As I pointed out above, the shear number of people accessing the Nottingham City Transport website brought it too it's knees. As per usual it's just efficient use of taxpayers money to cope with a once every 20 years event - trying to get everyone working together has to be nigh on impossible.
In the future as the internet becomes more widely used and capacity increases these details could be posted on individual school's internet websites, I'm sure the capacity would allow that. In fact shouldn't schools be trying to communicate in this way now or at least working towards it.
I know not everyone currently has internet access and that arguement may still be true in 5 years time but it would at least reduce the need for FM radio stations to keep repeating this information.
I think its hard for people working in radio to critique it. Your too close, too involved. Jo and Joanne public stick the radio on when they jump in the car on the way to work or to drop the kids off at school. They want a bit of news, a bit of travel, a bit of music and if you can make them smile a bit also then job done. I've been covering the breakfast show at Lite Fm this week and yes, I've done school closures and extra travel info and its totally necessary. We had major disruption thismorning and the phone was ringing non stop with people after information.
This is exactly what local radio is about. Local people, local issues and concerns. The die hard music fan (and Digital Spy local radio basher) won't want to hear about travel problems, they are of course far too cool for this so will be listening to their i pods. Good for them. Thing is though, many many people do want this information and turn to their local station and trust what comes from it. I put people on air stuck in traffic, stuck on their driveways, happy to not be at school etc just like lots of others did. Some may say its ott but I totally disagree. If it affects people locally then it affects us and its our duty to go with it.
In the future as the internet becomes more widely used and capacity increases these details could be posted on individual school's internet websites, I'm sure the capacity would allow that. In fact shouldn't schools be trying to communicate in this way now or at least working towards it.
I know not everyone currently has internet access and that arguement may still be true in 5 years time but it would at least reduce the need for FM radio stations to keep repeating this information.
The internet is no use when you are waiting for the buses to appear and want to check if they are coming and once you finally get the magical G appear on the phone you find the network is so congested it can't download a webpage (normally I'd be connected to the HSDPA and be downloading BBC content in an instant, not this morning).
The more none-broadcast technology fails when it's needed/wanted most (the 7/7/2005 London bombings. 11/9/2001 USA attacks, 01/01/200X, 5/2/2009 snow...) the more I'm convinced that a properly implemented broadcast alert system is the way forward.
FFS, DAB can broadcast IP stuff, mobile phones have GPS chips in them, a parent has probably got the schools phone number in there phone. - bung DAB* into mobile phones and then by looking at the broadcast streams it could see that school X is closed, notice that you have school X in your phone book and generate a "text message" to alert you. You could also access the "location services" section of your mobile and see that it has picked up a number of alerts about bus services suspended in your area, and allow you to accessed cached copies of web pages, updated as they changed by the broadcast service. The feed would continue working as only a few sources would be accessing it (i.e. BBC, Global Radio, Bauer, UTV, MuxCo) and everyone would be able to access it. During major incidents the emergency services would be able to supply advice to people in the area, alerting all those in areas on high flood risk to be aware of the situation, or those under a toxic gas cloud....
My phone displays RSS news feeds in standby - currently saying "Two jailed over tunisia bombing" - much more useful this morning would have been "Heavy Snow, NCT buses suspended, Schools Closed" with clicking ticker/select taking me to more details taken from a RSS feed on abroadcast platform (rather than an overloaded cellular one)
*or your favourite digital broadcast technology into your phone.
How did local radio cover the major incident near Exeter last night with 200 people trapped in their cars near Telegraph Hill due to blizzards.?
I don't know how did they ?
I would imagine most covered it in Breakfast unlike many of the local Newspapers who had gone to print.
The point about being local is not that you APE TV news 24 style but give a sence of the place you serve.
Im sure all have done that.
The fact a few want a blow by blow of every local passing moment are never going to be pleased.
Local radio history shows you report the birth not cover the birth .
In Torbay, BBC Devon was covering it all night, Palm FM were live discussing it in the evening.
.
Sounds excellent this is exactly what people need, local radio helping where it is needed. Congrats to Palm FM and the beeb, I hope the public remember these stations.
Proof that local radio in some parts of the Country can still help motorists when required.
How did local radio cover the major incident near Exeter last night with 200 people trapped in their cars near Telegraph Hill due to blizzards.?
The BBC did it in an extraordinarily extended series of broadcasts which covered the period 22:00 to 04:00 with Vic Morgan broadcasting to the 'greater south west' before Radio Devon started its extended breakfast show which ended at 10:00 and now with a presenter standing in for someone who presumably couldn't get into Exeter from Ide.
