@johnco online

There’s a presenter in New York called “Broadway” Bill Lee. He hosts afternoon drive on WCBS-FM and he’s revered around the world as a one-of-a-kind who delivers his tunes with unmatched energy and precision. I’ve been a fan for years thanks to some airchecks of him bossing an analogue studio and delivering 20″ links that entertain, do all the bits of business required and still get neatly to the vocal.

But it’s impossible to understand his work if you cant hear it, so here are a couple of bits…

Energy, excitement and what we now call “cheese”.

Bill is unique and I don’t for a second suggest that aspiring presenters go straight out and copy him – or the other radio presenters of his generation that had similar acts.

Here in the UK we had the Radio 1 DJs, almost all of whom were influenced by the pirate DJs of the 1960s – or had started out offshore. Some were well past their sell-by date while others evolved their style over the years still sounding very much themselves but building more into their links and primarily setting out to entertain. At one extreme you would hear Steve Wright – at the other people like Gary Davies or Peter Powell.

I doubt any of those presenters would disagree that there was a dose of artifice in their work. Real people being the best “radio version” of themselves.

Then came Radio Fab.

Smashy and Nicey took on the old-school radio DJs who had never really moved with the times. I’m convinced that you have to have some aspects at the core of your gig but everything else needs to be reinvented depending on the show, the station or even just the passage of time. Cartainly that’s why I feel I’m still standing.

But in sweeping away the dinosaurs, a lot of particularly good presenters found themselves being let go. It was no longer enough to love music, keep your head down and play the hits as that was “cheesy”. Meanwhile radio became full of “storytellers”, many of whom struggled with the basics.

As always, some of the new breed have been superb and have grown strong followings on the radio.

But I fear that with many, we’ve lost the simple art of getting away the music while chatting to the listener as we get through the day together.

The launch of Boom Radio has begun to address the slide, but I fear that for many British Radio landscape wasn’t changed by shifting demographics and highly paid consultants.

It was changed by Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse many years ago.

Not everyone likes to read – as I should know! So I’ve decided to make a podcast version of the blog for those who want to grab it that way. It won’t just be me reading out the words – there will be asides and such. Otherwise it would be a horrible listen.

At the time of writing I’m in the process of adding it to all the usual places and it’s already live on Spotify (just search “John’s Radio Room”.

If you’re old-school and want the RSS feed – here it is! https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/873643.rss

I look forward to hearing from you!

The last year has been a stellar one for commercial and community radio in the UK. The level of innovation has shot through the roof and broadcasters unseated by changes at heritage stations have decided to spend less time being annoyed and more innovating and reinventing.

My friend Nails Mahoney pointed out the other day that it’s healthy to be fed up when your gig vaporises, but if you decide to get back into the game then know that they won’t come to you. The 2020s have seen some leaps and strides that tell me radio is going great guns.

The consolidated larger stations are getting their act together. Bauer’s recent moves to build out Greatest Hits in particular will pay dividends when we start measuring audiences again.

Two national launches have really stood out for me. I had high hopes for Times Radio – and it’s exceeded them. A very strong lineup and a station that’s constantly interesting. I wish their early breakfast started at 4am because Calum McDonald is just so good. Every time I listen to it I end up wondering when BBC 5 Live lost its way. One issue for me with them is the number of technical errors in their overnight when highlights don’t fit their slots and audio gets chopped off. Outstanding work though and if it’s working financially I’m delighted.

The station that’s blown me away though, is Boom Radio. Designed for over 60s and operated on a tight budget, it has replaced Radio 2 in my listening – I’ll tell you why later. It’s not the on-air team that attract me as many of them were never available on my radio in Scotland back in the day so they’re new to me. They’re certainly talented and experienced. No, it’s the music that does it for me.

With Radio 2 moving younger it makes too many excursions into tunes I just don’t get. I’m 58, I get that, but it’s pushing younger and nudging me towards the door.

Boom on the other hand shares much of the same canon but its excursions mean a deeper dive into 60s and 70s hits that don’t get played as much (if at all) elsewhere. To me that makes for an overall listen that surprises and delights, and one I’m listening to more and more.

Add to those successes the plucky online stations that are popping up all over the country. They vary in size and sound but one thing pours out of the smart speaker – passion. These presenters come from many backgrounds and their music selections come from all manner of places, but their offerings matter and some of the innovations will change British Radio going forward.

We now have the virtual radio dial I dreamed of as a boy. Signals from all over the world and the ability to pick and choose like never before. As a broadcaster I have more opportunities than ever before (always looking for more ;-))

We really never have had it so good.

From time to time we read that major radio operators have asked for changes in the formats of their individual stations. Often this has been with a view to turning stations they operate from individual local services and moving towards either actual national networks or hybrid networks.

Unlike many, I don’t have any real problem with this. The newly networked brands tend to do well and offer listeners a polished and professional product. The large operators invest in content and enjoy a good relationship with the regulator.

To my eyes, Community Radio has been emerging as the new local radio over the past decade. Often running on volunteers and strictly limited resources, the sector has produced engaging local content with passionate presenters with constantly surprising music and speech.

A new tier has now appeared alongside these stations. Local operators distributing their content online via websites, apps and smart speakers. Often run by radio presenters with a good degree of expertise and funding, they aim to recapture the commitment of the local radio stations that once operated in their markets. Technology and many of the new tricks we’ve all learned during the last year play their part in keeping costs under control.

The large operators enjoy a good relationship with the regulator. Ofcom enforces a ‘light touch’ and is minded to allow them to make their moves as they see fit.

The new online stations don’t have content regulation and can do whatever they see fit! Their output is regulated by the general laws of the land – not the Office of Communications.

Meanwhile the Community FM stations labour under a regime where there are limits on their fundraising and the concept of ‘key commitments’. Rather than have a format like the larger operators community stations, community stations submit to agreed things like live hours, types of content and so on. To miss these targets attracts fines or possible licence revocation.

Surely this is an anomaly?

The biggest stations can generally run heir businesses largely unmolested. The online-only ones avoid the these hoops altogether. But the little stations with their low power FM signals and largely volunteer teams struggle under the full weight of regulations that they don’t have the power to easily alter.

Surely it’s time for Ofcom to abandon the regulation of formats and output. Instead they should concentrate on taste & decency while regulating the use of broadcast spectrum.

No sector of the thriving industry needs protecting from any other. Those with the creativity and fleetness of foot to grow and excel will. The people that will benefit most will be the listeners.

As always, of course, in the trenches of radio there will be the usual challenges. I can’t remember when programmers didn’t cordially distrust the “bean counters” and senior programmers didn’t have to make occasional compromise in the cause of revenue.

But removing content controls will allow the whole sector to plot it’s own future course. As we emerge from the most unpredictable time in many years that can only be a good thing.