I don’t think I like jazz. It feels like one of those things you have to grow up to enjoy. Like golf, or Quiet Coaches. But I think I like Jazz FM. Or specifically this show.

Listened In is 2ZY’s weekly air-check blog. Every week we listen to a random twenty minute sample of a station or programme in the news.

WHAT  Dinner Jazz on Jazz FM

WHO  Helen Mayhew

WHEN  Monday 16 September

1925 If You Never Come to Me/Kate Williams and Bobby Wellins

“Kate Williams at the piano, Bobby Wellins at the saxophone.” A read about a forthcoming live gig at the 606. “More details at the 606 club website – or our own, which is Jazz FM.com.”

1931  Some Other Time/Tony Bennett

1935  The Dreamer/Tim Lapthorn

Back announces, references the Tim Lapthorn album and the fact that he’s also at the 606 tomorrow night. “You’re listening to Jazz FM. St Regis Hotels and Resorts partner Jazz Travels with Sarah Ward ..,” begins a slightly clunky S&P script but the client’s wonderfully on brand and it’s perfectly delivered.

ADS: Jazz FM Eliane Elias gig/Honda Jazz/Mishcon de Raya/British Gas boilers

ID: Jazz FM. Discover the Music.

1943  Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen/George Adams and Don Pullen Quartet

SUMMARY

Call me a philistine, but lots of what I imagine proper jazz to be sounds to these ears like so much musical showing-off. And elsewhere in the day, Jazz FM appears to be Jazz-ish FM. Not so here.

Here at dinner time – often a radio desert (rather than a dessert) – there can be few other stations better programmed for the time of day. Purists and jazzophobes can both be sated by the mood, the feel of the music, and the distinctly background presentation. It’s a Jazz Trojan horse, ably steered by Helen Mayhew – throughout the station’s turbulent history.

This incarnation of the station is now quietly four years old, and like the best re-boots, cleverly ported the best bits of the original – Dinner Jazz, the following Late Lounge, and the exquisite David Arnold hook. Even that bloody chameleon.

Consistency of presentation, an understanding of why brevity matters, understated  passion for, and knowledge of, the music … Next time you’re home after a hell of a day, stick in on and hear what I mean.

You can also read 2ZY Listened In as part of Radio Today’s eRADIO newsletter every Wednesday. To subscribe, just go to radiotoday.co.uk/eradio

In a week where solo breakfast women have been the subject of debate in BBC Local Radio, we listen in to one of the few (the only?) example in commercial radio – Kate Lawler on Kerrang.

Listened In is 2ZY’s weekly air-check blog. Every week we listen to a random twenty minute sample of a station or programme in the news.

WHO   Kate (Lawler) at Breakfast

WHAT   Kerrang! Radio

WHEN  Wednesday 28 August

0746

Victory over the Sun/Biffy Clyro

ID: Kerrang. Radio? Radio.

Fall to Pieces/Velvet Revolver

Back Announces. Talks about how Biffy Clyro headlined Reading and Leeds and Simon Neil with his shirt off. “You probably took loads of pictures unless you’re a straight guy and even then you might have a man crush on him!” Does Roll Call. Jimmy in Bristol is trying to work out how he shaved his head with number 1 clippers and ended up with different hair lengths. One couple are in bed in Tenby on holidays. Kate does good authentic self-revelation on how she stayed in a caravan in Tenby when she was a kid. Rosie in Hull is getting her first tattoo today. “Watch out for spelling mistakes,” advises Kate.

Now/Paramour

ID: Kerrang Radio

Crawling/Linkin Park

“Good morning campers. Happy hump day – or happy humping day if you prefer day. The Wa-Hey of the day (a funny internet link) will be online soon. Pearl Jam and Ram Jam on way.”

ADS: Renault/Tyres/Vans Warped Tour/Asda

NEWS: Syria (Cameron clip x2)/US Ready/Kidney patients (doctor clip)/Phone phishing/Arsenal/Unusual foreign laws. “I’m Kate Holdsworth follow us on Twitter for more K-radio news.”

ID: Kerrang Radio is .. (music positioner) Everything that rocks.

Mind Your Manners/Pearl Jam

SUMMARY

A generic tweet went out just after 7am. “KATE LAWLER: Let’s Roll Call! Who are you? Where are you? What you doing right now? Kate. Manchester. Losing my voice. Eeeek. ;-(” The show does this every day. Then there’s a text book link after Velvet Revolver in which a parade of perfectly profiled (cropped, tattooed, stay-cationing) Kerrang types get a mention. Meanwhile, on Facebook, 25 other comments in response to the roll-call, perhaps not quite as on brand: “Tyron, being a bus wanker and going to work.” None of these make it to air, at least not in the 20 minutes we listened.

The castrated, computer-in-a-cupboard version of Kerrang is still playing the right songs, and clearly still interacting with its audience. Kate is still great too. Her new Bauer Late Show in the North is a good (live) listen. She should be a Sound Woman poster girl – confidence, tight links, great humour.

