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Smooth National Radio Thread |
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#4026 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,991
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Quote:
Global may have some real good bean counters, but there is no one who has a comprehensive knowledge of music from down the decades,
You have so many millions of songs from down the years to pick from, yet choose so few........I personally would employ a consultant who was a PD at a big city station in the early days, has a 30 to 40 year career in music radio, and a superb track record........much better than asking Sharon and Tracy to rate a Take That song in a music testing survey... Firstly, no one who has a comprehensive music knowledge of the decades. What about Richard Park ? He's produced music logs for Top 40 stations since 1966. I would say he's got a pretty good music knowledge having worked in music for that long. Producing logs for Top 40 stations he knows all the big solid hits from everything to the mid 60's to today. If you think Tony Blackburns music knowledge is good then i can sure bet that Parks is just as good if not better. In response to the consultant bit, why ? Richard Park has the knowledge and skill to do it himself. Look at his past, Magic 105.4 the exact station Smooth is pretty much trying to be now. He was the guy who had the success of programming its winning format originally so theres no better person to do it. He has been in music radio for over 40 years working at not just a big city station but the ultimate big city station, Capital and not only that programmed Capital in what is regarded as the best ever sounding commercial station ever in the UK, the Music Power era. EDIT: The post above has proved my point, Richard Park is the man for the job. |
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#4027 |
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,227
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Indeed I have been saying all along that just because tight repetitive playlists work for Capital & Heart I do not believe that they will work for Smooth and even if they do in the short term I do not believe it will be possible to maintain and that is maybe why Magic are moving things a little wider they are already slipping and want to try to win back listeners before the decline gets too bad. The 35+ audience is not the Heart audience I would imagine they are likely to listen for more than 30 minutes at a time and they may also dip in & out of Radio 2 they are not going to accept hearing the same few songs over & over they will tire of it and tuneout,
Global must not underestimate this age group these very listeners have grown up with Simon Bates, Lynn Parsons & Dave Jensen what makes Global think that they will warm to these TV presenters. Even seasoned presenters like Tony Blackburn & Roger Day etc have criticised tight playlists and I am 100% certain that they know exactly what they are talking about and have much more experince than people on here like Smart Programmer. |
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#4028 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: London
Posts: 1,521
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Quote:
that is maybe why Magic are moving things a little wider they are already slipping and want to try to win back listeners before the decline gets too bad..
Quote:
Even seasoned presenters like Tony Blackburn & Roger Day etc have criticised tight playlists and I am 100% certain that they know exactly what they are talking about and have much more experince than people on here like Smart Programmer.
As for Roger Day he might be a walking Guinness Book of British Hit Singles but a programmer in 2014 he isn't. |
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#4029 |
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,227
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Quote:
Magic is slipping because the changes they made a while back clearly aren't working (they have been tweaking for the past 18 months). If they have any sense they will restore the station back to it's former glory before Smooth London takes over (which it will).
They might have more on air experience than me but programming experience is a totally different ballgame. Surely if Tony has a great programming insight he would have been snapped up a long time ago, right? But he hasn't. As for Roger Day he might be a walking Guinness Book of British Hit Singles but a programmer in 2014 he isn't. Smooth may possibly take over in the short term but it would be a brave person who put money on it. Global will not be able to maintain it the older audience will tire of the repetitive & blandness of the station. The latest "TV" recruits are at the very least a gamble and may or may not work with the audience time will tell on that one. |
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#4030 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Walsall, West Midlands,
Posts: 669
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Quote:
Magic is slipping because the changes they made a while back clearly aren't working (they have been tweaking for the past 18 months). If they have any sense they will restore the station back to it's former glory before Smooth London takes over (which it will).
They might have more on air experience than me but programming experience is a totally different ballgame. Surely if Tony has a great programming insight he would have been snapped up a long time ago, right? But he hasn't. As for Roger Day he might be a walking Guinness Book of British Hit Singles but a programmer in 2014 he isn't. |
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#4031 |
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,628
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Still 3 in a row and a load of adds. Yes im giving american songbook a go but its just normal smooth music nothing specialist. But no doubt global will get away with it.
