[omnidirectional]

Originally Posted by mikw

However, you list examples that are not as common as what most of the country gets on FM.

Where i live on FM there's Heart and Capital, and that's it.....

Where is that? The only areas that have both Capital and Heart on FM (Birmingham, London and the South Coast) are all major markets with lots of other stations - including Smooth in London/Birmingham.

[Charnham]

just been out to the car, and have got these commercial radio stations

Heart, Classic FM, Rutland Radio, Lincs FM & whilst I didnt find it I have in the past found Kiss.

I find Kiss to be far too urban for my taste.

Lincs FM& Rutland Radio are part of the Lincs FM Group, so are similar, both would win a contest in bland without even trying.

Classic FM is not too my taste.

Pretty sure I should get GOLD as well, but having heard it in the past, I prefer Radio 2.

All this said, my corner of the UK, is a bit of a blackspot for radio, for some reason only the strongest get though.

If I do the same search in Peterborough I will get a different result, would get Connect (Lite FM now merged with Corby and Kettering) and there is a 4 week licence station, just started in the city as well.

http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/n...pens-1-3935128

however this is the second time, that station has broadcast.

[Peter the Great]

Originally Posted by Charnham

to give commercial radio its due, at the time, it said there was no way it could offer a commercial version of 6 Music.

Does not say alot for itself, but its honest if nothing else.

the threat of iPods is interesting and I would like to see a proper study done on it, but im sure many people said this about the walkman, and the portable CD player, of course the key difference is that they only contained a small number of pre selected tracks, not thousands, that the owner picks themselves.

That said as you may have guessed I quite like radio, and love nothing more when driving than listening to a mix of music, and fun banter between either two DJs, or a DJ and his team, like say Simon Mayos drive time. Ive sat on the drive (rather than going inside to listen) listening to the confession a few too many times than is normal, the feature being made by the regular team, even if Matt is a sports guy, I wont hold it against him.

Im 28 now, some would say far too young for Radio 2, but as mentioned above I pick and choose between BBC stations, to suit what I want at the time, be that Alex Lester, Bob Harris, Radcliffe and Maconie, The Now Show, Dance Anthems or Infinite Monkey Cage.

Where I will find this on commercial radio, I just dont know.

I certainly would not take Radio 2 younger (even if that is something commercial radio also wants) but I wouldnt take it older, nor would I make massive changes to Radio 1, simply to try and make it appear younger.

It will come as no surprise to anyone on this forum, to see the two of us agreeing on this.

Not strictly true. Both Bauer and Absolute Radio said that they could run a service like 6 Music if the BBC decided to close down the station. No one sane and in their right mind believed them of course.

[Charnham]

Originally Posted by Peter the Great

Not strictly true. Both Bauer and Absolute Radio said that they could run a service like 6 Music if the BBC decided to close down the station. No one sane and in their right mind believed them of course.

I dont recall that.

Also why you say "run" do you mean, they run it with public funds, or would it have been self funded?

[Peter the Great]

Originally Posted by Charnham

I dont recall that.

Also why you say "run" do you mean, they run it with public funds, or would it have been self funded?

Self funded I suspect. It must be still there somewhere on the guardian website where someone from Bauer said quote "6 Music could have been off loaded to us" And when the news first broke about plans of 6 Music closing someone from Absolute Radio said that they could run the service.

[mikw]

Originally Posted by omnidirectional

Where is that? The only areas that have both Capital and Heart on FM (Birmingham, London and the South Coast) are all major markets with lots of other stations - including Smooth in London/Birmingham.

I live in a very large city in the Midlands, we have NO local commercial radio at all.

Capital and Heart are all we get on FM - and Classic.

A few community stations, but they are not commercial stations.

And i repeat - as soon as any alternatives become attractive enough, they will be brought, homegenised, networked and/or closed down.

[mikw]

Originally Posted by Peter the Great

Not strictly true. Both Bauer and Absolute Radio said that they could run a service like 6 Music if the BBC decided to close down the station. No one sane and in their right mind believed them of course.

And that's it in a nutshell, they say they would, but they wouldn't, and there's more profit to be made in something else.

[Peter the Great]

Originally Posted by mikw

And that's it in a nutshell, they say they would, but they wouldn't, and there's more profit to be made in something else.

Agree 100%. Sadly though there are those Tory politicians that hate the BBC and value nothing who believe some of the crap that the commercial sector tell them.

[mikw]

Originally Posted by Peter the Great

Agree 100%. Sadly though there are those Tory politicians that hate the BBC and value nothing who believe some of the crap that the commercial sector tell them.