Technology now enables us to do clever things like voice-track shows and schedule social media solicits. That doesn’t mean we should. It gives the impression of live, even if we’re not. There are, of course, some clever hybrids around. Presenters who are in the building (or have access to remotely voice track) will add new links during transmission to respond to listener interaction, or perhaps riff off a news event. But we’re overdue a debate about what’s right and wrong. The torrid events of 2008 show us what can happen when we steam ahead with an economic and technical solution – without thinking through the editorial issues.

Not very rock. But important.

You can also read 2ZY Listened In as part of Radio Today’s eRADIO newsletter every Wednesday. To subscribe, just go to radiotoday.co.uk/eradio

So Jack in Oxfordshire has a cool new sister. Not that you’d know that, listening to it at breakfast, which is a simulcast of her older brother. Oh well. We listened in anyways.

Listened In is 2ZY’s weekly air-check blog. Every week we listen to a random twenty minute sample of a station or programme in the news.

WHO  Jack FM’s Morning Glory

WHAT  Jack 2, Oxfordshire

WHEN  Wednesday 21 August

0747  Sense/The Lightning Seeds

Jack’s Morning Glory, back announce/timecheck,”The celebrations on the way in the next ten minutes. Come on, leave your messages, 01865 575106 get in touch with us and we’ll put your celebration on the radio in the next ten minutes” They return to a Jason Manford tickets competition. Nice production, a Manford gag about cyclists with the (obvious, not very funny – well it is Jason Manford …) punchline removed. Danny is on to have a guess. “You sound very cheery Danny, come on, wake up, wake up.” “This is a breakfast show, not a late night show where we’re trying to send people to sleep.” “Although we’re pretty good at that”, says Caroline. Grudgingly Danny says good morning again and there is much fake radio laughter.

“Danny erm, What’s your, Who’s your fav 1D, errr star? Mine’s Ringo … I quite like, err,  he’s a good, a good lad. He’ll go far.” Danny says he’s not a 1D fan. “Funny, that, no. It’s not something I’ll be rushing to at the cinema. That’s for sure.” “It’s meant to be really good”, says Caroline “Caroline can’t wait to get there,” says male presenter. Trev? “I don’t think I’m gonna see it at the cinema. But I think it’ll be really interesting to see it as a documentary.” They joke about her being at Leicester Square yesterday and having spotted her in pictures of screaming girls in the third row. “Some random haggard woman in the background,” jokes Caroline. “Yeah, some old wrinkler,” says male presenter. Nice.

Dan gets it right. He wins tickets to the forthcoming local Jason Manford gig “and we’ll send you to the One Direction movie as well, yeah.” Applause and hilarity.

0753  Sweet Home Alabama/Lynard Skynard

Back announce/timecheck. “Every morning, just before 8 o clock we celebrate Oxfordshire.” They sing along to Kool and the Gang’s celebrate. “Come on Richard, the engineer,” who’s not singing. He doesn’t play along.”I think there’s altogether another level of grumpy when it comes to engineers, don’t you?” says Caroline, a little incestuously. “OK, right, you can celebrate Oxfordshire. What are you up to?” Listener clip: “Morning Jack, Please wish our daughter Dakota Dollar a very happy 6th birthday. From Mummy, Daddy, Annie. Freya, Marmite and Nemo. “Usually I’d think that Marmite and Nemo are pets. But given the daughter is called Dakota Dollar, I’m not sure,” says Caroline. She reads out some more celebrations. A listener on holiday in Spain, the last day of ashes, water is back on again and off to a festival, a listener’s day off in the sunshine.

It’s 2 minutes to 8. Time to celebrate

TRAVEL: On the roads, Rich.

ID: Jack’s Morning Glory with bibowater.co.uk. Boiling or chilled water at the touch of a button for people with better things to do than wait for a kettle to boil. Or listen to this lot.

ADS: Activities for kids in Oxfordshire/Oxford Recruitment Services/Abingdon Beds/Flanagans Solicitors/Longleat

NEWS: Oxfordshire schoolchildren reading age has gone up (local phone clip) / Drugs charges (national copy) / Men more likely to get skin cancer (national copy) / Babies born with heart defects, according to Oxford research (local quality clip) / Simon Cowell a Dad (national copy) / Dogs detect Diabetes (national copy) / Kinder Eggs used to traffic cocaine in Bicester (local copy) / Sport

WEATHER: Ending on “And if you’re looking for something to do this week, head to the Jacktivities with the Malmaison on The Castle Quarter section on our website,”  and reads a what’s on.

AD: Seat Leon

ID You’re listening to Jack’s Morning Glory. Dont worry, we won’t tell anyone.

Another cheesy bed. Throws forward to a Reading Festival ticket giveaway, the question for which is ‘what was the worst thing about breaking up with your other half?’ Recap Reese’s answer, which was having to buy new lucky pants, as he’d left them at his ex’s. Got the big news cheese coming up for you next. Teases some headlines.

