With Simon Mayo leading a new classical music station and Chris Evans taking breakfast in new surroundings, what is the future for mainstream radio? Both of the afore mentioned big hitters are not available on FM / AM and consequently are absent from most cars.
Personally I might grab an hour of Danny Baker on a Saturday morning whilst I’m on kitchen fatigues, and I enjoy TMS and the odd football commentary, but as far as live radio is concerned that’s about it. For evening background I might occasionally run Radio Paradise or might even dip into what Spotify describes as “radio”( although it clearly isn’t).
Podcasts and listen again facilities have long enabled us to access many favourite shows at a time of our own choosing. I always catch the News Quiz but couldn’t tell you what time of day it is broadcast (assuming things are still broadcast these days). I’m finding that it’s perfectly possible to follow several great shows from radios 3 and 4 without ever having to find them on a dial at a given time of day.
For me, when listening to radio, advertising is to be avoided at all costs but I accept how unreasonable a demand I make. Even the BBC top and tail their podcasts with a trailer for something or other.
You only have to take a short driving holiday in the US to see how horrific an experience radio can actually be. I’m amazed that commercial radio has the listener base or attraction for advertising to survive. How are these thing being funded? Many UK based independent digital radio stations are clearly a labour of love, and so mass audience is irrelevant.
So with the leading BBC stations (Radio 2?) taking a cosy path to obscurity, what is the future of radio and how we consume it?
I think the BBC model shows the potential evolution. Whilst the live output is the core offering, they are commited to also providing content in catch up or off line on demand modes. I still tend to stick live Radio 4 on in the background but it’s out of habit, and like you, there are several programs I now only access as podcasts or I use get_iplayer to download and store for future listening. I don’t drive much but my current car – bought 5 years ago and a 62 plate – had a decent DAB unit already manufactuer installed so it may be that DAB is increasingly available.
Adverts drive me mad too but I can live through them if the station is broadcasting stuff I otherwise like – Planet Rock being an example. In the US it was usually possible to find a rock radio station which made things less painful. These days satellite radio there is picking up audience and being subscription based, is mostly ad free although a bit prone to narrowcasting – Jimmy Buffet radio anyone?
I had a look yetsreday to see if I caould access Evan’s new show on catch up. Not something Virgin offer, which surprised me given the push they have been giving it.
Virgin radio is still going?
Oh yes, just what the country needs … another classical music station.
A quite brilliant observation of a gap in the market.
I read somewhere recently that classical is a growth market at the moment.
There’s already Radio 3 and Classic FM.
I’m not completely alien to the charms of Ludvig and his chums but if you ever catch me tuning into a classical music radio station … shoot me right there and then.
The gap in the market is rock ‘n’ roll and the 60s, but I guess you’d have to explain to Mayo what they are.
It’s been pitched as featuring more contemporary composers (in terms of presenting and content) and widening the scope to include film soundtracks etc. I think it sounds interesting, actually.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/jan/21/simon-mayo-joins-new-classical-radio-station-after-bbc-exit
I think all of that blurb can be found regularly and with minimal effort on Classic FM, Radio 3 and Radio 4.
Mayo’s right when he says there are a load of stations playing rock and pop.
Problem is they’re all playing the same rock and pop … apart from Radio 2 which in the last 10 or so years (post-Lamarr) seems to have regressed to about 1947. Yippee! Soon we’ll be in the war.
If I’m working in the warehouse or driving then BBC London 10am – 1pm (streamed as I don’t live in range) then Radio 4. If I don’t want speech then Radio Paradise but that’s an internet station. Local stations in Sussex are crap.
Radio 4 in the morning. Sometimes 6 Music when cooking the tea but it does divert into stuff I don’t like so I tend to flick about – FIP and HoundDog radio to suit a mood.
I have a real problem with most radio. It”s mainly in the car I do most of my listening, so Radio 4 in the mornings is a bit of a default, however, at the same time I get the urge to switch off from the arguing or politicians avoiding questions, so I often yearn for some decent music, i.e. more than two or three tunes in a row that don’t make me want to pull my hair out. Could not bear Evans in the morning, or at any time actually, as there is something about his voice and the “bantz” content I just can’t stand. 6 Music is OK in small doses. Radcliffe and Maconie in the afternoon was OK, which I listened to at my desk while getting on with other stuff, but it has recently been pulled.. The replacement guy is alright but it’s not the same. Trouble with me is, I can’t stand falsely excitable voices, phone ins, competitions, or celeb interviews designed to plug stuff, which rules out quite a lot of radio really. I often just end up putting music on via the phone and bluetooth.
What did I get on with? Simon Mayo at drivetime was listenable, and Baker can be fabulous when given air time.
I tell you where there’s a gap in the market. Obviously people like me, who want a decent news update every 30 mins, some good songs (old and new) in between, which reflect a desire to find out about new things which I as a person interested in digging a bit might get on with, a non wacky or shouty presenter who does proper introductions and gives a bit of context, and that’s pretty much it. You wouldn’t have thought it would be so difficult would you? But programmers and controllers seem to hate radio like this, and have no real interest in my age group (51).
