Paul O'Grady Quits BBC Radio 2 permanently.

[alex397]

I dont listen to radio 2 on a Sunday as although I'm in the target demographic for radio 2, Sundays feels like its aimed at people twice my age.

you mean to say you don’t like the west end show tunes? I have them on full blast! </sarcasm>

 

[warwickshire]

As well Sunday afternoons. Monday to Friday afternoons will not be the same either with Steve Wright in the afternoon and his sense of Humour. Especially during some of the hits on there.
Tony Blackburn. Steve Wright. Paul o Grady. Ken Bruce make bbc Radio 2 what it is today. Will not be the same.
Not forgetting Sally Traffic on the travel news. Also with Sally traffic you get some train news as well as traffic.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

you mean to say you don’t like the west end show tunes? I have them on full blast! </sarcasm>

EPOS*? Can't stand one second of the show. Which is unfortunate as it precedes Sounds of the Seventies. I do wonder whether she's been on the sherry sometimes.

*Electronic Point Of Sale, or Elaine Paige On Sunday. Take your pick.

However I’m finding myself listening less to Radio 2 and more to Radio 6 Music. I’m a bit disappointed I’ve only discovered this station now. The first radio station I’ve listened to where I like the vast majority of music. The presenters are much more calm, and talk more about geeky aspects of the music rather than unbearable and painful inane chatter you hear on mainstream radio stations.

Radio 6 is simply pop radio for the middle aged. Daytime formulaic output using the same tricks as any commercial station - audience interaction, information nuggets, weekly playlists with 'high rotation' for this weeks favourites etc. I never understood how one week a presenter can rave about a particular track as the best thing ever released yet a week later it is wiped from existence. Makes it difficult to have respect/regard for the presenter when I know they don't believe what they are saying. I do like Giddy Old Co (Gideon Coe) of an evening and I liked Shaun Keaveny's show and style until they moved his slot and surrounded his speaking parts with dire music. Not sure who chooses the music, obviously it has to meet the target demographic. Creeping Urbanisation was how one person put it I think, relating to Radcliffe and Maconie who were moved at the same time.

Basically I like shows where the presenter is clearly knowledgeable about their specialist music, or life generally if presenting a generic show, rather than being a hired mouthpiece to spout a script with someone else choosing the music. That takes years of living and breathing your subject matter, which many of the Radio 6 presenters have of course, rather than it just being your job of the moment.

 

[Andyh82]

I remember discussing on a forum 10 years ago that it’s a shame there isn’t a Radio 1.5 when Nick Grimshaw replaced Chris Moyles and it was a shock to the system to the older end of the Radio 1 listeners, and it’s still the case now

I think officially Radio 1 is only supposed to serve under 30s which leaves Radio 2 trying to appeal to everyone from 30 to 90 which is clearly impossible and I know many people in their 30s don’t want to listen to Steve Wright that your dad listens to

Ideally you’d have a Radio 1.5 catering for people in their 30s/40s who still want to hear the latest music but less of the rap stuff with gaps in the lyrics where they’ve blanked out all the swears/drug/gang references that you get on Radio 1. People like Sara Cox, Jo Whiley, Scott Mills would probably be on here. And then Radio 2 would focus on the over 50s with the more traditional presenters like Tony Blackburn, Steve Wright, Ken Bruce. You’d probably have kept an older presenter on breakfast longer rather than going with Zoe Ball.

Those age ranges can obviously move 10 years either way depending on how young at heart you are

They’d never do it now and the commercial sector would block it. Shame they didn’t do it in the BBC’s boom period when they launched 6 Music/1xtra etc

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I remember discussing on a forum 10 years ago that it’s a shame there isn’t a Radio 1.5 when Nick Grimshaw replaced Chris Moyles and it was a shock to the system to the older end of the Radio 1 listeners, and it’s still the case now

I think officially Radio 1 is only supposed to serve under 30s which leaves Radio 2 trying to appeal to everyone from 30 to 90 which is clearly impossible and I know many people in their 30s don’t want to listen to Steve Wright that your dad listens to

Ideally you’d have a Radio 1.5 catering for people in their 30s/40s who still want to hear the latest music but less of the rap stuff with gaps in the lyrics where they’ve blanked out all the swears/drug/gang references that you get on Radio 1. People like Sara Cox, Jo Whiley, Scott Mills would probably be on here. And then Radio 2 would focus on the over 50s with the more traditional presenters like Tony Blackburn, Steve Wright, Ken Bruce. You’d probably have kept an older presenter on breakfast longer rather than going with Zoe Ball.