0807

You Give Love a Bad Name/Bon Jovi

SUMMARY

As breakfast shows go, this is OK. There’s a little interaction, lots of localness, three very Jack tunes. Celebrations is a clever spin on an old idea.

I didn’t like the way the Caroline was constantly interrupted, how everything was read over a slightly too far faded-down cheesy bed, and how main male presenter never told me his name. The self-deprecation meter was a little in the red, even for Jack. And the com-prod here is truly execrable. There were two FVOs-as-actors-chatting-to-each-other-scripts (that’s the polite version) next to each other in the same break – for Oxford Recruitment Services and Abingdon Beds which starts with the immortal line,  “Ooh Jan, you look radiant.”

Call me old-fashioned, but what I really don’t get is the whole single breakfast show on a brand extension lark. James Cridland is a fan of the brand extension and makes a good case for it here. And I buy the concept – it’s just here, the execution seems odd. Delivering complementary stations in the same (small) market is one thing. But when one is going after younger women and the other is after older blokes, how can a single breakfast show ever satisfy both? If Jack is the original ‘anti-format’, does spawning a Jack 2 (with positioning that’s the opposite to the masterbrand) work?

Outside breakfast, it’s using LDR to give a veneer of control to the listener, who’s informed when their song’s on. Whether that listener will bother once the novelty wears off, in a world of Spotify, or their own music library or YouTube remains to be seen. Music dedication’s USP on radio is surely that mention, that presenter endorsement? Even better-programmed listener-driven sequences offering this have failed before. XU anyone?

But hey, this is a station (to use James’s line) that’s as strong as a lightbulb and has had more names than Jan Leeming. Jack 2 gives it some buzz, and it’s cheap. Good luck, Jack 2.

You can also read 2ZY Listened In as part of Radio Today’s eRADIO newsletter every Wednesday. To subscribe, just go to radiotoday.co.uk/eradio

North Norfolk Digital has a new Listen Live app. We listened in to its star Mid Morning Matters presenter, Alan Partridge.

Listened In is 2ZY’s weekly air-check blog. Every week we listen to a random twenty minute sample of a station or programme in the news.

WHO  Alan Partridge

WHAT   North Norfolk Digital

WHEN  Wednesday 14 August 2013

0813

ID: North Norfolk … Digital (acapella)

ALAN: Riffs on Wuthering Heights Lyrics with Tommy Gaskell, who’s ex-special forces. “So you were in Afghanistan on holiday with some mates?,” asks Alan. “No, the forces,” replies his guest. “Which force, Parcelforce?” asks Sidekick Simon. Alan tries to get his guest to open up about his war experiences but he only wants to talk about outdoor survival techniques. Alan puts forward a survival scenario about the RSPB taking over Cheddar Gorge in a terrorist attack. “The last Osprey egg is scrambled for Russian oligarchs … and Bill Oddie goes apeshit … Wasn’t he once one of the goodies? Yeah, but now he’s a baddie!”

SONG: Cardiac Arrest/Madness

SONG: Duel/Propoganda

ALAN: The discussion continues cleverly on the back of the song. The survival expert recaps the special forces scenario and describes in detail a particular attack style in which their throats were cut. “If you get it right, the neck opens up like a Muppet’s mouth” “Oh my god”, says Alan. “It’s very bloody but its quick and it’s quiet.” Simon and Alan are struck dumb. “Any questions?” asks the expert. “Which muppet?” wonders Simon.

SONG: In Too Deep/Belinda Carlisle

SONG: Dance With Me/Tin Tin Out

ALAN: “You rejoin us on Mid Morning Matters, Tommy Gaskell survival expert still with us, and on line 2 we have Sophie. Sophie, what’s your tongue twister?” “Did that man hurt the muppets?,” asks the child caller. “No love he didn’t hurt any muppets, he simply dispatched some terrorists from a radicalised RSPB in Wookey Hole. It was simply when he slit the throats of the bad people they resembled the mouths of muppets.” Alan goes on to explain the nature of war with Sophie before saying goodbye to Tommy, “the first person we’ve had on North Norfolk Digital who’s killed someone (perfect pause) … deliberately. We all know about Simon Pickering from travel who reversed over a nurse. But that was an accident.”

SONG: Dare Me/Pointer Sisters

SUMMARY

This is a very clever app. Alan’s Mid Morning Matters has been re-cut and wraps around a random (or is it?) selection of your own tunes. The only annoyance is that these are left to the very end of the fade – the only thing that really detracts from the radio-alike nature of the experience.

The app’s been improved since launch and is now more stable. The clips are now better ordered and it’s less likely to crash if you have a big music library. He didn’t do it during our Listen In but Alan can apparently introduce/back anno particular artists; “Keep your clubs away from his young, it’s Seal”

Of course, being your own, the music is excellent. It certainly has a knack of digging around in your iTunes library for the Guilty-ish Pleasures which kind of fit the 100W-esque 106-108FM station you expect North Norfolk Digital to be.

Radio Alan: The Alan Partridge Player was conceived by Brighton-based app development studio Touch Fantastic and developed in collaboration with Baby Cow Productions and BBC Worldwide.