If you listened to Gemini you'd have heard how hopelessy ill prepared they are to tackle anything which disturbs their normal routine (and which presumably get worse when they rebrand and lessen local content)
Exeter FM output is best described as 'struggling'
So there you are everything from the blow by blow account from the BBC with a reporter bringing tedious 'updates' about where drivers had spent the night(!) to cursory mentions in passing (what weather crisis?).
It ought to be pointed out that in Devon the snow was incredibly haphazard in where it fell and settled, and some people who were listening to the Beeb's output (perhaps in the South Hams?) would have wondered what all the fuss was about.
Exeter FM output is best described as 'struggling'!
At 10.42 the Exeter FM website hadn't even acknowledged that there had been any bad weather overnight. The possibility of John Lewis opening in Exeter seems to be their most up to date headline- and that was speculated upon in the local paper two days ago. Oh yes, and it's snowing again in Exeter!
As the previous contributor mentioned, Vic Morgan was due off air at 0100 and stayed until 0400.
I present the Plymouth Breakfast Show and Matt Woodley the countywide Breakfast Show.
Matt was on-air at 0400 - we split as usual at 0600.
It was surreal, presenting for Plymouth and west Devon - the area was in a 'bubble' where all around us were horrendous conditions, but the city was completely unscathed.
The point made previously about 'tedious' updates, with respect I would point out that at breakfast time, listeners are tuning in at all times, so would not have necessaily heard the previous updates.
It is also worth mentioning that a number of staff had been on duty all night (including management) straight through from the end of their shift yesterday evening to deal with hundreds of calls we were taking on and off air.
In future years, no doubt many will relive the 'winter of 2009'.
Fortunately, we had reporters very local to the emergency rescue centres where stranded motorists were given shelter - the reporters were able to get there from their homes in adjacent villages - by foot, I understand, to bring the motorists' experiences of events.
At 10.42 the Exeter FM website hadn't even acknowledged that there had been any bad weather overnight. The possibility of John Lewis opening in Exeter seems to be their most up to date headline- and that was speculated upon in the local paper two days ago. Oh yes, and it's snowing again in Exeter!
I'm more concerned about the output of stations than the websites. Its whats on air that is important.
I'm sorry but I think I need to wade in here about all this.
For the school closures you need to lay some blame at the local authority for leaving the closures up to the individual school. A lot of the time one school will closed as they have heard that the one down the road has closed. The council should decide for the schools whether they should be open or not.
It also doesn't help that schools leave it to between 08:30 and 09:00 to call to say that they are closing, way after pupils have already left home.
As for the issue regarding the roads, I can clearly state that considering the weather, which was blindingly obvious, there wasn't that many problems on the roads, motorways or public transport, FACT!
Radio stations did their best considering the situation.
As for the issue regarding the roads, I can clearly state that considering the weather, which was blindingly obvious, there wasn't that many problems on the roads, motorways or public transport, FACT!
Radio stations did their best considering the situation.
Maybe in your area, but here in Devon there were over 200 vehicles abandoned on Haldon Hill with the A38 and M5 closed (the main routes into the county) and also power cuts in some areas. Inter-county bus services were pulled at 21:30 with many local bus services taken off the road as well. Local airports are still closed as I write.
Apologies if you just referring to your paticular area.
I'm more concerned about the output of stations than the websites. Its whats on air that is important.
I'm inclined to agree with you, but perhaps somebody ought to tell BBC in the South West that not every link needs to be "there's further information on our website" as quite often there isn't, or if there is its a cursory addition. This includes "Spotlight" the daily TV news output as well- and of course just at the moment it's impossible to get onto certain parts of the website.
An honourable "Hello" to Gordon Sparks, as well, who will be much more concerned about whether Plymouth Argyle's match tomorrow is on or off than his next breakfast show shift. He undoubtedly has some interesting memories of attempts to do 'joint' sports output on Plymouth Sound/DevonAir at the end of the 80's as well!
Meanwhile the 'panic' that has gripped the area abates as the snow melts.
Apologies if you just referring to your paticular area.
No worries, I was on about the West Midlands area that Les Wires was referring to.
There is also a higher concentration of schools and local councils in the West Midlands which makes more school closures and more phone calls to the radio station who then have to broadcast the info.
Thanks, West Mids lad. Very strange how different areas have been affected in varying ways by this 'localised' weather.