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#4032 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Newport Pagnell
Posts: 21,349
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Quote:
Magic is slipping because the changes they made a while back clearly aren't working (they have been tweaking for the past 18 months). If they have any sense they will restore the station back to it's former glory before Smooth London takes over (which it will).
They might have more on air experience than me but programming experience is a totally different ballgame. Surely if Tony has a great programming insight he would have been snapped up a long time ago, right? But he hasn't. As for Roger Day he might be a walking Guinness Book of British Hit Singles but a programmer in 2014 he isn't. Yes I've made some very negative posts recently on here about Smooth, but had I been able to do so 3 or 4 years ago when I began listening to Smooth I would have made some equally positive posts about the reasons why I had been attracted to listening to Smooth. Most of my posts elsewhere on many other subjects media and non media based are overwhelmingly positive, so much so that even Tony Blackburn himself thanked me in name on his twitter after reading one of my positive DS posts. RadioJohn's post above says it perfectly. Surely the most important thing a radio programme should do is "engage" on a one to one level with its listeners. Something Tony does to perfection every single time without fail. Smooth singularly fails to do so in my opinion. It did manage it once, with the likes of Andy Peebles in the evening, hence the reason why I began listening in the first place. If Andrew Castle is now the answer then it must be a very strange question indeed! |
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#4033 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 2,470
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[quote=SmartProgrammer;71581994]Magic is slipping because the changes they made a while back clearly aren't working (they have been tweaking for the past 18 months). If they have any sense they will restore the station back to it's former glory before Smooth London takes over (which it will).
To be honest, with a comment like that Im not so sure, people I know who listen to Smooth don't now as its so boring, Radio 2 is popular as it offers engagement with the listener , The older you are im sure you don't want the same 200 songs over and over. we will see , but I think you are wrong, it works with Capital as people want to hear their fav tunes, but they soon get board of these , people love oldies to , but people like a choice of oldies , and not the same ones over and over. The way Smooth is now I really don't think it will do as much as you think, bigger playlist yes , but as it is now no way., its like me being a dj in pubs and clubs , its not me they say it to but to other djs, cant you play something different, as its like the djs who play the same tunes at the same time every week, same with smooth. If there is one thing I hate its someone who thinks they are right and wont listen to others . Magic is good but gmgs Smooth was awful I agree. but if this is the start of smooth it has the making of a very good station, but it needs a lot more songs on its playlist, and more engagement with the listners, but putting it on am is a strange move ? |
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#4034 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,562
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Quote:
As for Roger Day he might be a walking Guinness Book of British Hit Singles but a programmer in 2014 he isn't. The fact you juggle a handful of bland boring songs, so they don't get played at the same time as yesterday doesn't gain respect from me, sorry! |
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#4035 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Home For The Bewildered
Posts: 86,511
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Still 3 in a row and a load of adds. Yes im giving american songbook a go but its just normal smooth music nothing specialist. But no doubt global will get away with it.
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#4036 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 374
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I've recently started listening to Smooth over the last month or so and quite enjoy the music - a few observations though:
1. I do find the balance of tempo not quite right - I know the station is called 'Smooth' but there are two many dull, slow tracks back to back which makes the station sound flat. I have noticed plenty of new tracks being added to the playlist too which are good to hear. 2. Presenter links - sadly often are flat and pointless with no real content apart from that was this is (Gary King being the exception). I listened to Tina Hobley yesterday for an hour and thought she was pretty terrible and couldn't work out why she was there. 3. Website song list needs attention - it shows the majority of songs as being played twice. 4. Ad breaks are far too long. 5. Station Voices - I think Mitch Johnson is perfect but Gina M sounds too forced and doesn't sit right with me. I know people don't like change but I'll give it a few more weeks and see how the new presenters and shows fit before looking elsewhere. I hope Global are thinking of adding some local news at some point to the schedule, local traffic is fine but some local news wouldn't go amiss. |
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#4037 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 44
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It amuses me how a lot of people on here complain about the repetition on Smooth, but no-one seems to complain about the repetition on Real XS or Magic 105.4.