You can also read 2ZY Listened In as part of Radio Today’s eRADIO newsletter every Wednesday. To subscribe, just go to radiotoday.co.uk/eradio

As Alpha Papa’s released, we listen in to Alan Partridge’s station namesake out of Stody.

WHO   Dick Hutchinson

WHAT   North Norfolk Radio

WHEN   7 August 2013

Listened In is 2ZY’s weekly air-check blog. Every week we listen to a random twenty minute sample of a station or programme in the news.

0743

Walking on Broken Glass/Annie Lennox

Back Announce. “7.47 is the time.” Why do people digitally time check? Does anyone you know do it in real life? It’s like people who say ‘methinks’ and ‘Twas’. Anyway. Two tight traffic line about A148, and if you’re heading into Norwich, Sweet Briar Road’s bridge mains work is done. That’s on the main road into the city from the North Norfolk patch so nicely done. Solicits for calls for ‘Who’s on the Red Carpet’. Slick bit of production and a “Here’s what happened yesterday” clip. Seth in Fakenham didn’t win £420 by incorrectly guessing a mystery voice (groan) was Alice Cooper.

Liquid Lunch/Caro Emerald

“It’s North Norfolk Radio. The time is 7.51.” Quick listener mention about a traffic issue. Warm, local and tight link about  “Sheringham Carnival Day today including the parade and talent show. Battle of the Bands and the parade itself at 7. We’re there. Hopefully you can come and see us. We’re looking forward to that one. They’re assembling at 2.30 this afternoon, and the atmosphere building already.” (At 7.53?! OK.)

Sledgehammer/Peter Gabriel

“It is Peter Gabriel, the time 7.57. It is NNT. Lines are now closed then for Red Carpet. Playing for £430 very shortly and also soon we shall be talking again about  your teenage heartthrobs. And a whole host of them have been coming through. I’ll read out some of those a little later on. News though coming next at eight.

ID: North Norfolk Radio – (signature instrument: Glockenspiel).

ADS: Claws and Paws “for big pets, small pets and more.” Medium sized pets, perhaps?/Experience the timeless beauty of original oak structures” with ML Oak Buildings/”It’s coming up to 8 o’clock with Clayford & Abbs Nissan Dealer”

ID: Whoosh fx into another traffic read!

ID: Weather with Anglian Mowers. Reads weather ending with “At the moment at the Royal Cromer Golf Course it’s 14 degrees.”

ID: Just great songs and local news for North Norfolk. This is North Norfolk Radio.

“It’s 8 o’clock in the news centre, here’s Simon Fielding.”

NEWS: Body in UEA Lake/CPS ‘predatory’ row/Ex-offenders charity/Mattress Man trading standards row/Hoffman Cancer/”And the new Alan Partridge movie hits the big screen today. Some of Alpha Papa was filmed on Cromer Pier and Sheringham.” Clip of Steve Coogan.

ADS: Seat Leon

Coastal Waters Forecast.

RAMP: “Good morning, 7th august, It’s a Wednesday, half way through the week already and of course Sheringham Carnival parade day looking forward to that one, we’ll see you down there this evening if you can make it, a whole variety of events during the day as well, details on our website. Anyway, look, £430 in the Red Carpet jackpot, also talking about your teenage heart-throbs.”

ID: Breakfast .. with Dick! North Norfolk Radio.

When You’re Gone/Bryan Adams

SUMMARY

Lots of local. Warmth and involvement. Although in 20 minutes, I’d have liked to have heard Dick talking to someone. Other then the clip of yesterday’s Mystery Voi-, err, Red Carpet, he sounded a bit lonely.

The cheeseometer is not helped by some of the commercial production. The ML Oak Buildings ad ends with ‘please feel free to discuss your ideas on 01263 861970.” What, ANY ideas?

The station production is a bit out of kilter with the sound too. It’s a deep scary-sounding FVO. A banging weather bed. Using ‘just’ in a positioner is interesting too. ‘Just great songs and local news for North Norfolk’ suggests all the other stuff isn’t important. And does that description really apply to a Caro Emerald non-hit?

As the journeymen broadcasters of the county jostle to suggest Alan Partridge was drawn from their real-life personas, it’s good to see Dick doing the business. Add some laughs and someone for him to talk to, maybe? Perhaps wheel across Sidekick Simon from your famous DAB service …

You can also read 2ZY Listened In as part of Radio Today’s eRADIO newsletter every Wednesday. To subscribe, just go to radiotoday.co.uk/eradio

So long then, Yorkshire Radio. Born of Leeds United just after Ken Bates arrived, and closed four days after he left. We listened in to some of its final moments.

WHAT     Drive on Yorkshire Radio

WHO       Automated

WHEN     Tuesday 30 July 2013

Listened In is 2ZY’s weekly air-check blog. Every week we listen to a random twenty minute sample of a station or programme in the news.

1630

November Rain/Guns n Roses

ID: Football, rugby, racing and cricket on Yorkshire’s sports station. This is Yorkshire Radio.

