I would like to convey my regrets that Tabbythecat has been seriously ill and wish him a speedy recovery.
Yvonne Williams: Director
Somehow I knew it was you all along dont worry about my health, I was quite willing during my illness to work with you but you chose to pass me over in favour of others, I know there are certain people who have got high-profile jobs so I do not accept your claim that everyone is equal
You have also overlooked the fact that when I contacted you to discuss the posibility of doing some pre-recorded shows you catagorically refused to entertain me
I wont bore you with my long term diagnosis as it is plain to see that you have certain friends who will do what you want them to do
Somehow I knew it was you all along dont worry about my health, I was quite willing during my illness to work with you but you chose to pass me over in favour of others, I know there are certain people who have got high-profile jobs so I do not accept your claim that everyone is equal
You have also overlooked the fact that when I contacted you to discuss the posibility of doing some pre-recorded shows you catagorically refused to entertain me
I wont bore you with my long term diagnosis as it is plain to see that you have certain friends who will do what you want them to do
I think this is one of those take it outside moments. Certainly this has nothing to do with the rest of us!
But yes i do vote Heart as one of the worst stations, second now is radio city 96.7 its gone very bland and boring, they seem to spend most of the time talking about crap.
City does seem to have gone downhill a lot since its heydays - lacklustre presenters and networking. When I lived on Merseyside it was THE station everyone seemed to listen to
Still way better than Heart though. Biggest disappointment of 2009 for me was the continual destruction of Smooth East Mids by networking..
City does seem to have gone downhill a lot since its heydays - lacklustre presenters and networking. When I lived on Merseyside it was THE station everyone seemed to listen to
Still way better than Heart though. Biggest disappointment of 2009 for me was the continual destruction of Smooth East Mids by networking..
Yes City is still better than Heart, city used to be quite upbeat and fun but not so now
Although like most posters I am not exactly keen on Heart, the fact is that radio has got to try and deliver to the masses. Most will tend to hum the tunes that they are familiar with. If you are in the average office with a radio on, it is likely that it will be used as something in the background.
As a result of this, the stations need something that is catchy to attract the listener.
I wish a station like Saga or Prime Time would return, but sadly at the moment ths dosent seem likely.
I listen to pirate radio or online radio as 1) it plays what I want 2) there are more niche dance stations online and 3) juice fm sounds like a good station wish we had that here in Kent
I would like to convey my regrets that Tabbythecat has been seriously ill and wish him a speedy recovery.
His not very cryptic clue pointed to Gateway FM, the community radio station that ran an RSL prior to Christmas in the Basildon and East Thurrock areas of South Essex. Unlike regional or national stations, it serves a relatively small area and thus in order to meet its social gain commitments, must endeavour to reach and work with as wide and as diverse a proportion of the local community as it can.
It is for that reason that the music policy can embrace jazz, classical, rock, pop, soul, folk etc., as well as music from Russia, Poland and from Africa. It meant that during the RSL the station not only featured local bands playing music live, but also the Basildon Choral Society’s carol concert. I might add that Tabbythecat was incorrect: the station did play the radio edit of R.A.T.M. (Rage Against the Machine) several times.
It has a music policy that embraces specialist programmes and seeks at other times to present music appropriate to the time of day in a selection from A list, B list and other recordings. Presenters are able to make changes in response to requests or to fit better with programme content. The underlying purpose is to enable the station to offer a good selection unconstrained by individual presenters’ personal preferences, yet permitting them considerable freedom within the time constraints necessarily incurred by commitments to present regular, scheduled Community Action (free slots for charities, clubs etc.) Job Opportunities, ‘What’s On’ features, news and ad slots.
However, with his over emphasis on music (radio can do other things too!) he has neglected to mention (or perhaps does not know) that the station is an accredited centre for OCN (Open College Network), is heavily booked with courses until the end of the academic year, has established three studios (one in the Basildon Academy) is developing a strong local news team and ran local news as well as national and international newscasts throughout the RSL.
It has featured programmes presented by people with a range of disabilities, provides regular work experience placements and volunteering opportunities. In short, although a station still seeking its licence, it seems to be doing a great deal for the community. Perhaps this could explain the continuing support from business, politicians and civic leaders.
I realise that Tabbythecat has shown a continuing and perhaps somewhat obsessive dislike of the station and is intending to work on a project of his own. I wish him well with it and would suggest that perhaps it is now an appropriate time for him to move on and produce the sort of radio he believes in.
In the meantime, it would display some nobility of spirit were he to desist attempting to undermine the efforts of all those who have given so generously of their time in seeking to provide what they believe to be a much needed local service.