Doctor Dave - bless ya. The pitch at The Theatre of Greens is in good shape. The worry may be for Derby County. Their team is travelling by road this afternoon, but consideration is naturally given to supporters of away clubs in these circumstances.
I do, indeed, recall my time with commericial radio in the 80's. During one spell of bad weather early in the decade, I was presenting 'Night Flight' (midnight to 0600) that was broadcast in the Plymouth Sound and DevonAir areas. That is when you realise a night time audience really is a community within itself.
In the mid 1980's, I was presenting breakfast on Plymouth Sound when some 'real' snow hit Plymouth. After the first inch, reports of taxis being abandoned, buses taken off the road and the usual warning ... "... unless absolutely necessary."
On a serious point, without being over dramatic, this is why I love local radio when you have the feeling your listener is hanging on every word.
Would be nice to have Clive Dunn in the studio at such times...
I'm sorry but I think I need to wade in here about all this.
For the school closures you need to lay some blame at the local authority for leaving the closures up to the individual school. A lot of the time one school will closed as they have heard that the one down the road has closed. The council should decide for the schools whether they should be open or not.
It also doesn't help that schools leave it to between 08:30 and 09:00 to call to say that they are closing, way after pupils have already left home.
As for the issue regarding the roads, I can clearly state that considering the weather, which was blindingly obvious, there wasn't that many problems on the roads, motorways or public transport, FACT!
Radio stations did their best considering the situation.
Actually there certainly were problems on the roads within the West Midlands including motorways, a read of the AA travel site confirmed that in addition to my own experiences. I cannot comment about the buses but train cancellations took place on certain lines also.
These I agree do not compare to the Exeter Telegraph Hill incident. I'm not sure how BRMB would cope with an incident of 200 trapped motorists, if it was between 7-9am I assume they would prioritise it behind St Winnifreds Primary School.
Having listened to Touch this morning I thought they well out performed BRMB for balance and frequency of updates
Actually there certainly were problems on the roads within the West Midlands including motorways, a read of the AA travel site confirmed that in addition to my own experiences. I cannot comment about the buses but train cancellations took place on certain lines also.
These I agree do not compare to the Exeter Telegraph Hill incident. I'm not sure how BRMB would cope with an incident of 200 trapped motorists, if it was between 7-9am I assume they would prioritise it behind St Winnifreds Primary School.
Having listened to Touch this morning I thought they well out performed BRMB for balance and frequency of updates
Please do share these 'problems' which were apparently not related to the obvious weather conditions as I am struggling to think of any.
Anyway, Touch has such a small TSA in comparision to a major TSA of BRMB.....in relation to listeners before you go on about it stretching across Warwickshire and the Cotwolds.
Please do share these 'problems' which were apparently not related to the obvious weather conditions as I am struggling to think of any.
Anyway, Touch has such a small TSA in comparision to a major TSA of BRMB.....in relation to listeners before you go on about it stretching across Warwickshire and the Cotwolds.
They were listed on the AA roadwatch site, I would imagine the page has been updated since. Certainly the A441, A34 and A41 were mentioned within B'ham in addition to the M42 and M40. The AA said it was due to the snow but perhaps they had it all wrong as I'm sure you knew better.
Anyway, Touch has such a small TSA in comparision to a major TSA of BRMB.....in relation to listeners before you go on about it stretching across Warwickshire and the Cotwolds.
Why has TSA got anything to do with the proportion of time they spend dealing with schools compared to motorists.
Before you go on about there being more schools in Birmingham than Stratford you may like to consider there are also more motorists.
Well I can tell you that the M42, M40 and the A41 were all open during the snow this week......
You are back-tracking so fast now I can hardly watch. Didn't you say 'there wasn't that many problems on the roads' which I disputed. Who said anything about open or closed.
You seem to have added that line in a failed attempt to cover your mistake.
The whole point I've made since my initial post is that there were no problems on the roads despite the obvious weather conditions.
Unfortunately your statement is again totally incorrect. There were problems on the roads in and around the West Midlands which were caused by snow - FACT
You asked me for examples, I gave them and then you changed your argument. - FACT
Comments
In the future as the internet becomes more widely used and capacity increases these details could be posted on individual school's internet websites, I'm sure the capacity would allow that. In fact shouldn't schools be trying to communicate in this way now or at least working towards it.
I know not everyone currently has internet access and that arguement may still be true in 5 years time but it would at least reduce the need for FM radio stations to keep repeating this information.