Baba O’Riley/The Who

ID: This is Yorkshire Radio

Thorn in my Side/Eurythmics

ID: This is Yorkshire Radio

Lights/Ellie Goulding

ID: Football, rugby, racing and cricket on Yorkshire’s sports station this is Yorkshire Radio.

How to Save a Life/Fray

ID: This this this is Yorkshire Radio.

Melody Calling/The Vaccines

SUMMARY

“Why do 100,000 sports fans tune into Yorkshire Radio every week? This Summer, the sport never stops on Yorkshire’s sports station,” says the liner off the 1700 news, one hour before the station is due to closedown. (Yeah, OK I broke the Listened In rule of only listening to 20 minutes – just to see if they’d ever actually mention their impending demise.)

I wouldn’t say it was sudden but the station was tweeting @SimonPWalker22 “Sorry you didn’t win today … try again tomorrow,” earlier this morning. The clues were there, I guess. MXR’s wobbliness, Bates’s departure and Radio Leeds getting commentary back for the first time in years. Yorkshire Radio was pretty well-programmed, nicely targeted – but still failed to do much more than half a million hours, and a 0.5 share. Guessing this didn’t help either.

There some apposite song scheduling going on, showing some of the station’s undoubted brio. Cranberries, Linger out of the news. “Nothin’ lasts forever,” sing GnR. “In the End”, Linkin Park. Oh, and then there was Del Amitri. “Always the Last to Know.”

Of course, it’s sad when more radio jobs are lost. And when stations go silent for the last time.

But when it’s been done this speedily, and with no on-air mention before a final, simple, on-air announcement, why bother carrying on at all? “Oh, just turn the rack off on your way out, fellas.”

Sad for the team. Good luck, guys.

You can also read 2ZY Listened In as part of Radio Today’s eRADIO newsletter every Wednesday. To subscribe, just go to radiotoday.co.uk/eradio

History is being made in Egypt. But it’s business as usual on Cairo’s ex-pat/English hits station Nile FM.

WHO  Mark and Sally

WHAT  Nile FM

WHEN  Wednesday 10 July 2013

Listened In is 2ZY’s weekly air-check blog. Every week we listen to a random twenty minute sample of a station or programme in the news.

0827

I Gotta Feeling/Manny Lopez

ID: New Music (echo) Number one for New Music. 104.2 Nile FM

The Way it Used to Be/Mike Posner

Mark back announces. Hits the traffic ID.

Traffic. Which comes with a Ramadan greeting at the top. But with not a lot of traffic. A ‘usual trouble spots, call us if you know different’ kind of bulletin.

ID: The Morning Show Lie Detector.

“It’s Sally this morning, on the Lie Detector.” Sally’s the one we heard on the traffic.

And this is actually Call my Bluff. But without the production values.

Sally reads three ‘facts’. One isn’t true.

Laughing when tickled is a panic response.

There is a second brain in your gut.

The heart of a blue whale is very small in comparison to its size.

They riff around the facts a bit. “Are you ticklish, Mark,” asks Sally. “I am!” Gales of laughter all round. “It’s the biggest animal in the world, isn’t it?” “Something like that,” replies Sally. David Attenborough has nothing to worry about. “Its heart is the size of a mini fridge.”

Sally is American and speaks far too quickly, which means she trips and giggles about it a lot. Mark sounds like a DJ. He actually said “There You Go,” at one point. Text/Facebook solicit to take part

ID: It’s another Nile FM Ramadan request.

“Radwa says today is my 6th anniversary. Please play Cheryl Cole’s Parachute for my beautiful husband.”

Parachute/Cheryl Cole

ID: Are You Ready? 104.2 Nile FM.

Everything Has Changed/Taylor Swift

Sally back announces. She trips over the word changed, and they riff on Bowie. Mark cues her almost imperceptibly; “Are you gonna say something about Ed Sheeran?” “Yeah, a friend ran into him in a  supermarket in the UK and got her picture taken with him. He’s like a really nice person.” “It’s the price of fame,” suggests Mark, “and going out to the supermarkets.”

Sally reads the facts again. Mark reads texts. He thinks the blue whale would need a large heart. He’s right. The heart of a blue whale is actually 2000 lbs and only beats once every ten seconds. It’s the size of a sports car. Mark “likes marine wildlife. Cos they’re fascinating things.” Throws forward to U2.

TRAIL: There’s a new time for the big drive home this Ramadan.

ID: The hit music starts now with Mark and Sally. 104.2 Nile FM.

Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own/U2

SUMMARY

The country you’re broadcasting to is in turmoil. But if you’re “#1 for Hit Music!,” you don’t even reference it (in a twenty minute listen).

(And actually, even when the (clearly recorded) news – sorry, “The Buzz” came on at 0900 – it had showbiz, tennis, sport, exchange rates, an and finally about a wooly mammoth, and weather. “I’m Sally and that’s today’s Buzz.” OK, so “Egypt’s Army warns of disruption after Morsi deposed” might be a bit of a, well, buzz killer, but you’d think they’d have mentioned it somewhere.)

