Wireless Class: End of Term Report

I feel like i should do some sort of end of year retrospective on the year's radio output before i do the Jopi Awards in the new year. This is going to start off taking the form of an end of term report, but will probably lose that structure and disappear up its own backside before i finish.

Form: The British Broadcasting Corporation's Radio One service
Programme: Dev, early breakfast Mon-Fri

I didn't warm to Dev when he first started on Radio 1. I found his output very weak local commerial radio fodder and his attitude to the content of the show very passive. Sixteen months on and i'm still not a big fan, but he has clearly progressed on from his shaky beginnings. The problem remains that he is trying to come out of the shadow of the current golden child of Radio 1 namely Greg James, whose transition from the early breakfast slot to afternoons has been thoroughly solid. It has felt that Dev has spent a lot of the time trying to ape the antics and style of Greg James instead of trying to find his own voice.

Overall, B+ for effort and C for overall product.

Programme: The Christopher Moyles Show, breakfast Mon-Fri

Chris Moyles is becoming somewhat enigmatic to me. I've listened to a good number of his pre-Breakfast programmes over the year and been astounded at how edgy, fresh and exciting they are. Obviously it is easier to be anti-establishment when you're not on one of the most listened to programmes on the wireless, but it is starting to feel like Chris and the team are resting on their laurels a little. There is no doubt that the programme is incredibly well prepared and that Chris is still passionate about it, but the team on the whole are now family-orientated rather than being the collection of hungover party animals they were seven or eight years ago. The shows in the run up to Christmas were bordering on the irritating with the number of off-mic jokes that were spilling over into airtime without any explaination being given, or where there were giggles for the next quarter of an hour. Listeners don't mind that sort of thing every so often, but when it starts happening after every record and news bulletin, it starts to get infuriating.

2011 will be a challenging year for the Moyles show. Chris has already shown signs of becoming a little too much of a celebrity luvvy and with Comedy Dave taking part in celebrity backslapping exercise Dancing on Ice, the show could be pushed over the edge. The show needs to come back from its Christmas break on absolutely stellar form to avoid falling further into the mire.

I'll offer a B for both effort and overall product.

Programme: Fearne Cotton, mornings Mon-Fri

Where do i start? Fearne Cotton is still the most annoying of the mainstream presenters on Radio 1. Her banal obsessions with things that only pubescent teenagers should be concerned with (such as Twilight, Glee and the like) are pure radio pain. It doesn't help when she then buggers off for several weeks because she gets a better offer from the TV. I've got to admit, the continued existence of this programme has been the main reason i've been listening to Ken Bruce so much in the mornings.

Effort: D-, Overall G.

Programme: Gregory James, afternoons Mon-Fri

Greg James has settled in to afternoons in terrific style. It feels like the show is brimming over with ideas (Feet-up Friday, The Square, Ten Minute Takeover, The Alphabet Game) and the whole thing is executed in style. Radio 1 desperately needs more people with this sort of level of invention and they need more presenters who don't just make listeners turn off immediately (see Fearne Cotton, above). If this means not just putting people on the air because they're "him/her off the telly", then that can only be a good thing.

Effort: B, Overall A.

Programme: Scott Mills, drivetime Mon-Fri

Scott Mills' programme has been spending most of 2010 turning into three hours of oestrogen. Whilst i don't find sidekick Becky Huxtable particularly annoying, the two of them together can start to sound like they're texting each other using their mouths when they get excited. The show desperately needs the Chappers-style figure to keep some grumpy sense amongst the madness when they start to get carried away with being teenagers.

The structure of the show also feels like it has struggled since the guessing game quiz "Oh, Whats Occurring?" in the summer. It has gone a bit freeform since then and whilst a lot of the same content appears in the show as used to in OWO?, it no longer appears to have any point other than being a bit of fluff to be played with by a kitten.

Effort grade: C. Overall output: B-.

Programme: Zane Lowe, Mon-Thur evenings.

Zane Lowe's energy appears to be still as high as ever and his enthusiasm for music is permanently set to 11. Of course, he doesn't always have music good enough to match his level of enthusiasm, but that doesn't ever seem to worry him and he'll do the best with whatever he's got to work with. His voice stands as being unique amongst the daily presenters as actually holding some gravitas when talking about music.

Effort grade: A-, overall product: B+.

Radio 1 specialist shows:
Alex Metric.

Alex Metric deserves a mention here, despite the fact that he has now left the fold at Radio 1. His superb monthly show in the In New DJs We Trust strand has featured a superb collection of dance and electronica based music which should be part of the main Radio 1 playlist instead of the acres of American dreck it overheavily features. Alex Metric also has a stylish flair for on air presentation which i will miss.

Rob da Bank

Rob da Bank's Saturday morning chillout show is still fantastic. He has an ear for the off-beat which is unmatched on British radio and the show is superbly put together. Add Rob's chilled tones to the mix and you have an ideal show for the early morning shift.

Kutski

I'm something of a newcomer to Kutski's show after discovering it a month or so back. Its a terrific mix of energised hardcore dance and it has become a staple requirement of my weekly radio diet.


See? I got through the whole of the Radio 1 form report without mentioning how shit Sara Cox still is.


Form: The British Broadcasting Corporation's Radio Two service
Programme: Ken Bruce, Mon-Fri mornings

For those who simply cannot cope with Fearne Cotton (and there have got to be millions of you out there), Ken Bruce has what sounds like the most effortless programme on radio. The truth is probably that a mixture of 18 years of experience and a lot of background work make the show sound that brilliant. The focus of the show has shifted over recent years to offer a more eclectic mix of music, particularly in the slot after the Popmaster quiz from 10:30 to 11am.

I've got to be honest, i barely listen to anything else on Radio 2, except when Richard Allinson is covering for the dork of the people Steve Wright. Mention should also go to Alex Lester, who is still doing good work despite being pushed even further back in to the middle of the night since the departure of That Bloody Woman.

Form: The British Broadcasting Corporation's Six-Music digital audio service
Programme: Jon Holmes, Saturday Drivetime (Its a day when nobody is driving home from work on a station you mostly can't get in your car)

I rather like 6Music on a Saturday. Collins & Herring are good fun on the morning show and Richard Bacon's afternoon show is far better than it is given credit for being. The jewel in the crown is the organised weekly lunatic festival of Jon Holmes' show. Despite being on at a dreadful time of the week, it is well worth catching on Listen Again for not only Holmes' brilliant sense of humour but also the randomly superb 6Music playlist.

By far the edgiest daytime radio programme i've listened to all year, the only improvement it needs is for Jon to take fewer holidays...


Right, now i probably should mention these before i go to bed...

BBC Radio Bristol - Steve Yabsley: Still brilliantly funny and the new interview strand can be very informative.
Absolute Radio - Dave Gorman: The best 6Music show that isn't on 6Music and possibly the only reason to listen to Absolute Radio.


That'll have to do for now...