Radio Killed The Radio Star

This blog entry is about radio. Something I think I know a little about after being in the “industry” for over a decade. The important thing to remember is I am saying I know a little about it, I do not proclaim to know everything and this is just one man’s opinion. That all said, if you don’t like the sound of it then feel free to tune out now.

Earlier this week I found myself getting genuinely excited by radio again. It has been well over a year since I left Moray Firth Radio (MFR) and back then the last thing I wanted to do was listen to radio. For as long as I can remember, I have always embraced the medium that is the airwaves. Going way back to when I was a child. When it was taken away from me in 2008 that love affair was over. That was until like most things from your past, it crept up unannounced and pinched me on the bum!

The prospect of Chris Evans moving from Drive-Time to Breakfast on BBC Radio 2 interested me but didn’t excite me. Nothing against Chris Evans, nothing at all. I have a lot of respect for him as a broadcaster and as a person - not to mention, fellow Proclaimers fan. My lack of anticipation was born out of my lacklustre approach towards the medium of radio in recent times. Towards the end of my time at MFR I had became so cynical and disillusioned by many things, which had stripped me of my passion for radio. Part of that was my fault, part of that was others. My fault for letting them do it to me.

Credit where credit is due, Chris Evans brought me back to the radio in a big way on Monday morning. It wasn’t even planned. I awoke early and leaned over to turn on my radio. In a sleepy haze I something fumbled through my mind much like my hands over the radio controls (I resisted using the word “knob” there... but didn’t there.) that this was Chris Evans first breakfast show on Radio 2. It was everything a breakfast show should be. Big songs, entertaining links (the talky bits between the songs!) and bursting with personality - in this case, that distinctive Chris Evans. I truly believe nobody does it better than him. It was a master class in how to do a radio show. The balance between light and shade was spot-on and a lot, and I do mean a lot, of radio stations could learn a lot from it.

I say that a lot of radio stations could learn a lot from The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2, however I do not believe they will. Commercial radio stations are too busy focusing on the bottom line to focus on what their top-tier broadcasts should be doing. It was not always this case but now in the days of huge radio networks owning stations across the country, the drive is all about figures - and I am not talking listening ones. Personalities have been ripped from the airwaves in the fear they may offend someone or at the very least turn someone off. An unwritten policy of “bland is safe” has came into effect where in some cases, very talented radio personalities have been turned into highly scripted readers of sponsors, promotions and sales. A continual barrage of sell, sell, sell interspersed with the odd generic one-liner taken from radio show preparation websites that are used across the country daily, amazingly sometimes encouraged by management! This of course only adds to the safety and blandness of it all, as everything begins to sound the same across the dial. Presenters lose their personalities in the name of competition but in all honesty they lose more than that, for the dedicated listener loses interest in everything sounding the same. People want choice, however with choice comes risk and with that comes a gamble, something these big radio networks get a squeaky bum about. Too interested on the “business” part of show business to even give a damn about the “show”.

The quick-fix to all of this, as radio stations scramble against the might of national BBC Radio is to pull in a personality. Ironically the thing they killed by playing it safe in the fear of offending anyone. When I say offend, I do of course mean on any level, from aghast to merely a dislike of an individuals personality. Take that away from the presenter and there is nothing to dislike. The problem is, there is also nothing left to like either. What happens next is an “educated risk”, although it is not called that obviously as risk is a very, very bad word in radio these days. Ooh scary word risk. So roll out the personalities to go against the power of Chris Evans, Chris Moyles, Steve Wright, Simon Mayo, etc... WAIT!! Those personalities are have been either pulled from the commercial radio airwaves or the presenters have lost the confidence to do it after being continually told to “drop it”. The talent pool is weaker and weaker as those personalities no longer thrive on UK radio. Where do the Chris Evans and Steve Wrights of tomorrow come from now? A dangerous precedent was set a number of years ago when national radio stations started using non-radio presenters to host shows. This was around the time TV exploded (not literally) with channels and the radio industry needed to find a way to compete. The easy option was to bring in a known personality. It doesn’t need to be trained, it doesn’t need to be nurtured and it doesn’t need to be introduced to an audience. It has been tried and tested in their past industry, be it music, acting, television, film or stage so there is again no obvious risk to the big radio networks as on paper this person is proven to be popular in his or her field, so of course they will be popular on the radio, right? Right?!

In truth, the UK radio industry needs a massive shake-up. However this will never happen while the bottom line continues to work for the big radio networks, no matter what the output quality is, as long as the industry can sustain it through continued cutbacks in the form of networking and syndication, and longer show lengths to save a wage from the output. The only hope right now is a maverick comes along and starts doing radio for the sake of radio. Get back to the basics and stop trying to be something it is not. Sure, radio like anything needs to move with the times but to try and compete with TV and internet is foolish to say the very least. These platforms should be embraced, not shunned. It still amazes me how so many radio stations do not utilise the internet to it’s full potential.

Other factors come into play as well, including the much overused “sex sells” belief. Put someone who is considered to be attractive physically on the radio and you’ll get the listeners in. Utter madness and has never worked long-term. The old adage of “a face for the radio” rings true because it is not about what you see, but what you hear. The sooner we get back to that the better for us all, those in the industry and more importantly us radio listeners. The strength in my argument here is the handful of names the spring to mind when asked “Who are the best radio presenters in the UK right now?”. For me, Chris Evans on BBC Radio 2 is a no-brainer, and the much over-looked and under-stated Ian Collins on TalkSport. There are a few on a local level too but since I actually know some of them, it would not be impartial of me to name them.

Finally, am I just a bitter ex-radio presenter venting for the sake of it? I honestly don’t believe so. Those who do not like me will certainly subscribe to the theory however. This is my opinion, dare I say, this is my personality coming into play here - and I can assure you that is not bland or safe in the slightest!!