The imaging has once again beamed in from 1992 or thereabouts. “Are You Ready?” Am I ready for what, exactly? “The hit music starts now!” So what have I been listening to for the last quarter hour?

The Ramadan references are the only clue that we’re in Cairo and not Carlisle. And nothing topical in the listen. And re-heating Call My Bluff? No actual traffic news?

They’re warm enough together, I guess, and if this is your only fix of Western hit songs, it’s clearly filling a need. But I learnt way too much about the respiratory system of a blue whale – and way too little about how it felt to be in Egypt this morning.

You can also read 2ZY Listened In as part of Radio Today’s eRADIO newsletter every Wednesday. To subscribe, just go to radiotoday.co.uk/eradio

It can be hard work, moving on a popular and locally identified presenter. Trust me, I know. But on the week Professor Carl Chinn MBE issued the most polite post-sacking press release ever, we listened in to his final show.

Mr Birmingham

Listened In is 2ZY’s weekly air-check blog. Every week we listen to a random twenty minute sample of a station or programme in the news.

WHO    Carl Chinn

WHAT   BBC WM

WHEN  23 June 2013

“I think you’ve left a legacy. You’ve encouraged a generation of people to get interested in local history … you’ve been a beacon in that sense, and now your show is passing into that history thing,” says a caller as I tune in. Carl thanks him and handbrake turns into the kind of non-sequitur that made his name “Now let me just tell you about the Walton Lions Air Rifle Club. They have a 4 in 1 open day and shoot.” Admission is 50p at the Great Barr Conservative Club, in case you’re interested.

You might not have heard of Carl Chinn south of Studley, but this former bookie turned historian has been on WM for nearly 20 years.

“Thank you to everybody, I’m inundated with messages about it being my last show on BBC WM today. “

Dave Evetts has ‘stopped driving his car to listen’. (Does the radio not work when it’s stationary?) Anyway, he thanks Carl on behalf of all the Bullring Traders, for his support over 20 years. “With your help, we have, in the last few days, been assured by the deputy leader that the future of the retail market is confirmed, even with the move of the wholesale market,” which is pretty good testament to the power Carl’s “Mr Brum” status. This is, after all, a man who the press tipped to be an elected mayor of the city had that happened.

Stuart and June are past members of the Brum St Georges Day Association, and text in. David Carson says “all the family are shocked and disappointed. My Mum and Dad in particular will miss you on the airwaves. I hope you’ll continue making young and old proud of their area. It’s a unique show.” Certainly it’s not the kind of thing you’d hear anywhere other than WM.

“And it’s been a unique show not because of me, but because of all of us. It’s our show, we’ve been together. Awww, let’s play some news (sic).

Pleasant Valley Sunday/Monkees

More texts, emails keep coming. From Hilda, Billy, Loz, Johnny Tucker and the St Josephs School, Irene and Bill, Wendy. “We’re all pals together. Thank you Gina, lovely words.”

TRAIL: Pete Morgan at Breakfast. Retrospective trail looking back at an OB the previous week. The only tease to tomorrow’s show is ‘I’m live in Tamworth.’ For any particular reason?

It’s getting more surreal. “Thank you to Ted in Shirley who says Carl, on behalf of the Romany gypsies of Birmingham, thank you for everything, and for helping me get a Masters degree in History at the age of 76.”

More; Sheila, Gerald, Bob, June – who’s been listening since the start. Ann, Dave who’s ‘devastated,’ Lou who says “sorry to hear about your show, but would you mind announcing that I’ll be hosting a fabric roll ends sale in aid of cancer research?”

ID: Willenhall, Yardley, Selly Oak, Wolverhampton and Sparkbrook. Haye your say across the West Midlands on BBC WM 95.6. (About what?)

Before the arsonist.

Onto an interview, and a bit of a gem it is. The fascinating story of ‘Forward’, a bit of public art that’s inspired a new event. Forward was a famous statue in the city centre. Before vandals chopped off one of its heads, and youths set fire to it. Carl is talking to an artist who’s working on an event inspired by the work. “It was a controversial statue. Some people thought it was Stalinistic looking, but I loved it, it was all about our industry and moving forward,” says Carl, with some passion. And ever the historian, “Make sure you put a copy of the manuscript in the Central Library.”

TRAIL: Loving where you Live BBC bus tour.

“This is my very last show on a Sunday. it hasn’t been my decision, but you know, such is life.”

SUMMARY

There aren’t many people who know more about Birmingham than Carl Chinn. £270 is a relatively hefty show fee, sure, but he was certainly well-networked, much-loved, and on-target for a network that goes after an audience “50 and over, who are not well-served elsewhere, although the service may appeal to all those interested in local issues. There should be a strong emphasis on interactivity and audience involvement.” (From the BBC LR service licence).

This particular segment was rambly and self-indulgent, sure, but the Forward interview shows what Carl’s capable of on a normal week, and despite being on a phone with no illustration, this was a fascinating interview.