Those age ranges can obviously move 10 years either way depending on how young at heart you are

They’d never do it now and the commercial sector would block it. Shame they didn’t do it in the BBC’s boom period when they launched 6 Music/1xtra etc

I'm not sure the (recently) over 50's want to listen to Tony Blackburn! He is from the era of pirate radio, a 14 year old in 1964 when Radio Caroline launched would be 72 now.

 

[duncanp]

I'm not sure the (recently) over 50's want to listen to Tony Blackburn! He is from the era of pirate radio, a 14 year old in 1964 when Radio Caroline launched would be 72 now.

Tony Blackburn is nearly 80 now, but you wouldn't know it from listening to him on the Radio.

His main audience will be people who grew up in the 60s and want to hear that music again.

But he also gets requests from younger people who are discovering 60s music for the first time.

What matters is not the age of the presenter, but whether they can engage with their audience and not talk down to them.

 

[yorksrob]

I'm not sure the (recently) over 50's want to listen to Tony Blackburn! He is from the era of pirate radio, a 14 year old in 1964 when Radio Caroline launched would be 72 now.

I'm an under 50 and I enjoy listening to Tony Blackburn.

 

[Butts]

Tony Blackburn is nearly 80 now, but you wouldn't know it from listening to him on the Radio.

His main audience will be people who grew up in the 60s and want to hear that music again.

But he also gets requests from younger people who are discovering 60s music for the first time.

What matters is not the age of the presenter, but whether they can engage with their audience and not talk down to them.

I completely agree the man deserves some respect having been there virtually since the inception of popular radio on the BBC.

He did after all play the first ever record on Radio One - Move- Flowers in the Rain way back in 1967 ?

"Arnold" was actually mentioned the other week, Tony saying he had gone to "The Great Dog Basket in the Sky" as he would be 58 if still alive.

It would be wonderful if they could have a TV Show featuring all the old greats reminiscing about the past.

Tony, DLT, Peter Powell, Paul Burnett, David Hamilton, Simon Bates, Noel Edmunds, Paul Gambaccini - any others and sorry any I mentioned have passed away.


Radio One on the Road - "In Bath chairs" and bring back smiley miley if he is still alive !!

 

[BananaRepublic]

There's been an ongoing discussion and criticism of the BBC, for many years, over its bloated, monolithic structure and whether it represents value for money etc, but very little is said about its roster of radio services.
If radio is addressed at all, the conversation is always diverted to the need or relevance of local radio and almost always avoids the subject of the BBC national channels.
Why do they need to be involved at all with Radio 1, Radio 1 Xtra, Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1 Relax, Radio 2, or Radio 6 Music?

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I'm an under 50 and I enjoy listening to Tony Blackburn.

I'm not and I don't. Which I guess will not bother him one bit and I can always listen to something else, it's not as though I'm paying anything towards it anymore.
I listened to his 'return to the BBC' back in 2016 (I assume) and couldn't believe the 'smashy and nicey' style of presentation was still a thing pop-pickers. A conversation in the pub at the time made clear there was a good mix of opinion on the matter.

I never have liked the 'cult of personality' style of presentation. There should be a Friday Rock Show, not a Friday Rock Show featuring Tommy Vance (now, after a gap Johnny Walker) nor a Tommy Vance show.

 

[BananaRepublic]

I am so grateful we now have internet radio as British radio has been unbearable for years.

When it comes to music output, I agree 100%

I've been listening to internet radio for over 10 years now and when I'm on my own, or in the car, my favourite internet radio stations are the first port of call when it comes to music.
(Yes, my car has internet radio, even without using a smartphone and Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.)

I bought a DAB radio with internet radio capability back then and have long since moved on, when we bought several Sonos devices to provide music and radio in various rooms around the house.

In addition to using Tidal and occasionally my daughter's Spotify account, I have a list of favourite internet stations stored as favourites.
A couple of clicks and music of whatever genre or variety comes streaming in from wherever in the world.

You can find numerous channels that just play music, with minimal or zero chat...advert free.

My terrestrial radio consumption is now mostly confined to news, discussion and sport channels.
Even there, you will notice how the BBC has dumbed down a lot of its content on Radio's 4 and 5.



.

 

[yorksrob]

I'm not and I don't. Which I guess will not bother him one bit and I can always listen to something else, it's not as though I'm paying anything towards it anymore.
I listened to his 'return to the BBC' back in 2016 (I assume) and couldn't believe the 'smashy and nicey' style of presentation was still a thing pop-pickers. A conversation in the pub at the time made clear there was a good mix of opinion on the matter.

