Smooth being a national brand these days needs nationally known presenters or people won't listen. For example Carlos at Drive vs Simon Mayo on Radio 2- I know who I'd listen to.
To get people away from Radio 2, which is waht Smooth want to do is going to take a lot more than Dave Lincoln in the afternoon up against Steve Wright which is what they realised by signing David Jensen.
If Smooth want to be serious competition to Radio 2 then they need big names. Bates, Goodier & Jensen are the right people for their audience but I still prefer Radio 2 by a country mile.
I really think that just signing old Radio 1 djs in a battle with R2 fails to understand what makes R2 a winner....a really really wide playlist & entertaining presenters
Although i'd choose Carlos over Mayo, that would be the exception because i've never liked Mayo. Any other time i'd choose R2 .
Although Smooth has a wider playlist than most commercial stations, it's nowhere near as wide as R2, as a result tracks get repeated too often. 10 mins of commercials every hour is also a turn off. If it was offering me local stuff i may choose Smooth, but as it's not some old Radio 1 presenters confined by a format with a smallish playlist & loads of commercials are not going to tempt me or millions of others from R2.
Smooth being a national brand these days needs nationally known presenters or people won't listen. For example Carlos at Drive vs Simon Mayo on Radio 2- I know who I'd listen to.
To get people away from Radio 2, which is waht Smooth want to do is going to take a lot more than Dave Lincoln in the afternoon up against Steve Wright which is what they realised by signing David Jensen.
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I disagree. For example I don't think Laser 558 had any well known BBC names amongst its roster of DJs.
I accept that Steve Wright is better known than Dave Lincoln but I know which I would prefer to listen to. My motto is more music, less chatter and leave the ego at the door.
But to be fair David Jensen isn't from the Steve Wright stable when it comes to presentation. I agree with some of the earlier posters who said some of the Smooth presenters simply hadn't moved with the times.
Carlos uses his "Carlos of Smooth Radio" Facebook page to communicate with listeners and to keep them updated with his Wife Claire's pregnancy amongst other things , he answers some posts but not all.
I think it's widely known I'm not a fan of Carlos but in the last few weeks I've found out via twitter the reason why Nick Piercey didn't move to Manchester which I'd wanted more than Carlos is that he'd bought a second home in Hampshire that he used at weekends (Now living there full time) in 2009 and he didn't want to sell to go to Manchester. Now he's doing cover shifts on BBC Oxford and has a Regular Saturday afternoon slot on Wave 105fm so he's doing fine and Tammy Gooding has her business in Birmingham so she wouldn't move away so Carlos could make the move to Manchester and also be near his elderly mother who lives in Stafford and also Claire's family and also so that Claire could keep her newsreading job at BRMB back in Birmingham although she hasn't been heard a lot lately on air as she has been off work due to chronic pregnancy sickness.
Tammy Gooding is regularly getting swing shifts on BBC WM, so it's not all bad for her.
As for Smooth, I thought that using the likes of Dave Lincoln that the brand was going to be similar to Magic London where the music does the talking and the presenters facilitate the music, now they're going for the ex R1 presenters of the 80s and a bloke on drive who sounds as if he was on the station during the era, is it Radio 1 circa 1982 with a ropey motown, a couple of oldies and some new music format or something as the station continues to have no clear idea of what it stands for?
But to be fair David Jensen isn't from the Steve Wright stable when it comes to presentation. I agree with some of the earlier posters who said some of the Smooth presenters simply hadn't moved with the times.
Sorry to have to disagree with you Mapperley but Dave Jensen is from the same stable as Steve Wright. When you were just a babe in nappys and I had to work overnights on a north west commercial station mid 70's I would drive to work listening to Steve and the Kid and their shows on 208 Radio Luxembourg.
In fact I recall Luxy recruiting a deejay and booking 2. Rob Jones and Steve Wright.
It says a lot for radio that so many stations are still using old names.
PS; Shame Smooth can't use Paul Burnett. Light years ahead of Graham Dene.
Maybe I was unfair to put Graham there and I might be reading too much into it but in the case of Dave Lincoln whenever I see you make comments on him it seems to have an underlying element of some sort of personal grudge.
Although i'd choose Carlos over Mayo, that would be the exception because i've never liked Mayo. Any other time i'd choose R2 .
You see, I used to think that, how wrong I was.
When Mayo used to stand in for Chris Evans I thought he was dire but now, after a year in the job and very little time off I think he is well suited to the Drivetime slot on Radio 2 and find his shows enjoyable and love his dry sense of humour.
Maybe I am being a little unfair to Carlos as being a Southerner I don't know him, just my opinion of course.
Maybe I was unfair to put Graham there and I might be reading too much into it but in the case of Dave Lincoln whenever I see you make comments on him it seems to have an underlying element of some sort of personal grudge.