Of course, Gateway FM is not perfect. It is a community spirited not-for-profit social enterprise responsive to feedback from listeners, members and stakeholders (i.e those public service organisations that have an interest in working with radio, the better to reach their public). It carries music, discussion, interviews, features (often researched, presented and edited by young people as projects), comedy and light entertainment. It strives to educate, inform and entertain. It runs RSLs as part of its continuing learning process: this latest one will be carefully analysed in terms of structure, content, presentation and use of resources in terms of effectiveness in achieving objectives.
Perhaps Tabbythecat, you might at last focus on delivering your project rather than further attempting to undermine those of others and further repeating idle, non-attributable gossip.
Finally, let me wish you a Happy New Year and best of luck with your project
Yvonne Williams: Director
Don't know Tabby from Adam but clearly he's better off out of a station whose 'director' chooses an internet forum to air dirty laundry. You'll go far
Carolines music is not obscure....unless your only music knolwedge is dance/trance & manufactured boy & girl bands.
Caroline playe REAL music, made by musicians & bands that tour & in most cases write their own songs.
It's really nice to turn on a station & know i'm not going to be subjected some X-factor crap, Westlife, Blue, Spice Girls etc.
There is a place for those bands elsewhere, but thankfully not on Caroline
He is just showing his musical ignorance.
Caroline play a wider range of music than any other station but you rarely hear anything that could be termed obscure.
Bristol is cursed with terrible radio stations. Heart, Jack and worst of all BBC Radio Bristol with an all day car crash line-ups of shocking programmes.
Well done Tim Pemberton, the worst controller of them all.
I vote for Juice FM in Liverpool, a dreadful radio station that is never happy unless its playing a dance song & encouraging youngsters to get drunk etc...
sorry to mention Heart, but why do they not mention what area they are broadcasting to or even change the RDS to specify this? In Wrexham its very easy to pick up Heart Wirral, Heart Wrexham and heart West Midlands! You cuould spend all day listening to Heart WM and never know, i think its the lack of local stuff thats bad to, why not add 'Wrexham and Cheshire heart' to the sweepers?
But yes i do vote Heart as one of the worst stations, second now is radio city 96.7 its gone very bland and boring, they seem to spend most of the time talking about crap.
Good point...
I can obviously pick up Heart West Midlands (100.7) and also Heart (106) East Midlands and without looking at the RDS, you would never know which is which. (I agree with what you are saying)
Both have the same typical playlists and most of the time it is networked. I think eventually every single heart station will become totally networked (possibly from Heart 106.2 London) with little in the way of local programming whatsoever. It will become one 'national' station eventually.
Fair enough mate, not my battle. It was just an observation as a relative newcomer. I bow to your superior knowledge on the issue. I stand by my statement though. It's unseemly and unprofessional to engage in such squabbles in view of all and sundry.
I would suggest that you refrain from opening a reply with 'I would suggest you at least' :P
It sounds unnecessarily antagonistic and a wee bit pompous. My intentions were honourable I assure you.
I have moved on dpb, but consider if you will the point how how she blantently refused my offer and futhermore her best friend just happens to be the programme controller
Are you surprised with all the comments you've made here, both directly and indirectly?
I listen to pirate radio or online radio as 1) it plays what I want 2) there are more niche dance stations online and 3) juice fm sounds like a good station wish we had that here in Kent
Im sick of KMFM and Heart
If you want niche dance stations and there aren't any legal broadcast ones in the UK, I understand. However I still think KMFM is much better than all the Smooth/Heart/Magic/Capital etc. rubbish I get in London
I can obviously pick up Heart West Midlands (100.7) and also Heart (106) East Midlands and without looking at the RDS, you would never know which is which. (I agree with what you are saying)
Erm, actually the RDS for both stations is the same.
But if you're really sad the processing on 100.7 is about 20 times better.
'Radio Clyde' very professional station, slick and highly commercial - but devoid of anything approaching wit or taste (even compared to Galaxy FM!) and employ Des "Effing" Maclean.
I'm really sad. Why should the processing be so different?
Wouldn't it be better to have the same audio processors with the same processing settings for both?
Processors aren't cheap! To have each site running a similar kit would be a small fortune. This is a very rough estimate but to replace them all would cost over £200,000.
However, I agree that stations with the same model should be using uniformed settings.
It strikes me as a very strange format for a station.
Here's what theYellow Advertiser said about the format
The station, which is staffed entirely by volunteers, has a wide range of diverse shows catering for all tastes and cultures and also does a lot of work in the community
Yvonne Williams, MD of Gateway FM
Gateway FM is very much a community property – it’s been created by local people for local people, and we want to get as many Essex residents involved as possible
As it's a Community Station, what's so strange about the format? Surely it's exactly what it should be!