I never have liked the 'cult of personality' style of presentation. There should be a Friday Rock Show, not a Friday Rock Show featuring Tommy Vance (now, after a gap Johnny Walker) nor a Tommy Vance show.

I like a good mix of music, however I like an entertaining oresenter as well.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

There's been an ongoing discussion and criticism of the BBC, for many years, over its bloated, monolithic structure and whether it represents value for money etc, but very little is said about its roster of radio services.
If radio is addressed at all, the conversation is always diverted to the need or relevance of local radio and almost always avoids the subject of the BBC national channels.
Why do they need to be involved at all with Radio 1, Radio 1 Xtra, Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1 Relax, Radio 2, or Radio 6 Music?

I think the argument would be that they can do music channels without the need to be commercial ie please advertisers. So allowing experiment, different ways of presenting, broader playlists, specialist programmes - which they do. Yet, when I listen to BBC radio output, it feels like they are full of adverts anyway, its just adverts for the BBC itself.

 

[BananaRepublic]

I think the argument would be that they can do music channels without the need to be commercial ie please advertisers. So allowing experiment, different ways of presenting, broader playlists, specialist programmes - which they do. Yet, when I listen to BBC radio output, it feels like they are full of adverts anyway, its just adverts for the BBC itself.

Yes, the BBC is full of adverts....for itself , or propaganda, telling us how special they are and what value they give.

Commercial free doesn't extend to music promotion and their relationship with the music industry.
They used to be less guarded and it was well known about the "corrupt" relationship with music promotors, back in the 70's and 80's.
The industry is more complex now, but it hasn't stopped Radio 1 in particular, being a conduit for major label promotion.

As an "old codger" myself, I'm very pleased we had the likes of John Peel, Radio One in Concert, "Fluff" playing rock on a Saturday afternoon etc, etc, back in the day; but we now live in very different times.

One of the worst things they do is Glastonbury.
An annual event, where the BBC decant over 200 staff to the festival, to end up presenting TV coverage blighted by incessant talk and inane chat, which is given total preference over the musical content.
It's now embedded as part their BBC establishment culture.
They don't cover any other major festivals, particularly those where specific musical genres are catered for.
What is their "business case" or why are they even there?

 

[Sprinter107]

I'm not old enough to remember Tony Blackburn in the 60s, but do remember him presenting Junior Choice in the early 80s, im almost sure he did the Sunday tea time chart show too but I'll stand corrected on that. I never minded him, and still don't.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

<cut>
What is their "business case" or why are they even there?

1) Yoof audience that they target so eagerly
2) Freebie

 

[nw1]

That seems like a stupidly limited demographic to me. Radio 1 needs to go back to attracting a broad audience who enjoy up to date main stream pop. By contrast, Radio 2 needs to be capturing the middle aged codger market.

Radio 1 used to be a cross-generational music station, certainly I recall my parents (many years into adulthood by then) listening to it in the very late 70s, and for years after it remained a broad-appeal station.

At some point Radio 1 became focused on the under-25 market (and I remember that was a published stated aim)... around the time I turned 25! I still continued to listen to selected shows though for a few years, such as the top 40, a Sunday morning request show (which seemed to get older listeners) and Dave Pearce's Dance Anthems. I also listened to commercial stations but around 2001 I started listening to Radio 2 semi-regularly. At that time, you had Ken Bruce, Steve Wright and Johnnie Walker, IIRC. Pick of the Pops also switched to Radio 2 by then.

Radio 2 I've always understood to be a 'mature adults' pop station, aimed at say 30-ish upwards. Have also detected a change recently though. Not sure what demographic Radio 2 are currently aiming at.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I recently acquired a couple of DAB Radios and yesterday, started to look for more stations including, Absolute, who seem to have several different choices, including one for Country Music and another for Rock Music, I also found another Rock Station by Planet Radio, not sure if Planet is better than Absolute for the Rock channels, of if they are much the same. ? I was also trying to find a "Gold" type channel as I like 1960s and 1970s music. The only problem with commercial radio, is the commercials.

 

[yorksrob]

No doubt someone at Radio 2 management is working out what they can do to **** Ken Bruce off, so that he leaves of his own accord.

They tried to do the same with Tony Blackburn a few years ago (see Wikipedia) but it didn't work.

Paul O'Grady isn't the only famous face to leave Radio 2 recently - Vanessa Feltz did her last early morning show a couple of weeks ago.

I know Vanessa wasn't everyone's cup of tea, bit I enjoyed listening to her show, and since she left I now go to Greatest Hits Radio when I wake up and listen to, er, Alex Lester.

Alex is another really good presenter who was booted off Radio 2 several years ago for no good reason, and it is quite remarkable that Greatest Hits Radio has hoovered up a lot of disgruntled former Radio 2 presenters.