Not at all.
There are three types of radio voices;
Personality ie Steve Wright Chris Evans,Chris Tarrant etc.
Presenter;Bob Harris,Andy Peebles,Dave Jensen...
DJ..Graham Dene, Dave Lincoln etc.
In the case of the latter there is another catagory..voicetracking.
Now others can add to the lists above.
The truth is the big money goes to the first division such as Chris Evans for good reason. He is an entertainer.
Maybe I am biased because of a history of working for the BBC and other major global broadcasters but may I suggest that Graham and Dave would have benefited from a spell at a BBC local station.
Don't think Carlos was best pleased to recieve this post on his facebook page yesterday , "Carlos..looks like you may be on the night shift soon as you have never worked for Radio 1 ! !!!!!!!!!! Still maybe a little more choice song wise away from the repetition of your drive show & Take That daily!!!!!!". And no I never posted it.
Don't think Carlos was best pleased to recieve this post on his facebook page yesterday , "Carlos..looks like you may be on the night shift soon as you have never worked for Radio 1 ! !!!!!!!!!! Still maybe a little more choice song wise away from the repetition of your drive show & Take That daily!!!!!!". And no I never posted it.
Don't you think it's time you unliked his Facebook page? Life's too short to be reading the Facebook page on someone you don't like.
Don't think Carlos was best pleased to recieve this post on his facebook page yesterday , "Carlos..looks like you may be on the night shift soon as you have never worked for Radio 1 ! !!!!!!!!!! Still maybe a little more choice song wise away from the repetition of your drive show & Take That daily!!!!!!". And no I never posted it.
You are a nuisance. I hope you grow out of your petty comments soon.
I don't understand how if you don't like a DJ (Carlos), you would want to read his FaceBook page.
I don't like him, never have so I would never consider reading it and posting snippets from it on here, I just don't listen when he is on the radio and Smooth lose a listener during drive time, simple really. Although, being totally honest and fair, I did listen to drive today as I was in a friends car who always listens to Smooth, and I have to honestly say that he did put on a good show, lots of good music, so credit where credit is due.
Still as a Smooth West Midlands listener, I am glad that Nick Piercey is working on another station, he would have been good on drive, having done drive on Heart FM, but if he was moving, then it would have been difficult for him to continue broadcasting on Smooth. Also good to hear that Tammy Gooding is doing occasional shifts on Radio WM.
Let's be honest, with every presenter it's subjective whether you like them or not. It's obvious that Chrissy1978uk has hatred towards Carlos. Always looking to dig at the guy & get personal. He's been a success at all his stations and has a huge following. I wonder how many detractors actually listen. He connects with listeners, is relatable & contemporary. All things that Nick Piercey had missing from his act and many past Radio 1 presenters have struggled to deliver. Also why does Chrissy1978uk always drag up Carlos' wife? Sad. I've heard that GMG love him and he has a long contract.
Have to agree there vonny.Must admit im not a lover of the guy but i have never slagged him off and at the weekend i was listening to him and he started to grow on me.However how safe his job is,is anyones guess with todays radio but im starting to like him;)
And forgot to say im also still loving smooth very much.
I must say that I have listened to Carlos on most of the Radio stations that he has been on. He is a great broadcaster and truly a nice guy. Maybe I am biased because I come from the same town and went to the same school as Carl. But he definately deserves his position on Smooth.
I must say that I have listened to Carlos on most of the Radio stations that he has been on. He is a great broadcaster and truly a nice guy. Maybe I am biased because I come from the same town and went to the same school as Carl. But he definately deserves his position on Smooth.
Hi thats right he was known as carl emms and he was interveiwed on the russel harty show on bbc 1 circa 1984 .He was on wiltshire radio then before gwr and chiltern fm .Another presenter who has been overlooked is adrian john or mike smith .Although a great drivetime presenter over the years has to be red hot roger scott (r i p )
Hi thats right he was known as carl emms and he was interveiwed on the russel harty show on bbc 1 circa 1984 .He was on wiltshire radio then before gwr and chiltern fm.
On Carlos's FB fanpage, he mentioned he was on Heart at the same time as David Jensen. I have no recollection of him on the London station.
When Mayo used to stand in for Chris Evans I thought he was dire but now, after a year in the job and very little time off I think he is well suited to the Drivetime slot on Radio 2 and find his shows enjoyable and love his dry sense of humour.
Maybe I am being a little unfair to Carlos as being a Southerner I don't know him, just my opinion of course.
It's a purely personal thing with me & Mayo. I think he just comes across as smug & smarmy. Always thought he did on R1 as well, but i accept others like him.