Oh yeah, that's right - those stations aren't being run by Global Radio! |
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#4038 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Walsall, West Midlands,
Posts: 669
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Quote:
It amuses me how a lot of people on here complain about the repetition on Smooth, but no-one seems to complain about the repetition on Real XS or Magic 105.4.
Oh yeah, that's right - those stations aren't being run by Global Radio! |
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#4039 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,404
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So Kate Garraway,,,two links in and in one ''heres the brilliant Aretha Frankllin.and ''here's the brilliant Tracy Chapman''.....She needs a damn good coaching session...quick.
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#4040 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,404
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Starting to think Garraway is voice tracked,It's soulless.and there was a massive gap going into the break.Anyway.whatever the case.shame on you.Global. I'll laugh if she does Loose Women at 12.30.
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#4041 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,404
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Garraway says ''I hope you ALL had a great weekend''. Radio is a one to one medium,love.
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#4042 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 608
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Quote:
Garraway says ''I hope you ALL had a great weekend''. Radio is a one to one medium,love.
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#4043 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Northumberland
Posts: 1,099
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I hard Kate's second link saying she's going to have loads of fun playing all her favourite songs. That's all she'll be doing, if they don't let her speak. I bet Lynn is glad she isn't there anymore and if someone like Radio2 snaps her up again. It's a bit of a step down from being on tv, to doing 3/4 quick links an hour.
I wonder why Gary King seems to be the only one do have a bit of personality in his links, also Anthony Davies and the overnight people seem to say a tiny bit more than the rest of them. |
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#4044 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: somewhere out there
Posts: 189
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Quote:
Starting to think Garraway is voice tracked,It's soulless.and there was a massive gap going into the break.Anyway.whatever the case.shame on you.Global. I'll laugh if she does Loose Women at 12.30.
![]() it does amuse (and sadden) me how there are many, many more silences and timing cock ups of this style since Smooth moved over to Global's "Superior Technology"... |
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#4045 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Gloucester
Posts: 1,825
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Quote:
Garraway says ''I hope you ALL had a great weekend''. Radio is a one to one medium,love.
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#4046 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 9,867
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Quote:
Garraway says ''I hope you ALL had a great weekend''. Radio is a one to one medium,love.
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Not anymore it isn't. She isn't the only one to address more than one person. Alot of radio does it nowadays. Very harsh to judge any new presenter on their first 30 minutes. Give it a few weeks and then if she is still bad - pass comment.
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WOW, pretty harsh. I am not one for TV stars being parachuted into radio roles, but come on how many presenters do you hear talking about their "listeners" not "listener". I have heard well established radio voices addressing an audience rather that one person. I think those days are pretty over.
I do cringe sometimes when I hear people talking to listeners as a group but not as much as the presenter who overdoes the "one-to-one" thing too much which sounds unnatural - if you wouldn't use the phrase in a one-to-one conversation, don't use it. On the subject of Kate - I was unsure about her but think she sounds good for a first day and think give her a few months and she'll sound even better. I've certainly heard a lot worse first shows from experienced radio people. |
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#4047 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,404
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Quote:
WOW, pretty harsh. I am not one for TV stars being parachuted into radio roles, but come on how many presenters do you hear talking about their "listeners" not "listener". I have heard well established radio voices addressing an audience rather that one person. I think those days are pretty over.
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#4048 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,780
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Come on..... Jimmy Young "Morning All"
Not heard KG, and to be honest don't intend too, so won't pass comment |
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#4049 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,562
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Quote:
Not anymore it isn't. She isn't the only one to address more than one person. Alot of radio does it nowadays. Very harsh to judge any new presenter on their first 30 minutes. Give it a few weeks and then if she is still bad - pass comment.
Also, radio is STILL a one on one, anyone who says something like "for all you lot" should be shot!
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#4050 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 608
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Completely disagree, if you are professional and enthusiastic, you would want to make a good impression from the "off"!!
Also, radio is STILL a one on one, anyone who says something like "for all you lot" should be shot! ![]() You are right that radio is still a one to one medium, but there are alot of presenters/stations that don't address it that way nowadays. |
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