Yes, and Labour are just as daft/wilfully blind unfortunately.

[omnidirectional]

Originally Posted by mikw

I live in a very large city in the Midlands, we have NO local commercial radio at all.

Capital and Heart are all we get on FM - and Classic.

There is nowhere in the Midlands that only has Heart and Capital and no other commercial radio.

East Midlands doesn't have Heart on FM anymore (http://radiotoday.co.uk/2011/01/hear...em-106-starts/) so obviously you're in the West Midlands area. In that case only Birmingham has Capital alongside Heart, so I presume you're around there and thus you also have Free Radio, Smooth, Kerrang and others. Unless you can be a bit more specific...

[Pizzatheaction]

There's really no way of determining the average age of a Radio 1 listener, anyway.

[djonshore]

I use to listen to Radio 1 but felt in recent years it has gone to urban and I don't know why 1xtra exists as they are basically the same station and Saturday nights Radio 1 broadcasts a simulcast of 1xtra.

I use to enjoy Radio 1 when you had a daytime schedule with Simon Mayo, Mark & Lard and Chris Moyles show in the afternoon. Sundays afternoons use to be my favourite day to listen to Radio 1 as the Top 40 was on 4-7pm then Dance Anthems from 7-10pm. I know that's going back a bit now but that I felt was when Radio 1 was good.

I tend to have Radio 2 on in the car but listen to more CDs/MP3s these days.

The stations available on FM here are RTE Radio 1, RTE 2FM, Today FM, Classic FM, Heart, Real Radio, BBC Radio 1-4 and that's about it. But I have started to listen more to Absolute Radio 80s and 90s on DAB/online at home in the past 12 months.

[RadioKnower]

Originally Posted by omnidirectional

There is nowhere in the Midlands that only has Heart and Capital and no other commercial radio.

East Midlands doesn't have Heart on FM anymore (http://radiotoday.co.uk/2011/01/hear...em-106-starts/) so obviously you're in the West Midlands area. In that case only Birmingham has Capital alongside Heart, so I presume you're around there and thus you also have Free Radio, Smooth, Kerrang and others. Unless you can be a bit more specific...

Yes and the only city in the West Midlands covered by Capital is Birmingham.

[Charnham]

Originally Posted by Peter the Great

Self funded I suspect. It must be still there somewhere on the guardian website where someone from Bauer said quote "6 Music could have been off loaded to us" And when the news first broke about plans of 6 Music closing someone from Absolute Radio said that they could run the service.

its possible, but I do recall commercial radio saying it couldn't do a 6 Music.

[theonlyweeman]

Originally Posted by djonshore

I use to listen to Radio 1 but felt in recent years it has gone to urban and I don't know why 1xtra exists as they are basically the same station and Saturday nights Radio 1 broadcasts a simulcast of 1xtra.

Radio 1 has gone more urban, because that's where chart music has gone. People like Tinchy Stryder and N-Dubz started to go mainstream, so Radio 1 started to play that genre. Now dubstep and electronic music is going mainstream, Radio 1's starting to give more airtime to artists like deadmau5 and Skrillex. It keeps the station fresh and in touch with what's going on in music, which is what the audience wants. Guitar music isn't that popular any more so they don't play that much of it,

[Glawster2002]

Originally Posted by Charnham

its possible, but I do recall commercial radio saying it couldn't do a 6 Music.

That's how I remember it as well.

[Glawster2002]

Originally Posted by theonlyweeman

Radio 1 has gone more urban, because that's where chart music has gone. People like Tinchy Stryder and N-Dubz started to go mainstream, so Radio 1 started to play that genre. Now dubstep and electronic music is going mainstream, Radio 1's starting to give more airtime to artists like deadmau5 and Skrillex. It keeps the station fresh and in touch with what's going on in music, which is what the audience wants. Guitar music isn't that popular any more so they don't play that much of it,

That isn't true at all.

Guitar-based music is still hugely popular in this country, despite what the mainstream media would like everyone to believe.

However these days guitar bands know where their market is and are less driven by singles success, so pretty much automatically preclude themselves from Radio 1 airplay, and concentrate more on albums and tours. Download Festival last weekend, for example, had over 100,000 people there, not that most people would have even noticed it was on because of the total lack of mainstream media coverage.

