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Old 02-10-2010, 14:17
Martin Phillp
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The GMG technicians chose the right song to start fiddling about with the audio on the D1 feed. Carpenters, Top of the World.
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Old 02-10-2010, 16:47
occy
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It a mix of music which Radio 2, Heart and Magic play instead the links are slightly different. I also noticed Derek Webster seems to reading out texts and emails from the North of England only.
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Old 02-10-2010, 17:13
Martin Phillp
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It a mix of music which Radio 2, Heart and Magic play instead the links are slightly different. I also noticed Derek Webster seems to reading out texts and emails from the North of England only.
He mentioned Stanmore in the last hour and Steve Collins mentioned Hemel Hempstead, both in London's TSA.
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Old 02-10-2010, 17:19
Joey Deacon
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It a mix of music which Radio 2, Heart and Magic play instead the links are slightly different.
Doesn't that just sum Smooth up.

A mishmash of Heart, Magic and Radio 2.
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Old 02-10-2010, 17:24
wirewolf
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I also noticed Derek Webster seems to reading out texts and emails from the North of England only.
Only to be expected as that's where Smooth has a bigger listener base.

I was listening to Terry Underhill late last night and he made a comment about there being no competitions, just music and listener mentions. Going by what earlier posters have said this looks like being the shape of things to come.

By the way the sound levels on the Sky channel are all over the place as well, with the levels increasing/decreasing seemingly at random.
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Old 02-10-2010, 17:36
occy
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So there be no traffic up dates now?
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Old 02-10-2010, 18:35
Martin Phillp
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So there be no traffic up dates now?
You didn't hear the trail played through today and last week saying that news, weather and travel are being kept local on FM and DAB.

London is debatable though if local news will be maintained on D1 as we lost the London 2 slot to French Radio London.
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Old 02-10-2010, 19:53
suffolkblue
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So its calling itself smooth uk but am i right in thinking that those who dont get smooth on fm will just be getting smooth radio london but with shows from the NW which to me dont make sense.I thought if it is to be smooth uk on D1 they would do like radio 2 and have national weather and travel during those times i take it us in suffolk will be hearing about the blackwall tunnell closing which in suffolk and anywhere else in the uk will be a waste of time.Or am i wrong and it will change come monday?
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Old 02-10-2010, 20:31
Martin Phillp
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So its calling itself smooth uk but am i right in thinking that those who dont get smooth on fm will just be getting smooth radio london but with shows from the NW which to me dont make sense.I thought if it is to be smooth uk on D1 they would do like radio 2 and have national weather and travel during those times i take it us in suffolk will be hearing about the blackwall tunnell closing which in suffolk and anywhere else in the uk will be a waste of time.Or am i wrong and it will change come monday?
Most of the national commercial radio brands are on Sky/Freesat and Freeview across the UK and take the London feed with next to no complaints.

The D1 service of Smooth is just to keep Ofcom sweet which allowed them to go national on the FM frequencies in England.
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Old 02-10-2010, 20:59
freerj
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Most of the national commercial radio brands are on Sky/Freesat and Freeview across the UK and take the London feed with next to no complaints.

The D1 service of Smooth is just to keep Ofcom sweet which allowed them to go national on the FM frequencies in England.
Not sure this is the way it will work. I think the D1 version will become a National feed taking National News / Travel and ads from Manchester. I suspect only 102.2 FM on analogue in London will get London opt outs with its own news / travel and ads -- although obviously the lengths will be consistent with the rest of the Networks. Monday is a tube strike day in London so could be interesting to see how they deal with this IF (and only if) the D1 output is indeed the London feed.

Personally I thing 102.2FM will keep local London information only for as long as they need to -- I don't think there is any obligation to carry a simulcast of London on Digital.

Finally don't assume no changes come Monday (Music aside).....Mitch Johnson is coming back for one !!
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Old 02-10-2010, 21:21
Martin Phillp
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Not sure this is the way it will work. I think the D1 version will become a National feed taking National News / Travel and ads from Manchester. I suspect only 102.2 FM on analogue in London will get London opt outs with its own news / travel and ads -- although obviously the lengths will be consistent with the rest of the Networks. Monday is a tube strike day in London so could be interesting to see how they deal with this IF (and only if) the D1 output is indeed the London feed.

Personally I thing 102.2FM will keep local London information only for as long as they need to -- I don't think there is any obligation to carry a simulcast of London on Digital.
We could see what Absolute Radio do with the travel at least, a 60/40 national/London split bulletin to keep those London listeners who happen to only listen on DAB happy in the capital.

It'll be interesting to see how Smooth if at all covers the Tube strike on Monday. Can't see Lynn and Carlos doing split links about it on 102.2 unless they're actually recording travel for the 5 English regions?
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Old 02-10-2010, 21:25
richie wild
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Easy - Magic needs to revert back to its 2006 schedule...

5am Neil Fox
9am Gary Vincent
1pm Paul Phear
5pm Graham Dene
8pm Danny Petroni

And can we have Nigel Williams and Gary King back on 105.4 while we're at it please?

