I've listened in to Star and can't really see how the music differs greatly from any other UKRD station. And how may times are they going to continue playing Sweet Child of Mine and Living On A Prayer on heavy rotation?!
So much for a revolutionary new format, this is just a very narrow selection of rock hits bolted on to the existing UKRD playout. Safe and unadventurous, as is always the case with commercial radio these days.
Also, like all UKRD stations, the ad breaks are far too long in duration and occur far too frequently, often after every two songs!
Still, I'd rather listen to Star than Metro/Capital/Real/Smooth but compared to R1/R2/6 Music, these commercial stations are a vastly inferior listen.
I'm sure Robin finds this hilarious and so will all the people on here who think Robin is a radio genius, but to me this kind of "stunt" smacks of desperation.
Judging by his blog Ditchy doesn't really want to be at Star anyway, having his show named after someone else's successful show (I'm sure Ditchy had no say in this) must make him feel even better :rolleyes:
The next "big" signing will know doubt be an ex TFM presenter (or 2) who will never emulate the success they had on TFM and will leave 6 months later.
I wonder where he will put these other 2 people that are meant to be coming over from TFM, the only place really they could go is weekend afternoons, that are pre-recorded for 6 hours each day. I thought the presenters they have already will be enough to pay without adding more people to the schedules and making their costs grow even more. , for such a small scale station.
I do wonder what the strategy is here. Fact is Joe Public just don't care anymore, if they ever did in the first place.
Chances are, all these changes in format and presenter lineup will only alienate existing listeners and the numbers will fall.
The only benefit I can see is that the 'buzz' they are creating is the type of thing hat makes it easier.....if only temporarily so.........to get money out of local traders who are more susceptible to that kind of 'emotional sale'.
If any of this DOES make a positive difference to RAJAR beyond statistical variation I will delightedly hold my hand up.
Interesting news I got back to today from radio today website, in an interview to Robin.
On your breakfast show you apparently went on and on about TFM ‘closing down’. Some people are saying you shouldn’t be promoting the competition. What do you say to them?
What I say to those people is 1. You probably didn’t hear it – and are reading things on the internet and Facebook about how terrible it is.
It’d be really easy of me to say we’ve won the battle and isn’t Star great – but no, I didn’t do that. Everybody in our market knows about the station so why not remember the great TFM as it was, and also tell my audience what’s happening instead of what Bauer seem to have done which is say they’ve done extensive market research within the TSA and created the new TFM.
Really? I’ve been in radio 30 years – you might as well put up a listener comment line. Tell us what you want from the radio station and we’ll do it when you know what your changes are going to be anyway.
And 2. I am the small guy at the small radio station in the market and if you think for one second I can’t mention my main competitor and give them a bit of stick on the radio for what they’ve done then you have zero clue about marketing, talk-ability and engaging and different radio. Everybody needs to know what Bauer have done. And that is they’ve made TFM a relay of Metro Radio. The whole reason for mentioning them was a) tell the audience what’s happening they think you’re stupid, and b) for Bauer to come clean saying they are relaying Metro Radio.
Have you seen their websites? They’re exactly the same! Either come clean or sell TFM to us. And this isn’t a PR stunt because we’ll buy it and either merge it into Star and be really open about what we’re doing or we’ll bring TFM back and it will remain TFM for Teesside and not TFM for Toon.
Ditchy starts next week. He blogged about joining you saying it was like going from the Premier League to Division One. How do you feel about that?
I’ve got to admit when I first read Ditchy’s blog I was a bit disheartended and had my head in my hands but you know something, what he’s saying is completly true and I can understand that. He has worked for the big radio stations and if you use the football analogy, he has worked at Key and City which he said are in the Premier League, Radio Aire in the Championship and to be honest this little radio station in Darlington serving the north east would be in league one if you use the football analogy.
Ditchy goes on in his blog to say that is in no way a critism of the radio station in size, it’s nowhere near the big boys, one day it hopes to be, but not yet.
So what he’s saying is actually true. I’ve been after Ditchy for ages, in fact I offered him a job at the radio station before I even started on December 17th 2012 and I’m delighted.
We may be as Ditchy puts it in League One but out of the speakers, we are the European champions!
So UKRD are saying they want to BUY Metro/TFM thingy.... WITH WHAT MONEY?
They are one of the few groups to report a profit. But, I agree with the view that this suggestion is a joke. UKRD will never get their hands on anything as prestigious as TFM.
yes, agreed Sean, they're group turnover will be less than the station they propose to buy. laughable really... lots of noise, no substance. there's a 7th core value, right there! maybe it can replace 'professional'
All that may be so but I still applaud the principal he is highlighting, namely that a franchise should be made available to other operators before being, effectively, closed altogether.
That is, surely, the whole basis of the system of bidding for licences?
All that may be so but I still applaud the principal he is highlighting, namely that a franchise should be made available to other operators before being, effectively, closed altogether.
That is, surely, the whole basis of the system of bidding for licences?
Talking of which, when is TFM's up for renewal?
Very true, effectively Bauer are saying they cant make the TFM franchise work...so maybe Bauer should sell it...