Old Pilot
Who is going to listen?
I'd guess those who the station is meant for - Local People!;)
I'd guess those who the station is meant for - Local People!;)
Thats if anyone is actually listening as for the coment "its been created by local people for local people" thats not exactly true (waits for breconia to answer this one) why have they got people presenting who work for the local arm of BBC Essex?
Yes I am deeply passionate about CR and yes people dont like what my opinions are ...............
to quote Dr Martin Luther King
If a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live.
Anyhoo I have better things to do with my time and they are still clinging to the faint hope OFCOM will give them a licence and I cant see it happening any time soon
I have started to work on a studio project with 2 former members of that station so that will keep me busy
Good luck with that but I know of a few radio buddies who will take great pleasure in telling you where to get off if you approach them - your posts on here do you no favours. Whilst you may be passionate about radio, your acidic posts on here do you no favours.
Thats if anyone is actually listening as for the coment "its been created by local people for local people" thats not exactly true (waits for breconia to answer this one) why have they got people presenting who work for the local arm of BBC Essex?
Who cares where else they work ? Surely that sort of experience is only going to bolster the skills and quality of the output that Gateway produce ? Enthusiasm is great but to actually do something requires some skill and if you have people around you who have already done such a task or perhaps can offer a more efficient way of doing it then so much the better.
Gateway's Director wasn't "airing dirty laundry" but simply having her right of reply which - considering Tabby's posts" - she was more than entitled to do and from what I read she did so in an articulate manner. I've never heard the station but from what I've read it seems like a worthy cause and appears to have it's head screwed-on.
Comments
You have also overlooked the fact that when I contacted you to discuss the posibility of doing some pre-recorded shows you catagorically refused to entertain me
I wont bore you with my long term diagnosis as it is plain to see that you have certain friends who will do what you want them to do
I think this is one of those take it outside moments.
City does seem to have gone downhill a lot since its heydays - lacklustre presenters and networking. When I lived on Merseyside it was THE station everyone seemed to listen to
Still way better than Heart though. Biggest disappointment of 2009 for me was the continual destruction of Smooth East Mids by networking..
Yes City is still better than Heart, city used to be quite upbeat and fun but not so now
As a result of this, the stations need something that is catchy to attract the listener.
I wish a station like Saga or Prime Time would return, but sadly at the moment ths dosent seem likely.
Im sick of KMFM and Heart
Don't know Tabby from Adam but clearly he's better off out of a station whose 'director' chooses an internet forum to air dirty laundry. You'll go far
He is just showing his musical ignorance.
Caroline play a wider range of music than any other station but you rarely hear anything that could be termed obscure.
Well done Tim Pemberton, the worst controller of them all.
Radio 1
Good point...
I can obviously pick up Heart West Midlands (100.7) and also Heart (106) East Midlands and without looking at the RDS, you would never know which is which. (I agree with what you are saying)
Both have the same typical playlists and most of the time it is networked. I think eventually every single heart station will become totally networked (possibly from Heart 106.2 London) with little in the way of local programming whatsoever. It will become one 'national' station eventually.
Thanks for your advice mate.
Are you surprised with all the comments you've made here, both directly and indirectly?
If you want niche dance stations and there aren't any legal broadcast ones in the UK, I understand. However I still think KMFM is much better than all the Smooth/Heart/Magic/Capital etc. rubbish I get in London
Erm, actually the RDS for both stations is the same.
But if you're really sad the processing on 100.7 is about 20 times better.
I'm really sad. Why should the processing be so different?
Wouldn't it be better to have the same audio processors with the same processing settings for both?
Processors aren't cheap! To have each site running a similar kit would be a small fortune. This is a very rough estimate but to replace them all would cost over £200,000.
However, I agree that stations with the same model should be using uniformed settings.
http://www.southend-today.co.uk/tn/news.cfm?id=44751
It strikes me as a very strange format for a station.
Who is going to listen?
Old Pilot I'd guess those who the station is meant for - Local People!;)
Thats if anyone is actually listening as for the coment "its been created by local people for local people" thats not exactly true (waits for breconia to answer this one) why have they got people presenting who work for the local arm of BBC Essex?
Yes I am deeply passionate about CR and yes people dont like what my opinions are ...............
to quote Dr Martin Luther King
Gateway's Director wasn't "airing dirty laundry" but simply having her right of reply which - considering Tabby's posts" - she was more than entitled to do and from what I read she did so in an articulate manner. I've never heard the station but from what I've read it seems like a worthy cause and appears to have it's head screwed-on.
As opposed to "screws loose"
He's a bitter, nasty piece of work. That's for sure. I'm sure Gateway FM are just happy that they no longer have to deal with someone like that.