It’s not even like the show was aimed way, way too old, or was too music-led for a speech-imaged station.  And even if it had been, most programmers will tolerate a show that they didn’t invent so long as it’s still doing good business, is not damaging the brand – and parked in a relatively innocuous part of the schedule. Even harder to fathom when the station is embarking on a marketing campaign to sell its local credentials (aka parking a bus in a windswept shopping centre).

Dispensing with the good Professor’s services is a shame and a risk. Especially as in the choppy waters of the WM refresh, he provides a bit of driftwood for traditional listeners to cling on to. Floating, presumably, next to the ever-shrinking Doolan-shaped piece.

You can also read 2ZY Listened In as part of Radio Today’s eRADIO newsletter every Wednesday. To subscribe, just go to radiotoday.co.uk/eradio

A follow-up item sparked by the untimely death of Rory Morrison, is a moment for PM to reflect on the power of the human voice.

Listened In is 2ZY’s weekly air-check blog. Every week we listen to a random twenty minute sample of a station or programme in the news.

WHO      Eddie Mair

WHAT    PM on BBC Radio 4

WHEN   18 June 2013

Rory Morrison, remembered by colleagues on PM this week.

1735

Professor Richard Betts is from the Met Office, and is on to talk about today’s weather summit in which meteorologists are discussing our recent bizarre weather. He’s a bit geeky, and there’s not much new information until Eddie asks a very Mairish question, which brings him to life. “It must be fun, you got a bunch of experts together, it must be quite invigorating.”

TRAIL: File on 4 on town hall sell-offs.

1738

Jeremy Forrest Trial 2-way. Someone has left an FX mic up and it’s hard to make out what Duncan Kennedy is saying. “You know what Duncan, we’re hearing all the background noise significantly louder than you, which is disappointing. So we’ll regroup and check our technicals .. It’s twenty to six. Have you got some headlines, Luke, that would certainly help me out?,” bails Eddie, calmly.

1740

Heads: Taliban talks/Cameron on Syria/Inflation up

Back to Duncan for a text book court 2-way on the Forrest case.

1743

Then a brilliant running feature. “Last week on the programme, following the death of one our Radio 4 colleagues, Rory Morrison, we talked about the impact radio voices can have on listeners, and we played a montage of some of those which have been silenced in recent years.”

Montage of John Peel, Linda Smith and Ned Sherrin.

Eddie reads some interaction. One listener heard the montage, cried, then listened to her Dad’s old answerphone messages. Then there’s a powerful Skype clip of listener Rachel who still calls her dead son Jack’s voicemail to hear his voice. “Silly though it may sound, I leave a message.” Eddie teases ahead. “Rachel hasn’t called for some months and is worried the message may no longer be there. We’ll have an update in a moment.”

Then there’s a pre-rec with Linda Smith’s partner, Warren Lake. He talks with real emotion about the power of the voice after a bereavement. He goes on to explain that hearing the montage inspired him to deposit Linda’s old recordings with the University of Kent’s stand-up comedy course. “Would you mind if we played a clip to finish?,” asks Eddie politely and plays the brilliant Linda from Just a Minute.

And to finish; “Rachel called Jack’s number – and got the message, the number you have dialled is not available. Please check and try again. She will check and try again. But fears that could be it.”

1752

Piece on Charles Saatchi/Nigella Lawson story, and police caution. “Someone who knows what it’s like to assault your partner, is Chris Avery, who was violent to his girlfriend during their 13 year relationship, but has since learnt not to be. What did he make of Charles Saatchi’s comments there?” Into a fascinating chat, not from an expert or a support group, but someone’s who been in that situation.

SUMMARY

Great current affairs talk radio needs a few important ingredients. The ability to respond to breaking stories. The confidence not to follow every other news agenda and come up with original journalism, stories you won’t hear on anyone else’s show. Treatment and brio in choice of guests. And the indefinable point-of-difference from a presenter who adds value, catalysing the work of solid producers to create radio moments.

PM delivers all of this, in a show that seems perfectly cast around its leading man. Arch, witty, and calm – and a beautiful economy of language.

Rory Morrison was not the biggest star on Radio 4. He was one part of the glue that sticks together this random collection of programmes and makes it a radio station.

But in reflecting his passing, PM managed, in nine minutes, to philosophise on the nature of radio, follow-up on the memory of another big network name, and tell a bittersweet story about coping with bereavement. None of which, arguably, was essential in a news review of the day’s events. But that’s why PM is so special.

You can also read 2ZY Listened In as part of Radio Today’s eRADIO newsletter every Wednesday. To subscribe, just go to radiotoday.co.uk/eradio

There’s a ‘brand new way to wake up in Wigan and St Helens’ according to wishfm.net. So we listened in.

Listened In is 2ZY’s weekly air-check blog. Every week we listen to a random twenty minute sample of a station or programme in the news.