Vanessa was allright (the word challenge was quite enjoyable) but as a dawn patroller, I've never got over Bunty leaving !

 

[Jamiescott1]

I recently acquired a couple of DAB Radios and yesterday, started to look for more stations including, Absolute, who seem to have several different choices, including one for Country Music and another for Rock Music, I also found another Rock Station by Planet Radio, not sure if Planet is better than Absolute for the Rock channels, of if they are much the same. ? I was also trying to find a "Gold" type channel as I like 1960s and 1970s music. The only problem with commercial radio, is the commercials.

Absolute have 60 and 70 spin offs (but not on dab nationwide)
I often listen to absolute 80s and 90s but I'm not a fan of dave Berry whose breakfast show which is broadcast across all 10 absolute stations.
Virgin have a great show between 10 and 12 weekdays presented by the excellent Eddie Temple Morris.
Lots of ex radio 2 listeners seem to now listen to boom radio..

 

[Hadders]

Vanessa was allright (the word challenge was quite enjoyable) but as a dawn patroller, I've never got over Bunty leaving !

I used to enjoy Sarah Kennedy's show. It was amusing just for the non politically correct stuff, constant crashing of the pips etc.

 

[yorksrob]

I used to enjoy Sarah Kennedy's show. It was amusing just for the non politically correct stuff, constant crashing of the pips etc.

Indeed. A good distinctive mix of music as well.

 

[Brush 4]

BBC are trying to woo the young generation who are abandoning radio in general and alienating the olduns who want to stick with radio. Seems an odd business strategy. If 40 is taken as the dividing line, although it may be younger, it will be at least another 40+ years before we are extinct. So, that is 40 years of loyalty they are trying to discourage. Radio 2 should remember that. Presenters on BBC radio and TV are leaving for reasons not necessarily stated publicly. The main ingredient missing nowadays, is humour. Wogan had it, C.Evans and Z. Ball don't, replacing humorous interaction with listeners with fast talking and interviews with celebs, to fill the gaps. I don't recall Wogan interviewing anyone. He didn't need filler, he had his team, like Deadly and the Togs ie, the listeners to create content. Brilliant radio. Only Ken Bruce and Claudia Winkleman retain humour but even Claudia interviews celebs. Also Liza Tarbuck, who has a unique style. Leading into the news with, 'on FM, online and on your smart trousers, this is Radio 2'. Individuality is disappearing.

 

[yorksrob]

BBC are trying to woo the young generation who are abandoning radio in general and alienating the olduns who want to stick with radio. Seems an odd business strategy. If 40 is taken as the dividing line, although it may be younger, it will be at least another 40+ years before we are extinct. So, that is 40 years of loyalty they are trying to discourage. Radio 2 should remember that. Presenters on BBC radio and TV are leaving for reasons not necessarily stated publicly. The main ingredient missing nowadays, is humour. Wogan had it, C.Evans and Z. Ball don't, replacing humorous interaction with listeners with fast talking and interviews with celebs, to fill the gaps. I don't recall Wogan interviewing anyone. He didn't need filler, he had his team, like Deadly and the Togs ie, the listeners to create content. Brilliant radio. Only Ken Bruce and Claudia Winkleman retain humour but even Claudia interviews celebs. Also Liza Tarbuck, who has a unique style. Leading into the news with, 'on FM, online and on your smart trousers, this is Radio 2'. Individuality is disappearing.

Sounds of the Sixties could be quite dry under Brian Matthews, however it's become a must listen for me, due as much to Tony Blackburn's humour as the music.

Of the new guard, I find Sara Cox quite amusing.

 

[duncanp]

Indeed. A good distinctive mix of music as well.

Sarah Kennedy was another one who was, to all intents and purposes, sacked by the BBC.

The rot set in then, and has continued ever since.

 

[Jamiescott1]

BBC are trying to woo the young generation who are abandoning radio in general and alienating the olduns who want to stick with radio. Seems an odd business strategy. If 40 is taken as the dividing line, although it may be younger, it will be at least another 40+ years before we are extinct. So, that is 40 years of loyalty they are trying to discourage. Radio 2 should remember that. Presenters on BBC radio and TV are leaving for reasons not necessarily stated publicly. The main ingredient missing nowadays, is humour. Wogan had it, C.Evans and Z. Ball don't, replacing humorous interaction with listeners with fast talking and interviews with celebs, to fill the gaps. I don't recall Wogan interviewing anyone. He didn't need filler, he had his team, like Deadly and the Togs ie, the listeners to create content. Brilliant radio. Only Ken Bruce and Claudia Winkleman retain humour but even Claudia interviews celebs. Also Liza Tarbuck, who has a unique style. Leading into the news with, 'on FM, online and on your smart trousers, this is Radio 2'. Individuality is disappearing.