[BomoLad]

I don't know anyone who listens to Radio 1. It's not even a station it's just background noise for people who want to be reassured that they're listening to 'the latest' of whatever, regardless of what it is they're listening to. Like rich oil-barrons who insist every month their house is redecorated with new, lavish and expensive items. They've no idea what those items are, rarely ever take notice of them, but it's there as just a status symbol.

I always imagine the sound that goes through of a typical Radio 1 listeners head when the station is for some reason tuned out, is a bit like the noise of a fly in a large and empty corridor.

[theonlyweeman]

Originally Posted by Glawster2002

That isn't true at all.

Guitar-based music is still hugely popular in this country, despite what the mainstream media would like everyone to believe.

However these days guitar bands know where their market is and are less driven by singles success, so pretty much automatically preclude themselves from Radio 1 airplay, and concentrate more on albums and tours. Download Festival last weekend, for example, had over 100,000 people there, not that most people would have even noticed it was on because of the total lack of mainstream media coverage.

That wasn't what I meant. I meant guitar music isn't mainstream popular like it was mid-00s with bands like The Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand regularly charting. My point was more Radio 1's output is essentially based upon music that's charting and now guitar music doesn't chart as often they play less of it. Urban music started to chart more often so they play more of it.

Essentially Radio 1 is playing to the crowd and unfortunately you disagree with the crowd so it doesn't serve you very well. It's a shame, but it will happen to urban music eventually with something else and so on and so on. It's part of a natural evolution in people's music tastes....

[mikw]

Originally Posted by omnidirectional

There is nowhere in the Midlands that only has Heart and Capital and no other commercial radio.

East Midlands doesn't have Heart on FM anymore (http://radiotoday.co.uk/2011/01/hear...em-106-starts/) so obviously you're in the West Midlands area. In that case only Birmingham has Capital alongside Heart, so I presume you're around there and thus you also have Free Radio, Smooth, Kerrang and others. Unless you can be a bit more specific...

I suggest you come to the Midlands and find out!

Heart and Capital here only on FM - and no commercial radio is local at all here anymore.

When i freelance for commercial radio i have to drive to the network hub which is miles away from my city.

[Glawster2002]

Originally Posted by theonlyweeman

That wasn't what I meant. I meant guitar music isn't mainstream popular like it was mid-00s with bands like The Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand regularly charting. My point was more Radio 1's output is essentially based upon music that's charting and now guitar music doesn't chart as often they play less of it. Urban music started to chart more often so they play more of it.

Essentially Radio 1 is playing to the crowd and unfortunately you disagree with the crowd so it doesn't serve you very well. It's a shame, but it will happen to urban music eventually with something else and so on and so on. It's part of a natural evolution in people's music tastes....

When I fitted what would now be considered the "target demographic" for Radio 1 20 - 30 years ago, Radio 1 still had the same problem as far as I was concerned!

At least people like me now have BBC 6 Music, it's not perfect but better than Radio 1!

[omnidirectional]

Originally Posted by mikw

I suggest you come to the Midlands and find out!

Heart and Capital here only on FM - and no commercial radio is local at all here anymore.

That's not an answer. There is nowhere in the Midlands that has only Heart and Capital on FM - Infact, the only place in that area which has both stations in Birmingham, and that has plenty of other commercial radio too.

Should I start a thread in the radio forum and we'll see if anyone else knows the place you're referring to but won't name? Somehow, I doubt they will.

[exlordlucan]

Apart from R2 the only other stations I listen to are French because they're much better than the three commercials I get.

R1 is ok in small doses IMO.

[mikw]

Originally Posted by omnidirectional

That's not an answer. There is nowhere in the Midlands that has only Heart and Capital on FM - Infact, the only place in that area which has both stations in Birmingham, and that has plenty of other commercial radio too.

Should I start a thread in the radio forum and we'll see if anyone else knows the place you're referring to but won't name? Somehow, I doubt they will.

Let's be more specific. East Midlands with Gem (which is the Heart format in all by name) and Capital and classic.

That is the only commercial radio we have in our city on FM and none of it is actually broadcast from this city.

So, it IS an answer.

[omnidirectional]

Originally Posted by mikw

Let's be more specific. East Midlands with Gem (which is the Heart format in all by name) and Capital and classic.

Funny. So now you've admitted that what you said originally was incorrect at best. Gem is certainly different to Heart; according to CompareMyRadio Heart shares 57% of it's playlist with Gem, so there's quite a big difference in terms of music. Plus, Gem is local 24 hours a day so why did you say:

Originally Posted by mikw

I live in a very large city in the Midlands, we have NO local commercial radio at all.

You have a 24 hour local station, which isn't Heart as you claimed.