So Ditchy has started then...rather underwhelmed.I wonder what is so special about him.:rolleyes:.And they haven't even bothered to update the website.Maybe they are not expecting him to stay long.:rolleyes:
So Ditchy has started then...rather underwhelmed.I wonder what is so special about him.:rolleyes:.And they haven't even bothered to update the website.Maybe they are not expecting him to stay long.:rolleyes:
Quite.
Wouldn't bet against his appearance being a mutually agreed publicity stunt with Robin 'sacking' him after just a week or so.
Comments
http://radiotoday.co.uk/2013/04/ditchy-accepts-relegation-to-join-star/
Hirsty won't be impressed with that!
http://pic.twitter.com/p7T1nrPJd0
Where is the originality?
Believe me this isn't the awesome signing.
There is one more piece in the jigsaw but it's taking some time!
So much for a revolutionary new format, this is just a very narrow selection of rock hits bolted on to the existing UKRD playout. Safe and unadventurous, as is always the case with commercial radio these days.
Also, like all UKRD stations, the ad breaks are far too long in duration and occur far too frequently, often after every two songs!
Still, I'd rather listen to Star than Metro/Capital/Real/Smooth but compared to R1/R2/6 Music, these commercial stations are a vastly inferior listen.
What's the other big signing then? And when will it be revealed?
Judging by his blog Ditchy doesn't really want to be at Star anyway, having his show named after someone else's successful show (I'm sure Ditchy had no say in this) must make him feel even better :rolleyes:
The next "big" signing will know doubt be an ex TFM presenter (or 2) who will never emulate the success they had on TFM and will leave 6 months later.
Chances are, all these changes in format and presenter lineup will only alienate existing listeners and the numbers will fall.
The only benefit I can see is that the 'buzz' they are creating is the type of thing hat makes it easier.....if only temporarily so.........to get money out of local traders who are more susceptible to that kind of 'emotional sale'.
If any of this DOES make a positive difference to RAJAR beyond statistical variation I will delightedly hold my hand up.
On your breakfast show you apparently went on and on about TFM ‘closing down’. Some people are saying you shouldn’t be promoting the competition. What do you say to them?
What I say to those people is 1. You probably didn’t hear it – and are reading things on the internet and Facebook about how terrible it is.
It’d be really easy of me to say we’ve won the battle and isn’t Star great – but no, I didn’t do that. Everybody in our market knows about the station so why not remember the great TFM as it was, and also tell my audience what’s happening instead of what Bauer seem to have done which is say they’ve done extensive market research within the TSA and created the new TFM.
Really? I’ve been in radio 30 years – you might as well put up a listener comment line. Tell us what you want from the radio station and we’ll do it when you know what your changes are going to be anyway.
And 2. I am the small guy at the small radio station in the market and if you think for one second I can’t mention my main competitor and give them a bit of stick on the radio for what they’ve done then you have zero clue about marketing, talk-ability and engaging and different radio. Everybody needs to know what Bauer have done. And that is they’ve made TFM a relay of Metro Radio. The whole reason for mentioning them was a) tell the audience what’s happening they think you’re stupid, and b) for Bauer to come clean saying they are relaying Metro Radio.
Have you seen their websites? They’re exactly the same! Either come clean or sell TFM to us. And this isn’t a PR stunt because we’ll buy it and either merge it into Star and be really open about what we’re doing or we’ll bring TFM back and it will remain TFM for Teesside and not TFM for Toon.
Ditchy starts next week. He blogged about joining you saying it was like going from the Premier League to Division One. How do you feel about that?
I’ve got to admit when I first read Ditchy’s blog I was a bit disheartended and had my head in my hands but you know something, what he’s saying is completly true and I can understand that. He has worked for the big radio stations and if you use the football analogy, he has worked at Key and City which he said are in the Premier League, Radio Aire in the Championship and to be honest this little radio station in Darlington serving the north east would be in league one if you use the football analogy.
Ditchy goes on in his blog to say that is in no way a critism of the radio station in size, it’s nowhere near the big boys, one day it hopes to be, but not yet.
So what he’s saying is actually true. I’ve been after Ditchy for ages, in fact I offered him a job at the radio station before I even started on December 17th 2012 and I’m delighted.
We may be as Ditchy puts it in League One but out of the speakers, we are the European champions!
This "interview" is sheer hypocrisy too. I've worked with him and know exactly what he thinks of the listeners.
He goes on about Bauer "coming clean". People in glass houses shouldn't be throwing stones.
They are one of the few groups to report a profit. But, I agree with the view that this suggestion is a joke. UKRD will never get their hands on anything as prestigious as TFM.
That is, surely, the whole basis of the system of bidding for licences?
Talking of which, when is TFM's up for renewal?
This guy Ditchy seems to have worked at more radio stations than I've had hot dinners.
You can only conclude that his stint at Star will be short lived. Which is probably a good thing. A Chris Evans wannabe is a tiresome listen.
What happened to local lad Tom Davies, obviously not part of Banks' new masterplan?
Very true, effectively Bauer are saying they cant make the TFM franchise work...so maybe Bauer should sell it...
I heard he got found out discussing Star's ideas with someone and Star (Robin) didn't like it , and he got peddled.
Yes but they have found a way to make it work.
Quite.
Wouldn't bet against his appearance being a mutually agreed publicity stunt with Robin 'sacking' him after just a week or so.