Give Shawn Keaveny another go on 6Music – he is the opposite of ‘falsely excitable voices, phone ins, competitions, or celeb interviews’ and as disappointed as I was when RadMac were moved to weekends I have been pleasantly surprised by his show. You could also use the BBC Sounds App to catch up with RadMac’s new weekend show during the week, at your convenience and to cherry pick from 6Music’s very good choice of shows.
You are actually me. Johnny Walker was good.
I totally agree with @Nick-L, with the possible exception of news every 30 mins. A bit of personal trumpet blowing – I do a couple of shows on the local community radio station which would fit your description…an Afterword friendly mix of old and new, familiar and obscure, with a few personal observations and/or anecdotes of interest, and no adverts beyond a short sponsorship message. I do have something of a following and get messages from various parts of the world, but the whole station isn’t like me which I think is radio’s achilles heal. There are couple of similar ‘specialist’ shows – a 60s show, a Motown/soul show, an 80s show – but I suspect you would hate some of the other stuff that goes out.
Is it online Nigel? I’d like to give it a listen if possible.
It is online @Nick-L via http://www.exmouthair.fm or search for ExmouthAiR Radio on TuneIn, Alexa etc. My Sunday show is 2-4pm (The Beat Goes On) and I do the Gig Guide on Tuesdays 6pm-8pm. There is a Listen Again facility on the website – actually , last nights GG was a corker with fab live music from Velvet & Stone. They start about an hour in.
I’ve now listened to the show from last Sunday Nigel, and enjoyed it. I thought it was really well put together, plus you have the kind of voice that makes the listener feel like its just someone chatting as opposed to performing, like so many radio presenters often do. Dare I say a bit like a less eeyore-ish John Peel? I do like it when presenters show a genuine interest and empathy with people who get in touch as well. Out of interest, how did you get into doing the community radio thing?
I love the wireless – some days I get a little twitchy and then I put the radio on and I feel better, then I realise I was feeling isolated because I hadn’t left the house for a couple of days. I think a lot of elderly people and those who live alone have a similar experience and rely on the radio for company.
So, there’s the ‘Old’ demographic.
As for the ‘Yoof’, they are the ones keeping commercial radio going – the same chart hits over and over, all day, every day.
Then there are people of a certain age, who just luuurve the oldies, especially the easy listening oldies. They keep Absolute and Smooth radio going.
And DAB, as touched on above, is widely available in lots of cars, I would guess virtually all new cars come equipped with a DAB radio. Then there is the proliferation of Amaz*n and Appl* [other brand are available] voice activated speakers which can access radio from the internet – my main use of my Echo is to listen to radio [6Music, since you ask]
Having read that again, I should point out that I’m neither elderly nor alone. [not that there’s anything wrong with that]
In all UK rental cars I have had in the last few years the DAB reception was appalling, at least for BBC stations. But maybe you have to be in London or something.
Music radio tends to be inane ‘banter’ interspersed with the same rubbish old records. Rather listen to my own music collection. I like Popmaster though, and used to listen to Sound of the Sixties when our old mate Brian Matthew was with us.
I have North American satellite radio in the car (Sirius/XM) many (mainly commercial free) specialist stations for individual decades, artists, genres etc. I listen a lot to the New Wave channel, plus the Springsteen or Beatles one or whatever takes my fancy. It also has BBC World Service which is useful on weekends to get live football commentaries. I also tune in to the Canadian equivalent of BBC which is CBC1, similar to Radio 4. Sometimes I stream UK radio from my phone e.g. 6 Music or listen to podcasts. At home I listen mainly to BBC channels. Sometimes (shock, horror) I listen to TalkSport
Does anyone turn on the radio to hear specific programmes? I don’t think I’ve done that since Humph unavoidably vacated the I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue chair.
I imagine most listening is down to habit. The radios in my kitchen and bathroom are tuned to Radio 4, and have been for years, in the bedroom and living room it’s Radio 3 (occasional diversions to 6 in the living room due to ease of using a remote). I don’t drive, by in my girlfriend’s car we seem to spend more time moving away from channels because the presenter or ads irritate us than staying settled on one.
No I don’t but I do use get_iplayer to download them. ISIHAC being one of them (I’m weird – I actually prefer Jack Dee)
I lost the iTunes vs radio war in our house, and then lost the 6Music vs Radio 2 war, meaning that I was listening to Chris Evans most mornings for a couple of years. I never really liked him as such, and it was always a good day when Sara Cox was standing in, but even so I grew to admire what he does, as well as appreciating the difference between what he actually does, and what people think he does. It’s certainly not the shrill banter of popular perception. Not as I understand banter anyway. He’s also a brilliant interviewer and clearly does a lot of work upfront in that regard. The charity drives were torture, though (sorry, God), some of the jingles annoying, and I find his sidekick Vassos a little grating.