I also think Smooth could regret the signing on loads of old R1 DJs. It misses the point that the real reason R1 did so well in the 70s & 80s wasn't much to do with the presenters, but more to do with the fact that there was little else on the dial.
Many areas had no local commercial stations & those that did alongside some great stuff had hours of IBA enforced news, long interviews, people flogging their latest book, the AA guy answering peoples motoring problems & people selling their old tat on the air. Compared to that anyone could have got good figures on R1 just playing the hits with no adverts.
For what it's worth, i think Bates was good & so was Jensen back in the day. I'm not so sure about Goodier or Peebles though.Those are just personal opinions of course, others may disagree.
Also. lets not forget that Classic Gold stuffed the schedule with ex-R1 presenters back in the mid 90s. Bates, Read, Blackburn etc & that really did nothing in terms of getting an audience
You can't go back re-create the past, things have moved on, old R1 DJs are not a guaranteed draw & these days Smooths big opposion is R2 which is about large playlists & entertainment.
For what it's worth, i think Bates was good & so was Jensen. I'm not so sure about Goodier or Peebles though.Those are just personal opinions of course, others may disagree.
Also. lets not forget that Classic Gold stuffed the schedule with ex-R1 presenters back in the mid 90s. Bates, Read, Blackburn etc & that really did nothing in terms of getting an audience
You can't go back re-create the past, things have moved on, old R1 DJs are not a guaranteed draw & these days Smooths big opposion is R2 which is about large playlists & entertainment.
Just to repeat what I posted on the Gold thread
Looks like it is down to The trustees of the Scott trust who own the GMG radio stations, they said they have no plans to sell the stations and as a trust will be more interested in long term profits to help train new journalists rather than short term gain!
However if the Real and Smooth stations do not make good profits in 2011 and Global, or someone else, makes a good offer which is acceptable to the DTI deregulated monopolies commission and Ofcom, only the trustees will know what they will do??
A GMG spokesman said: "Our radio stations are attractive assets so it is unsurprising that we receive expressions of interest from time to time. While we keep our portfolio under constant review, we are not seeking a buyer at this time." However, Mr Miller, who replaced Carolyn McCall as chief executive earlier this month, is reviewing all of GMG's assets as it looks for cash to shore up its loss-making national newspapers.
GMG had a target to go national and get 3 million listeners which it has done and is now in a good position with the new breakfast shows to get more listeners, good high value adverts, and improve it's profits (which so far have not been good).
If by mid 2011 profits are reasonable which will help the aim training journalists, then the Scott trust will probably be pleased and stay with Smooth and Real long term.
To go head on with R2 will be a mistake.
However Capital Gold and Classic Gold lost focus and listeners partly with the mono AM platform and old playlists.
Smooth has the advantage of stereo FM and digital outlets, plus new easy listening songs amongst old easy listening hits to keep the playlist fresh.
GMG will need to watch the presenter interaction and the playlist carefully and ensure listeners do not drift off again, so profits start falling and the Scott Trust decide to sell Smooth!
Comments
Mayo v Carlos, id choose Carlos everytime
I really think that just signing old Radio 1 djs in a battle with R2 fails to understand what makes R2 a winner....a really really wide playlist & entertaining presenters
Although i'd choose Carlos over Mayo, that would be the exception because i've never liked Mayo. Any other time i'd choose R2 .
Although Smooth has a wider playlist than most commercial stations, it's nowhere near as wide as R2, as a result tracks get repeated too often. 10 mins of commercials every hour is also a turn off. If it was offering me local stuff i may choose Smooth, but as it's not some old Radio 1 presenters confined by a format with a smallish playlist & loads of commercials are not going to tempt me or millions of others from R2.
I disagree. For example I don't think Laser 558 had any well known BBC names amongst its roster of DJs.
I accept that Steve Wright is better known than Dave Lincoln but I know which I would prefer to listen to. My motto is more music, less chatter and leave the ego at the door.
..and breath.
As for Smooth, I thought that using the likes of Dave Lincoln that the brand was going to be similar to Magic London where the music does the talking and the presenters facilitate the music, now they're going for the ex R1 presenters of the 80s and a bloke on drive who sounds as if he was on the station during the era, is it Radio 1 circa 1982 with a ropey motown, a couple of oldies and some new music format or something as the station continues to have no clear idea of what it stands for?
In fact I recall Luxy recruiting a deejay and booking 2. Rob Jones and Steve Wright.
It says a lot for radio that so many stations are still using old names.
PS; Shame Smooth can't use Paul Burnett. Light years ahead of Graham Dene.
What are you suggesting?
Maybe I was unfair to put Graham there and I might be reading too much into it but in the case of Dave Lincoln whenever I see you make comments on him it seems to have an underlying element of some sort of personal grudge.
