Bonfire of the Talents - Mainstream Radio ‘Dumbing down’?

[slipperman]

Lysaght exit the latest example of BBC replacing class with claptrap

COMMENT BY JONATHAN McEVOY: So Lysaght is going from the airwaves and they think it is business as usual at Tower of Babel HQ, also known as BBC Radio sport. It is not.

www.google.com

Interesting article from yesterday’s Daily Mail (with no apologies from this call sign). Although it is centred on a cull of excellent Sports presenters of a certain demographic, it really resonates with me, as I am (or at least used to be) an avid listener of BBC Five Live, but have found myself more often than not switching to my CDs, because of the dire standard of the so-called broadcaster(s). A few random examples - Robbie Savage and his shouty ramblings replacing the more serious stuff on Friday mornings; the gradual dumbing down of Test Match Special; outside of sport, the constant desire to cover ‘minority issues’ during the talk show/phone in programmes.
Given the regular comments on here in the Political threads about either the bias or dire quality of the broadcasters, it got me thinking.
Has the main stream media dumbed down in order to appeal to the ‘yoof’ or is it the likes of myself who has a problem, because I’m of a certain generation and perhaps looking at this through rose tinted specs?
If I’m the problem, where do I go now to get my fix of News and Sport, presented by talented, experienced broadcasters and not some shouty, inarticulate tosser?

 

[re-stilly]

Have more or less given up on Radio entirely, might listen to a bit of Ken Bruce but the rest is drivel, with a side order of pretentious lefty bollocks from the BBC and far to many shouty inane presenters punctuated by shite adverts on commercial.

 

[Auld-Yin]

Never listen to BBC radio channels, |I just tune in to the local Radio Forth which gives me all I need from radio.

 

[slipperman]

Never listen to BBC radio channels, |I just tune in to the local Radio Forth which gives me all I need from radio.

Is that a Commercial Channel? The never ending, crap adverts put me off!

 

[dun_n_dusted]

Bonfire of what talents?

 

[Evdhimong]

Never listen to BBC radio channels, |I just tune in to the local Radio Forth which gives me all I need from radio.

...but what do you tune into first?



Ithangyew...

 

[Auld-Yin]

...but what do you tune into first?



Ithangyew...

One more reason for a GROAN Button!

In the meantime, go forth and multiply!!!

 

[ugly]

I use digital in the truck when it works and have a memory stick of my own selection for when super duper digital is down which is a lot!

 

[slipperman]

I use digital in the truck when it works and have a memory stick of my own selection for when super duper digital is down which is a lot!

I’ve got digital - any recommendations of decent channels to escape the shouty dross?

 

[re-stilly]

I’ve got digital - any recommendations of decent channels to escape the shouty dross?

Switch it off and use a USB stick instead.

 

[Whining Civvy]

Podcasts are the way forward, there are heaps of them. Invariably produced by people who love their subject. You might have to dig a bit to find the one you prefer but it's worth it.

 

[Endoscope]

Are Jo Wiley and Zoe Ball staying?

 

[slipperman]

Are Jo Wiley and Zoe Ball staying?

Shouty, excitable people of a certain gender are safe apparently.

 

[Slime]

Have more or less given up on Radio entirely, might listen to a bit of Ken Bruce but the rest is drivel, with a side order of pretentious lefty bollocks from the BBC and far to many shouty inane presenters punctuated by shite adverts on commercial.

Adverts on commercial radio do annoy, but they are the price to be paid to escape the ‘balance’ the BBC try to present, or the Beeb‘s liberalism.

I regularly listen to the Nolan show on radio 5, but happily admit to liking the Friday night and a Sunday night shows as they feature insanely annoying commentators, who sound like buffoons to me but are a brilliant distraction for my PTSD.
Listening to Dreda Say Mitchell saying ’I fink’ and ‘when I was a teacher’ repeatedly are a brilliant cure for my insomnia.

In the morning I used to be listening to Radio 5 but that has nose dived into liberal nonsense.

I now listen to TalkRadio up to 1pm. the early morning show is hosted by Julia Hartley Brewer, then the follow on show is hosted by Mike Graham. Both of those presenters are more than happy to give their own opinion as well as robustly challenge interviewees.

 

[ugly]

I’ve got digital - any recommendations of decent channels to escape the shouty dross?

Absolute radio, Jack and Smooth Country the smooth is to calm 0A until she nods off usually five minutes into any trip so I then pop Absolute on

 

[Draft Dodger]

Podcasts are the way forward, there are heaps of them. Invariably produced by people who love their subject. You might have to dig a bit to find the one you prefer but it's worth it.

This. once you decide upon the topic you want (news/sport/history/comedy) you'll find plenty of different options which will come in different flavours (politics would be a good example of this, it's interesting listening to the different takes on the same subject taken by something like the FT and New Statesman podcasts)

 

[Lardbeast]

Podcasts are the way forward, there are heaps of them. Invariably produced by people who love their subject. You might have to dig a bit to find the one you prefer but it's worth it.

A lot of the less whiny TED talks are pretty good.

 

[mush_dad]

I’ve got digital - any recommendations of decent channels to escape the shouty dross?

Post 09:30
Classic FM if you find R3 too esoteric
Scala FM if you find Classic FM too mainstream
BBC R6 Music if you're fed up with hearing Supertramp or War of Worlds on repeat on R2, or shouty rappers on R1
R4 in parts. Tim Harford's 'More or Less' is always a joy, Mevyn Braggs's 'In our Time' will occasionally keep me engrossed, Desert Island Discs sometimes throws up someone interesting, and if they bring back Cabin Pressure or Ed Reardon's week (I'm convinced he's a typical Arrser), I'll always tune in.

 

[AULD_SWEAT]

I'm a R4 listener,but I find it seems to be getting ever more populist. Not what it was.But thats probably just Me getting older. Also a bit of Classic FM and Jazz FM.

 

[gaijin]

Lysaght exit the latest example of BBC replacing class with claptrap

COMMENT BY JONATHAN McEVOY: So Lysaght is going from the airwaves and they think it is business as usual at Tower of Babel HQ, also known as BBC Radio sport. It is not.

www.google.com

Interesting article from yesterday’s Daily Mail (with no apologies from this call sign). Although it is centred on a cull of excellent Sports presenters of a certain demographic, it really resonates with me, as I am (or at least used to be) an avid listener of BBC Five Live, but have found myself more often than not switching to my CDs, because of the dire standard of the so-called broadcaster(s). A few random examples - Robbie Savage and his shouty ramblings replacing the more serious stuff on Friday mornings; the gradual dumbing down of Test Match Special; outside of sport, the constant desire to cover ‘minority issues’ during the talk show/phone in programmes.
Given the regular comments on here in the Political threads about either the bias or dire quality of the broadcasters, it got me thinking.
Has the main stream media dumbed down in order to appeal to the ‘yoof’ or is it the likes of myself who has a problem, because I’m of a certain generation and perhaps looking at this through rose tinted specs?
If I’m the problem, where do I go now to get my fix of News and Sport, presented by talented, experienced broadcasters and not some shouty, inarticulate tosser?

In a similar vein, I have been watching the 1980s series, behind the lines, about the RM ML course (propted by another thread on here) and it is so noticeable how much more eloquent and erudite the narrator is compared to to the semi-educated muppets that you get today. I am quite sure that this has an effect on young audiences who are subjected to it.

I am off, now, to shout at a cloud.