Apologies for going so off topic. Blame Martin P.
As the presenters hardly say a word on Magic who gives a toss who they are?
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Old 02-10-2010, 21:26
Martin Phillp
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As the presenters hardly say a word on Magic who gives a toss who they are?
That's the whole point of Magic 105.4 outside breakfast.
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Old 02-10-2010, 21:26
Peace100
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We could see what Absolute Radio do with the travel at least, a 60/40 national/London split bulletin to keep those London listeners who happen to only listen on DAB happy in the capital.

It'll be interesting to see how Smooth if at all covers the Tube strike on Monday. Can't see Lynn and Carlos doing split links about it on 102.2 unless they're actually recording travel for the 5 English regions?
Shouldnt be a problem, Heart do localised opt out info on networked shows and Lynn will be coming from London anyway I believe....
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Old 02-10-2010, 21:27
richie wild
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Yes, me too.

Until now, Smooth has annoyed me - too much chit chat and too many dodgy songs - I can't be bothered with it.

But I'm keeping an open mind and will have a listen to Smooth on Monday.

I'm guessing Heart and Magic will have little to worry about.
It's the "dodgy" songs that make me tune to Smooth, Joey.
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Old 02-10-2010, 21:28
Martin Phillp
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Shouldnt be a problem, Heart do localised opt out info on networked shows and Lynn will be coming from London anyway I believe....
Carlos will be broadcasting from Salford Quays though. The logical solution would be for GMG to use Trafficlink presenters during breakfast and drive for all 5 regions.
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Old 02-10-2010, 21:40
80sfan
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Why would Graham want to go back on magic 105.4 after already being there - and just sitting there playing music and pressing buttons? I'm sure he'd much prefer to be on a station that will allow him to speak?!
Why would Magic 105.4 want him back?

Smooth 102.2 did NOTHING but fail in London, Magic is amongst the top three stations in the Capital and without Mr Dene's help. He left Magic as he didn't get the breakfast show (as I believe).... I'm sure there was a financial incentive to join Smooth. The joke is, you leave London's #1 for something like Smooth
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Old 02-10-2010, 21:42
richie wild
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That's the whole point of Magic 105.4 outside breakfast.
So top flight presenters should be elsewhere on the dial surely? Magic just need any old voice.
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Old 02-10-2010, 21:43
80sfan
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It's the "dodgy" songs that make me tune to Smooth, Joey.
Couldn't agree less mate, Smooth is the mess....

Magic is sounding much better these days
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Old 02-10-2010, 21:44
Martin Phillp
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So top flight presenters should be elsewhere on the dial surely? Magic just need any old voice.
Magic's presenters have to understand the art of presenting dry links on that station. It's not exactly an easy job, which is why Dave Doubledecks isn't on the station.
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Old 02-10-2010, 21:51
richie wild
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Couldn't agree less mate, Smooth is the mess....

Magic is sounding much better these days
With no offence to Magic meant, nor Heart , i'm sick of the same ol' same ol' playlist, and like a bit of chat. I've got a really great jukebox, it's called my iPod Touch. When i turn the radio on i'd like a bit of variety (not the Heart style no f***ing variety outside of 3 hours listening) and not Magic-style, presenterless music sweeps. Back in the 80's i'd have loved them for the diffrence to radio back then, but now i've grown up and want to hear songs other than the top 10 of any year of my life - presented by DJ's who are allowed to speak, rather than read liner cards. If Radio 2 didn't champion so much new music, or go crap at night, i'd most likely listen to that and think it was amazing.
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Old 02-10-2010, 21:58
richie wild
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Magic's presenters have to understand the art of presenting dry links on that station. It's not exactly an easy job, which is why Dave Doubledecks isn't on the station.
I'm sure it's NOT an easy job, but the talent of their presenters is wasted on a station like that. On one station in America in 1984 the DJ said "91X and Heart" before playing 15 minutes of Heart.

1. He must've been bored to death (i like Heart btw, he'd just be doing nothing for each 15 minutes... except logging perhaps ).

2. Anyone could say that!

Do presenters on Magic get calls/emails, or does the listener percieve it to be a Jukebox?
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Old 02-10-2010, 22:10
occy
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I heard Magic London has listeners as fair as the North of England etc of Freeview and Sky etc so why do they need to go National? Smooth should have gone national at the start, when they hired all the big names, and maybe have a a big impact now.
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Old 02-10-2010, 22:17
occy
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Neil Fox does open the mic more during breakfast. He has always said listeners enjoy the music the station plays. Guess maybe sometimes the mic could be opened up more, but thats how the station is layed out.
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Old 03-10-2010, 02:24
michael1152
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It is silly that magic say they are a music station, but with some of the best voices to do this links - apparently Richard Parks was driving up a motorway one day years ago, and heard gary vincent on a station - and then thought what a fabulous voice and listened to him for an hour , and then poached him from that station to be on magic, but what does it matter what the dj sounds like if they only speak 3/4 in an hour doing short links!
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