart from the obligatory and annoying constant bigging-up of the breakfast show (and, hey, since breakfast shows have more listeners, shouldn't they be the ones bigging up other dayparts? It's all the wrong way round!), every 20 seconds I was being told I was listening to 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio'. Man, oh Man, relentless 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' followed by 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio'. Why would anybody listen for more than 10 minutes let alone for the entire 'no repeat 9 to 5 workday' when all that's being said is the phrase 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio'?

It's really annoying to keep hearing 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' followed by a few words and then 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' again, isn't it? It's tedious enough just reading me going on about 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' so how bad must it be for ordinary folk listening to 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' eh?

Have I made my point about 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio'? No wonder the figures for 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' indicate that people only listen for 10 minutes! The constant working of 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' three times into every link is maddening.

This is the kind of thing that MUST STOP if 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' is really really really going to try to be exciting and different.

And that's without me going on about the annoyingly pitched liner voices. Blimey. Why do liners have to be recorded in silly voices? I mean if somebody came up to you in a pub, or anywhere in 'real life', and put on the silly throaty radio liner voice, you'd think they were mad and call the police or punch them. Normal folk and friends don't speak to each other like that, so if you want 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' to be my friend, get your liner lady (Leona?) and liner man to talk to me as a friend not some scary robot with a throat infection!

Make it sound like you're real people and you'll attract real listeners!

From: "Christopher England" <...>

Steve Martin <...> said:

That is a great shout CE, but I don't think it will happen.

I dipped in to about 20 minutes of
'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' and to my amazement
found that, apart from the obligatory and annoying constant bigging-up
of the breakfast show (and, hey, since breakfast shows have more
listeners, shouldn't they be the ones bigging up other dayparts? It's
all the wrong way round!), every 20 seconds I was being told I was
listening to 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio'. Man, oh
Man, relentless 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio'
followed by 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio'. Why would
anybody listen for more than 10 minutes let alone for the entire 'no
repeat 9 to 5 workday' when all that's being said is the phrase
'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio'?

It's really annoying to keep hearing
'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' followed by a few
words and then 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' again,
isn't it? It's tedious enough just reading me going on about
'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' so how bad must it be
for ordinary folk listening to
'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' eh?

Have I made my point about
'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio'? No wonder the figures
for 'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' indicate that
people only listen for 10 minutes! The constant working of
'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' three times into every
link is maddening.

This is the kind of thing that MUST STOP if
'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' is really really
really going to try to be exciting and different.

And that's without me going on about the annoyingly pitched liner
voices. Blimey. Why do liners have to be recorded in silly voices? I
mean if somebody came up to you in a pub, or anywhere in 'real life',
and put on the silly throaty radio liner voice, you'd think they were
mad and call the police or punch them. Normal folk and friends don't
speak to each other like that, so if you want
'Virgin-Radio-soon-to-be-known-as-Absolute-Radio' to be my friend, get
your liner lady (Leona?) and liner man to talk to me as a friend not
some scary robot with a throat infection!

Make it sound like you're real people and you'll attract real listeners!

Not that I don't believe you or anything but I have a spare 15 minutes so I'll tune in.

Ha. Obviously got too much time on my hands, I've started to rant about radio. Sorry about that. Hope I made some valid points.

Anyway, I'm off to check out mechanical spiders up North (Liverpool) this weekend, so I'll also be checking out what pirate radio has to offer outside of the centre of the radio universe (London). If I can't at least hear that infamous Merseyland Alternative Radio on 105 MHz, I shall return here to take the piss. :-)

Any suggestions what else I should tune around for? Having said that I'll probably have my DAB radio tuned to Nick Abbot on LBC as I have a feeling in my water that he's going to become James Whale pretty soon. What next for poor Nick? Late nights on Absolute Radio? Oh well.

Where was I? Oh yes: Those Northerners go on about us Southerners being soft shandy drinkers. But at least we manage to blitz our city with 80 pirate stations! How many is it that these oh so hard Northerners manage?? Useless.

If you want a fight, get off your fat Northern lard arses and come find me on Saturday. Look for a brand new very impressive OB truck around the 'Liverpool One' new build, whatever that is, and tell one of the runners you've come to mud wrestle 'Christopher England'.
 

I've had a listen. And although Mr England is slightly exaggerating the over statement of "Virgin Radio soon to be blah blah blah" I did find it annoying, but I suppose if the average listener doesn't stay tuned too long then I suppose they have to get the new brand across. That said, it is rather annoying!

From: "Christopher England" <...>

Anyway, I'm off to check out mechanical spiders up North (Liverpool)
this weekend, so I'll also be checking out what pirate radio has to
offer outside of the centre of the radio universe (London). If I can't
at least hear that infamous Merseyland Alternative Radio on 105 MHz, I
shall return here to take the piss. :-)

Get yerself a decent radio then :-)

Any suggestions what else I should tune around for?

Power FM around 87.7 on Saturday night.

If you want a fight, get off your fat Northern lard arses and come find
me on Saturday. Look for a brand new very impressive OB truck around the
'Liverpool One' new build, whatever that is, and tell one of the runners
you've come to mud wrestle 'Christopher England'.

I'd like to take you up on the offer but I'm off to Wales on Saturday night for a wedding, honest, I'm not chickening out!
 

Steve Martin <...> said:

I've had a listen. And although Mr England is slightly exaggerating the over
statement of "Virgin Radio soon to be blah blah blah" I did find it
annoying, but I suppose if the average listener doesn't stay tuned too long
then I suppose they have to get the new brand across. That said, it is
rather annoying!

I'm still listening, and it has decreased a tad, yes. I suspect the junction with the 4pm news will include the phrase at least 8 times, just you see. I think they dropped mention of it to make way for mention of the breakfast show. Every other link bigs up the damn breakfast show.

But to be positive: Musically it seems to have got interesting. Very Planet Rock meets Radio 1. I can see this having an audience.

They just need to tidy up the presentation and make the links interesting, then they'll have an Absolute Radio station. (See what I did there?)

From: "Christopher England" <...>

I'm still listening, and it has decreased a tad

I've just turned off as it is starting to get on my nerves.

Some really nice folks in the media are helping out on this one.
For any bonafide broadcaster lurking there is a non-branded version of the audio and VT will be available to all-comers from tomorrow, some nice TV pepes are scheduling from tomorrow
The event is A Day For Heroes
http://www.daysforheroes.com/

The VT here is not the VT coming out tomorrow. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu6F14uqO5w
But it works for youtube.

Regards
Eric

In article <...>, ... (Steve Martin) wrote:

you've come to mud wrestle 'Christopher England'.

I'd like to take you up on the offer but I'm off to Wales on
Saturday night for a wedding, honest, I'm not chickening out!

Now that's the best excuse I've ever heard! :-)



Steve Martin <...> said:

Power FM around 87.7 on Saturday night.

 

Ever since hearing these rumours I've been trying between 87.7 and 88mhz on a Saturday night when I stumble into bed but not heard a thing. However, last week I did hear something that sounded very much like those guys on 92.1 (I had a drunken scan before I fell into a drunken coma). Didn't listen for long enough to hear a station name though as the beer fairies had taken me off before long.