This is not the bbc radio I recognise, I don't think they're chasing youth.
Music radio...
Radio 1 is for under 35s
Radio 2 for 35s -60s
Local radio for 60+
With 6 music, 3, 1xtra for more specialist music.
Being in my mid 40s so 10 years into the radio 2 target audience I can say apart from Sundays, Saturday mornings and weekdays 2-5 that it appeals to me.
I think you're find Sarah Cox has the humour you're talking about. Steve wright doesnt interact verbally with listeners.

 

[yorksrob]

In my humble opinion, Radio 2 needs to reduce the number of songs from the playlist, re-orientate the playlist away from grating modern pop and more towards the modern indie spectrum and play a greater proportion of 1960's and 70's music.

 

[Trackman]

In my humble opinion, Radio 2 needs to reduce the number of songs from the playlist, re-orientate the playlist away from grating modern pop and more towards the modern indie spectrum and play a greater proportion of 1960's and 70's music.

That's what it was like and of course the 80's...
There's another thread about R1's demise, that can be pinpointed down with accuracy.
--
Back to the thread, never heard him on R2.. switched off years ago.. just listen to digital stations these days - depending how I have a feeling for certain music on the available stations.

 

[nw1]

In my humble opinion, Radio 2 needs to reduce the number of songs from the playlist, re-orientate the playlist away from grating modern pop and more towards the modern indie spectrum and play a greater proportion of 1960's and 70's music.

I would generally agree with that, but would also add the 80s and 90s to that as well (but I guess they still play that era quite a lot).

Certainly the 60s and much of the 70s seem to feature less in Pick of the Pops in the past two years or so. While I wasn't around in the 60s and don't remember most of the 70s (bar the final two years or so) I do like much of the music of that era and it would be good for POTP to feature, say, one 60s/70s year plus one 80s/90s year each week, as they did three or four years ago. That would keep most happy I suspect.

This is not the bbc radio I recognise, I don't think they're chasing youth.
Music radio...
Radio 1 is for under 35s
Radio 2 for 35s -60s
Local radio for 60+

I thought R1 was under 25, always used to be around the turn of the millennium. But back in the 80s and early 90s it was "general audience", right from pre-teen up to older adult.

R2 would appeal to people under 35 these days, I suspect - I was certainly still in my 20s when I first listened to it (a fair while back now) and I think it's "younger" in outlook than it was back then.

And local radio is, IMX, oriented towards a younger audience than it was, certainly I listen to some local radio shows and I'm still well under 60 - though there are also some much older listeners too. And some of the listeners are twenty-something! Plus, even local radio is shifting away from 20th-century "oldies" and towards contemporary hits, with the exception of some more specialist shows.

 

[yorksrob]

That's what it was like and of course the 80's...
There's another thread about R1's demise, that can be pinpointed down with accuracy.
--
Back to the thread, never heard him on R2.. switched off years ago.. just listen to digital stations these days - depending how I have a feeling for certain music on the available stations.

Yes, I used to listen to Radio 1 in the days of Mark and Lard, but have long since left its sphere. And I'm not against that. Radio 1 is for modern music.

I would generally agree with that, but would also add the 80s and 90s to that as well (but I guess they still play that era quite a lot).

Certainly the 60s and much of the 70s seem to feature less in Pick of the Pops in the past two years or so. While I wasn't around in the 60s and don't remember most of the 70s (bar the final two years or so) I do like much of the music of that era and it would be good for POTP to feature, say, one 60s/70s year plus one 80s/90s year each week, as they did three or four years ago. That would keep most happy I suspect.


I thought R1 was under 25, always used to be around the turn of the millennium. But back in the 80s and early 90s it was "general audience", right from pre-teen up to older adult.

R2 would appeal to people under 35 these days, I suspect - I was certainly still in my 20s when I first listened to it (a fair while back now) and I think it's "younger" in outlook than it was back then.

And local radio is, IMX, oriented towards a younger audience than it was, certainly I listen to some local radio shows and I'm still well under 60 - though there are also some much older listeners too. And some of the listeners are twenty-something! Plus, even local radio is shifting away from 20th-century "oldies" and towards contemporary hits, with the exception of some more specialist shows.

Yes, of course I'd include 80's and 90's music in that. They just seem less threatened.

I agree absolutely that pick of the pops has largely retreated from the 60's and 70's.