This is exactly what local radio is about. Local people, local issues and concerns. The die hard music fan (and Digital Spy local radio basher) won't want to hear about travel problems, they are of course far too cool for this so will be listening to their i pods. Good for them. Thing is though, many many people do want this information and turn to their local station and trust what comes from it. I put people on air stuck in traffic, stuck on their driveways, happy to not be at school etc just like lots of others did. Some may say its ott but I totally disagree. If it affects people locally then it affects us and its our duty to go with it.
The internet is no use when you are waiting for the buses to appear and want to check if they are coming and once you finally get the magical G appear on the phone you find the network is so congested it can't download a webpage (normally I'd be connected to the HSDPA and be downloading BBC content in an instant, not this morning).
The more none-broadcast technology fails when it's needed/wanted most (the 7/7/2005 London bombings. 11/9/2001 USA attacks, 01/01/200X, 5/2/2009 snow...) the more I'm convinced that a properly implemented broadcast alert system is the way forward.
FFS, DAB can broadcast IP stuff, mobile phones have GPS chips in them, a parent has probably got the schools phone number in there phone. - bung DAB* into mobile phones and then by looking at the broadcast streams it could see that school X is closed, notice that you have school X in your phone book and generate a "text message" to alert you. You could also access the "location services" section of your mobile and see that it has picked up a number of alerts about bus services suspended in your area, and allow you to accessed cached copies of web pages, updated as they changed by the broadcast service. The feed would continue working as only a few sources would be accessing it (i.e. BBC, Global Radio, Bauer, UTV, MuxCo) and everyone would be able to access it. During major incidents the emergency services would be able to supply advice to people in the area, alerting all those in areas on high flood risk to be aware of the situation, or those under a toxic gas cloud....
My phone displays RSS news feeds in standby - currently saying "Two jailed over tunisia bombing" - much more useful this morning would have been "Heavy Snow, NCT buses suspended, Schools Closed" with clicking ticker/select taking me to more details taken from a RSS feed on abroadcast platform (rather than an overloaded cellular one)
*or your favourite digital broadcast technology into your phone.
In Torbay, BBC Devon was covering it all night, Palm FM were live discussing it in the evening.
This morning was main discussion on BBC Devon, Gemini Torbay (main presenter could not get to work) and Palm FM.
I don't know how did they ?
I would imagine most covered it in Breakfast unlike many of the local Newspapers who had gone to print.
The point about being local is not that you APE TV news 24 style but give a sence of the place you serve.
Im sure all have done that.
The fact a few want a blow by blow of every local passing moment are never going to be pleased.
Local radio history shows you report the birth not cover the birth .
Proof that local radio in some parts of the Country can still help motorists when required.
The BBC did it in an extraordinarily extended series of broadcasts which covered the period 22:00 to 04:00 with Vic Morgan broadcasting to the 'greater south west' before Radio Devon started its extended breakfast show which ended at 10:00 and now with a presenter standing in for someone who presumably couldn't get into Exeter from Ide.
If you listened to Gemini you'd have heard how hopelessy ill prepared they are to tackle anything which disturbs their normal routine (and which presumably get worse when they rebrand and lessen local content)
Exeter FM output is best described as 'struggling'
So there you are everything from the blow by blow account from the BBC with a reporter bringing tedious 'updates' about where drivers had spent the night(!) to cursory mentions in passing (what weather crisis?).
It ought to be pointed out that in Devon the snow was incredibly haphazard in where it fell and settled, and some people who were listening to the Beeb's output (perhaps in the South Hams?) would have wondered what all the fuss was about.
Here to be boring about weather!
At 10.42 the Exeter FM website hadn't even acknowledged that there had been any bad weather overnight. The possibility of John Lewis opening in Exeter seems to be their most up to date headline- and that was speculated upon in the local paper two days ago. Oh yes, and it's snowing again in Exeter!
As the previous contributor mentioned, Vic Morgan was due off air at 0100 and stayed until 0400.
I present the Plymouth Breakfast Show and Matt Woodley the countywide Breakfast Show.
Matt was on-air at 0400 - we split as usual at 0600.
It was surreal, presenting for Plymouth and west Devon - the area was in a 'bubble' where all around us were horrendous conditions, but the city was completely unscathed.
The point made previously about 'tedious' updates, with respect I would point out that at breakfast time, listeners are tuning in at all times, so would not have necessaily heard the previous updates.
It is also worth mentioning that a number of staff had been on duty all night (including management) straight through from the end of their shift yesterday evening to deal with hundreds of calls we were taking on and off air.
In future years, no doubt many will relive the 'winter of 2009'.