But anyway, we listened to him until he buggered off. The fact that he was going to Virgin, a commercial station, meant that we wouldn’t be making the switch because we couldn’t stand the adverts. Nor would we be listening to his Radio 2 replacement Zoe Ball because she has zero breath control and frankly we were outraged that Sara didn’t get the gig.*
Which left a possible return to 6Music. We’d tried Keaveny but couldn’t get on with his dead-air presenting style so we were pretty happy when Lauren was announced as his replacement. She’s great and I’d happily stick with her but Mrs Bangs finds some of the music a bit too strident of a morning. I catch myself actually wincing when Slowthai comes on, knowing that it’s another nail in the coffin. Meantime, it transpires that Chris won’t in fact have adverts during his show at Virgin. What’s more it turns out that his Virgin show is a carbon copy of his Radio 2 show. So that comes back into contention.
The other wrinkle is that the radio on the bedroom won’t get Virgin. Ho hum. So right now we have Lauren on in the bedroom and Chris in the kitchen. It’s currently fluid, though. The uncertainty of Brexit has nothing on our morning radio arrangements.
(*She ended up going to afternoons instead. I haven’t heard her much but I’m sure she’ll be brilliant.)
Don”t think Evans’ new show has commercials. Can’t stand him anyway. He is the kind of DJ who doesn’t really like music and probably doesn’t listen to any at home.
“The kind of DJ that doesn’t like music”?? You base this on what, other than your dislike of him? My recollection of his R1 show was that it featured great music not least because it didn’t follow R1 playlists. TFI had great music.
All chosen for him.
By who?
Producers
Well I might as well go all out for pedant of the hour.
Evans co produced his R1 show. Did he pick some / any all of the tracks. I don’t know, and neither do you. But he was very much in control of what went out, which includes the music.
I get you don’t like him – he can be an tremendously annoying twat – but his R1 show changed the format of what R1 was doing at the time and the music choices, free of the R1 palylist requirements, were spot on. If it helps you to reagrd him as a musical ingnoramus then by all means do so, but there’s plenty of evidence to the contrary.
No, I can’t be sure. To me he (they) seemed to be latching on to whatever was flavour of the month, and I never got any real feeling that he had any critical faculty when it came to music. I also remember stuff like him only managing to play 5 records in an hour or something, because the show was clearly about him rather than the music. And people liked that it seems.
In my previous life, with one toe in the murky world of showbiz, I encountered Evans’ producer Andy. A lovely bloke, music-mad, ran a weekly gig in the basement of a Greek restaurant in Stoke Newington. I saw his function as Evans’ music filter and referee.
No obvious commercials, but by the sound of it, the show will basically be an infomercial for its sponsor, Sky TV. As Virgin is a Murdoch station, that’s no great surprise.
As a medium radio seems to be driven by inertia in our household – if we’re not irritated by what’s on, chances are it will stay.
Our kitchen and bathroom radios used to be tuned to Radio 4 – Today programme in the morning meant that when I came home in the evening the radio would switch on to the 6 o’clock news followed by whatever 6.30 comedy was on. Decent comedy might lead to Radio 4 staying whilst the usual low-quality ex-Footlights pap would lead to 6Music, where it would stay for Marc Riley and Gid Coe.
Now that blatant lies go unchallenged on Today the radio stays resolutely tuned to 6Music. Shaun Keaveny was very popular in our household as breakfast accompaniment, but now we’re getting used to Lauren. 6Music fails to cause offence to our ears during the week and there are only a few weekend shows that lead to a retuning – Danny Baker is a pull factor, Gilles Peterson a push factor. Any Radio 4 shows we’re interested in are getting mopped up using the BBC Sounds app.
The Today programme is really frustrating at times isn’t it? Some of the stuff they let people off with makes me want to shout at the radio. The BBC seem terrified of offending Tories.
It’s interesting that podcasts often replicate what’s gone missing from mainstream radio: an in-depth discussion. I heard, via youtube, Gloria Hunniford interviewing Jeremy Brett, which was originally broadcast on Radio 2 in 1989. A good half an hour of great conversation; compare that with Steve ‘Serious Jockin’ Wright, whose interviews are about three minutes long – and two of those minutes are him talking.
I always listen to The Today Programme and then I switch the radio off. I used to listen to PM when Eddie Mair was presenting, but not any more.
Otherwise- whilst cooking- I’ve discovered the joys of internet radio and my go-to station of choice is rural radio station KRVN from Nebraska. I have become something of an expert on soya bean prices. I just love entering a world I know nothing about.
I,er, never listen to any music radio.
Neither do I.
Forget streaming, I think I have more records than the BBC, or certainly more than the BBC are willing to play.
I used to listen to the radio a lot. It’s easy to forget just how many other ways we can listen to stuff now, especially on the move. I’m old enough to remember when having a car radio was a luxury, let alone cassette or CD players or iPods (remember them?).
Radio Luxemburg, 60s pirate radio, Radio 1, then Radio 2 became the default stations for music for me, but radio just tends to irritate me now and I prefer to curate (ha!) my own listening. The BBC stations will surely decline as the tired old formats are eaten into by other listening habits, just as TV viewing is changing.