WHO: Neal Atkinson

WHAT: Wish FM Breakfast

WHEN: Wednesday 12 June

0759

PROMO: It’s a 90s Revival weekend on Wish FM

AD: “It’s 8 o’clock. Time to visit stagecoachbus.com ..”

ID: Across Wigan and St Helens on 102.4, Todays best mix – Wish FM – 90 second news.

NEWS: Campaign to get Steve Prescott a Pride of Britain Award/Neville Neville in court/Missing woman in Newton Le Willows/Booze Advertising Ban/Community Shield train problems. There’s more online at wishfm.net.

AD: Weetabix

ID: Wish FM weather + inordinately long sponsor tag

ID: Neal Atkinson at Breakfast – Oh Yeah – Wish FM

Pink/Written in the Stars

Forward sells music. “Went to bed last night it was June, woke up this morning, and it’s November,” in the first of many refs to the dull weather. “It’s 12 days to Wimbledon. 4 sleeps to Fathers’ Day and the best thing about Wednesday? Only 2 days to weekend.”

Cheesy music bed. It’s part two of a survey question. “1 in 4 women in Wigan and St Helens describe this person as controlling and rude. Who is it?” All text reaction, no callers. “Is it my four year old?,” asks one. This is the kicker for a nice story from Neal, talk about his young daughter. There’s warmth and wit, and for the first time he presents like a human-being rather than a presenter.  Mother in laws, ‘their partner’, Simon Cowell, Ex-partner, Teenage kids all get a mention. The producer’s contribution on teenage kids? “Well? tell them where to go! I’m not a parent, I don’t like children,” which even in jest is an interesting position. “What you got, Jode?,” asks Neil bringing in voice three. Their  boyfriends, or a set of parents, or maybe its David Cameron. “Karen says mother in law. They have the look. That’s women, not just mother in laws.” The answer, apparently, is the mother in law. “Ooooh. I’m saying nothing. I haven’t got one of those,” says producer. Laughter. “I have!,” says Neal. Hysterical laughter. “She listens!” Forward promote. School Run on next – winning “cool before school” prizes.

ADS: Chapel House/Hampson Hughes (Bizarre. Pastiche of Herman’s Hermits “I’m onto Something Good with one of the voiceovers being a Scooby Doo impersonation for no editorial reason)/Halifax

PROMO: “Weekdays at 12, catch up with the most addictive quiz on the radio.” Meal for 10 to be won at The Chinese Buffet. Wish FM’s War of the Workplace. And details of how to register online.

AD: Churchill (Dawn French has a cold. The dog is as annoying as ever.)

TRAVEL: “New speed limits are coming.” 20 mph campaign by local council – tag in. “Usual busy spots on usual routes into Wigan and St Helens.” Talk about the nightmare on M6 yesterday when it was closed. And a little actual travel news.

ID: Neal Atkinson at Breakfast “I must only use this power to annoy” (Simpsons clip) Wish FM

Calvin Harris/I Need Your Love

“Wish FM – the weather is pants but the tune’s good. Dull wet and windy, Highs of 20 degrees. Might get sunshine late afternoon, gonna be rubbish next few days. Are you ON the school run this morning?

Flintstones School Run jingle including the line “We’ll have you there in no time, we’ll pay your speed fines,” a few minutes after that 20mph ad campaign. Ooops. Bethany Rooney is on. “Are you related to Wayne?” No. Laughter. Bethany wants Kiss You by 1D, predictably. “Whats your favourite TV show?,” they ask. Jessie. It’s about a babysitter apparently. “What do you wanna do when you’re older, be a baby sitter or a teacher or something? “No idea,” says Bethany, who maybe wants to be a quantum physicist. “Just wanna make loads of money!,” suggests Neil. “What’s your favourite joke?” “What’s the slowest creature in galaxy? A snalian.” She sings the song. “They’re all too talented, says Neal. “Too talented for this show.”

1D/Kiss You

SUMMARY

It may be a nineties revival this weekend, but other than the tunes, it’s a nineties revival this morning.

This had flashes of nice stuff. Neal talking about his daughter was a genuine story. Sadly, it was drowning in a lot of cobweb covered 90s benchmarks, not quite believable ‘casting’ and a slightly ‘we’re so zany’ feel. Brian Blessed VOs. Simpson clips. Sponsored time checks. “Todays Best Mix” – what does that even mean? Were the mother-in-law gags an attempt to make everything else in the show sound contemporary?

It wasn’t badly executed, and Neal sounds nice enough.

It’s a funny news agenda morning, and I wasn’t expecting much on Turkey, but the wages story feels like a bit of  a miss. Lots of other good local lines though. Traffic wasn’t very plausible, and the Royal Statistical Society wouldn’t be impressed with the survey game – ‘1 in 4 women in Wigan and St Helens’ indeed.

Come up with some new games, only laugh when actually amused about something, maybe up the song count a little, and focus on Neal, and this could be 2013.

You can also read 2ZY Listened In as part of Radio Today’s eRADIO newsletter every Wednesday. To subscribe, just go to radiotoday.co.uk/eradio