Fortunately, we had reporters very local to the emergency rescue centres where stranded motorists were given shelter - the reporters were able to get there from their homes in adjacent villages - by foot, I understand, to bring the motorists' experiences of events.
I'm more concerned about the output of stations than the websites. Its whats on air that is important.
For the school closures you need to lay some blame at the local authority for leaving the closures up to the individual school. A lot of the time one school will closed as they have heard that the one down the road has closed. The council should decide for the schools whether they should be open or not.
It also doesn't help that schools leave it to between 08:30 and 09:00 to call to say that they are closing, way after pupils have already left home.
As for the issue regarding the roads, I can clearly state that considering the weather, which was blindingly obvious, there wasn't that many problems on the roads, motorways or public transport, FACT!
Radio stations did their best considering the situation.
Maybe in your area, but here in Devon there were over 200 vehicles abandoned on Haldon Hill with the A38 and M5 closed (the main routes into the county) and also power cuts in some areas. Inter-county bus services were pulled at 21:30 with many local bus services taken off the road as well. Local airports are still closed as I write.
Apologies if you just referring to your paticular area.
I'm inclined to agree with you, but perhaps somebody ought to tell BBC in the South West that not every link needs to be "there's further information on our website" as quite often there isn't, or if there is its a cursory addition. This includes "Spotlight" the daily TV news output as well- and of course just at the moment it's impossible to get onto certain parts of the website.
An honourable "Hello" to Gordon Sparks, as well, who will be much more concerned about whether Plymouth Argyle's match tomorrow is on or off than his next breakfast show shift. He undoubtedly has some interesting memories of attempts to do 'joint' sports output on Plymouth Sound/DevonAir at the end of the 80's as well!
Meanwhile the 'panic' that has gripped the area abates as the snow melts.
No worries, I was on about the West Midlands area that Les Wires was referring to.
There is also a higher concentration of schools and local councils in the West Midlands which makes more school closures and more phone calls to the radio station who then have to broadcast the info.
Doctor Dave - bless ya. The pitch at The Theatre of Greens is in good shape. The worry may be for Derby County. Their team is travelling by road this afternoon, but consideration is naturally given to supporters of away clubs in these circumstances.
I do, indeed, recall my time with commericial radio in the 80's. During one spell of bad weather early in the decade, I was presenting 'Night Flight' (midnight to 0600) that was broadcast in the Plymouth Sound and DevonAir areas. That is when you realise a night time audience really is a community within itself.
In the mid 1980's, I was presenting breakfast on Plymouth Sound when some 'real' snow hit Plymouth. After the first inch, reports of taxis being abandoned, buses taken off the road and the usual warning ... "... unless absolutely necessary."
On a serious point, without being over dramatic, this is why I love local radio when you have the feeling your listener is hanging on every word.
Would be nice to have Clive Dunn in the studio at such times...
"Don't panic !"
Actually there certainly were problems on the roads within the West Midlands including motorways, a read of the AA travel site confirmed that in addition to my own experiences. I cannot comment about the buses but train cancellations took place on certain lines also.
These I agree do not compare to the Exeter Telegraph Hill incident. I'm not sure how BRMB would cope with an incident of 200 trapped motorists, if it was between 7-9am I assume they would prioritise it behind St Winnifreds Primary School.
Having listened to Touch this morning I thought they well out performed BRMB for balance and frequency of updates
Please do share these 'problems' which were apparently not related to the obvious weather conditions as I am struggling to think of any.
Anyway, Touch has such a small TSA in comparision to a major TSA of BRMB.....in relation to listeners before you go on about it stretching across Warwickshire and the Cotwolds.
Why has TSA got anything to do with the proportion of time they spend dealing with schools compared to motorists.
Before you go on about there being more schools in Birmingham than Stratford you may like to consider there are also more motorists.
The whole motorway network has been quieter than normal this week anyway as everyone has been at home.
And yes, there are fewer schools for Touch to mention than BRMB.
You are back-tracking so fast now I can hardly watch. Didn't you say 'there wasn't that many problems on the roads' which I disputed. Who said anything about open or closed.
You seem to have added that line in a failed attempt to cover your mistake.
And, as I've said, the motorways apart from the M40 today have coped extremely well with the weather and traffic has been lighter than normal.
So, apart from a bit of snow everything has been fine.
You asked me for examples, I gave them and then you changed your argument. - FACT
Errr, no you haven't. You just said there 'were' on the AA website and no they're not. Let's just say, I know what I'm on about.