Are You Cheating On Us?
Often, when I meet a listener, he or she will enthuse about their favourite programmes and tell me how much they enjoy listening to the station. I'm chuffed and usually take all the credit for myself. I explain how the producers and presenters are mere instruments of my mighty talent. I call that 'leadership'.
Inevitably, though, there comes a point when that same listener will start to look a little shame-faced, lose eye contact and, with shuffling feet, will say something like this:
"I'm sorry about this, but sometimes I turn off Radio Scotland and listen to that music show on Radio 2."
At that point I blame the programme-makers. I call that 'collective responsibility'.
At other times, I will get an angry letter from a listener, berating me for a scheduling decision that clearly proves that either I have parted company with too many brain cells or else am being manipulated by shadowy forces elsewhere. Those letters often conclude with this sort of threat:
"That's it. I've had enough. It's Radio 4 for me from now on!"
My problem with both of these statements is that there's an underlying assumption that I don't want people to listen to other BBC radio stations. In fact, the opposite is true and there are a number of reasons for that. No, really.
The first clue is in my job title which people often think is Head of BBC Radio Scotland. It's not. It's Head of Radio, BBC Scotland. That's because I also have responsibility for our production teams who make programmes for all of the BBC's radio networks. So, of course I want people to listen to them. Especially the jazz on Radio 3, which is brilliant. Not that I have favourites.
Secondly, the diverse schedule of programmes offered by BBC Radio Scotland means that it's most unlikely (but not impossible) that anyone would enjoy every one of our programmes. As I'm forever telling our incredulous sports team, some perfectly rational people don't actually like football. That's why we split frequencies in the evenings and offer an alternative schedule of music programmes.
The truth is, BBC Radio Scotland listeners are a promiscuous lot. I'm sorry, but you are. You'll push buttons, turns dials and click on your mouse about a dozen times a day in your pursuit of choice. Don't deny it. I've seen the audience research. I also know where you live.
And where do you wander off to? Mainly it's BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2. (Some of you also listen to commercial radio and you guys are coming off my Christmas card list.)
But here's the third reason why I applaud those who explore the full range of services that the BBC offers in Scotland. Quite simply, you're getting your money's worth from the licence fee...and that's before we even talk about television (which I'm still hoping will go away one day).
Imagine that every time you bought a newspaper you were allowed free copies of all the other newspapers in the shop too. You might not have time to read them all. You might not even have the muscle-strength to carry them all, but just imagine you were allowed the choice.
That's how the licence fee works. You might not want everything the BBC offers, but you pays your money and you takes your choice.
So the next time you find yourself seduced by the charms of Mister Moyles or Mister Wogan, please be assured that you have our blessing. You're not cheating on us. This is an open relationship.
Just remember... they'll never love you as much as we do.
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~05~RS~)
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Sir Michael Terence Wogan, K.B.E. to you. Mister Zycinski!
>8-D
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P.S. Bill Black's Country Show is, apparently, no more.
Maybe you can let Bill work the nights Bryan is not on air.
You can never have too much Country. Yeeha!
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'Never break another man's rice bowl.'
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#3
Fair comment. There are weekend slots available which are, at the moment, devoted to repeats.
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I've found that anyone who gets so utterly incensed about any and every perceived wrongedness your station is indulging in that they feel the need to contact you to let you know they'll be changing channels and will never be listening ever EVER again, ever... are the people who will do no such thing. They're lifers, and you'll never get rid of them. That's why they whine so loudly, because they know they'll never turn it off, so they want the station to cater specifically to them.
It's the people who turn off silently that you have to be wary of.
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JZ,
Was highly entertained with this one - until I read the very alarming paragraph about every newspaper being free. The suggestion is scary and all too topical these days. If the imaginary sole purchase was required to be a certain local daily newspaper, I could maybe live with it. But the thought still stirred a degree of panic.
Personally I would never dream of switching to commercial stations. Listeners in the north have to struggle to identify the locality of a news story or incident from the pronunciation of the place name.
So I'll will cheerfully stick with you at the BBC - just don't mention the free newspapers again. Somebody might listen. Use sweeties for a comparison, if you must. Newspapers are facing a tough enough battle as it is.
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#4: an observation
Has Ricky had to enter the all TOO big landscape of Americana and alternative country for Another Country?
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#7
May I refer you to #2 "You can never have too much Country."
The "Yeeha!" is optional.
>8-D
I'm not entirely sure I understand the question. Do you feel that the lines dividing genres have become too blurred?
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#8
Yippee-yi!
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#9
All the more reason to drag Bill Black out of premature retirement!
You are guaranteed to hear Hank and Dolly when Mr. Black is working.
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#10
JZ... R U cheatin' us?
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madmac,
According to Stewart Fenwick (Sunday, 14:00 - 17:00 Country show) Bill Black has a gig with Celtic Radio (Saturday, 20:00 - 22:00 Country show)
He is not yet listed as a presenter on their website, presumably because it has not been updated since his arrival.
They are non-profit making, so posting their details here shouldn't upset anyone.
celticmusicradio.net
1530 MW
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Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE
"Dear sir: Please consider yourself informed that we, Magyars, are not Gypsies... Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt would not declare himself to be a cultured man if he were not aware of the facts about Hungarians. Would you?"
Read full text of Open letter here:
[Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]
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Here's another URL link to post #13, above, 12 Oct 2009,
Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE
"Dear sir: Please consider yourself informed that we, Magyars, are not Gypsies... Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt would not declare himself to be a cultured man if he were not aware of the facts about Hungarians. Would you?"
Read full text of Open letter here:
[Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]
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