You see, I used to think that, how wrong I was.
When Mayo used to stand in for Chris Evans I thought he was dire but now, after a year in the job and very little time off I think he is well suited to the Drivetime slot on Radio 2 and find his shows enjoyable and love his dry sense of humour.
Maybe I am being a little unfair to Carlos as being a Southerner I don't know him, just my opinion of course.
Not at all.
There are three types of radio voices;
Personality ie Steve Wright Chris Evans,Chris Tarrant etc.
Presenter;Bob Harris,Andy Peebles,Dave Jensen...
DJ..Graham Dene, Dave Lincoln etc.
In the case of the latter there is another catagory..voicetracking.
Now others can add to the lists above.
The truth is the big money goes to the first division such as Chris Evans for good reason. He is an entertainer.
Maybe I am biased because of a history of working for the BBC and other major global broadcasters but may I suggest that Graham and Dave would have benefited from a spell at a BBC local station.
Don't you think it's time you unliked his Facebook page? Life's too short to be reading the Facebook page on someone you don't like.
You are a nuisance. I hope you grow out of your petty comments soon.
I don't like him, never have so I would never consider reading it and posting snippets from it on here, I just don't listen when he is on the radio and Smooth lose a listener during drive time, simple really. Although, being totally honest and fair, I did listen to drive today as I was in a friends car who always listens to Smooth, and I have to honestly say that he did put on a good show, lots of good music, so credit where credit is due.
Still as a Smooth West Midlands listener, I am glad that Nick Piercey is working on another station, he would have been good on drive, having done drive on Heart FM, but if he was moving, then it would have been difficult for him to continue broadcasting on Smooth. Also good to hear that Tammy Gooding is doing occasional shifts on Radio WM.
And forgot to say im also still loving smooth very much.
Hi thats right he was known as carl emms and he was interveiwed on the russel harty show on bbc 1 circa 1984 .He was on wiltshire radio then before gwr and chiltern fm .Another presenter who has been overlooked is adrian john or mike smith .Although a great drivetime presenter over the years has to be red hot roger scott (r i p )
"Red Hot" Emma Scott, surely?!
On Carlos's FB fanpage, he mentioned he was on Heart at the same time as David Jensen. I have no recollection of him on the London station.
Looks like he means he was on Heart Birmingham!
The "CD Countdown" show which David Jensen hosted on Sunday was also carried in the West Midlands when Carlos was doing mid-mornings.
It's a purely personal thing with me & Mayo. I think he just comes across as smug & smarmy. Always thought he did on R1 as well, but i accept others like him.
I also think Smooth could regret the signing on loads of old R1 DJs. It misses the point that the real reason R1 did so well in the 70s & 80s wasn't much to do with the presenters, but more to do with the fact that there was little else on the dial.
Many areas had no local commercial stations & those that did alongside some great stuff had hours of IBA enforced news, long interviews, people flogging their latest book, the AA guy answering peoples motoring problems & people selling their old tat on the air. Compared to that anyone could have got good figures on R1 just playing the hits with no adverts.
For what it's worth, i think Bates was good & so was Jensen back in the day. I'm not so sure about Goodier or Peebles though.Those are just personal opinions of course, others may disagree.
Also. lets not forget that Classic Gold stuffed the schedule with ex-R1 presenters back in the mid 90s. Bates, Read, Blackburn etc & that really did nothing in terms of getting an audience
You can't go back re-create the past, things have moved on, old R1 DJs are not a guaranteed draw & these days Smooths big opposion is R2 which is about large playlists & entertainment.
Looks like it is down to The trustees of the Scott trust who own the GMG radio stations, they said they have no plans to sell the stations and as a trust will be more interested in long term profits to help train new journalists rather than short term gain!
However if the Real and Smooth stations do not make good profits in 2011 and Global, or someone else, makes a good offer which is acceptable to the DTI deregulated monopolies commission and Ofcom, only the trustees will know what they will do??
and to add
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/digital-media/7908624/GMG-rejects-bids-for-radio-arm.html GMG had a target to go national and get 3 million listeners which it has done and is now in a good position with the new breakfast shows to get more listeners, good high value adverts, and improve it's profits (which so far have not been good).
If by mid 2011 profits are reasonable which will help the aim training journalists, then the Scott trust will probably be pleased and stay with Smooth and Real long term.
To go head on with R2 will be a mistake.
However Capital Gold and Classic Gold lost focus and listeners partly with the mono AM platform and old playlists.
Smooth has the advantage of stereo FM and digital outlets, plus new easy listening songs amongst old easy listening hits to keep the playlist fresh.
GMG will need to watch the presenter interaction and the playlist carefully and ensure listeners do not drift off again, so profits start falling and the Scott Trust decide to sell Smooth!