Eh? What's wrong with a decent, conventional DAB radio? No gimmicks there! Still a lot of people have bought into this latest 'must buy' from Amazon. I was tempted briefly to buy the cheaper Dot but when I looked at AV forums and saw what real mad enthusiasts do with controlling lights, garage doors etc. It seems like a solution to a non-existent problem to me but suppose it's fun whilst the novelty lasts and one's internet connection is solid and reliable.

Hello all
Just catching a bit of Katie H whilst checking out of my hotel in Eire

I hate fox hunting

Really enjoying his show so far.

A conversation about Fox Hunting and Royal Family on Boxing Day really is very unimaginative!

No TalkRadio, TalkSport2 on DAB in Devon!! Main reason for buying an Echo, although it's come into its own at Christmas with music channels, setting cooking timers and calculating cooking times etc.

Ohhhh! Bring back Gerard Sauer. I could listen to him all day, even though I know nothing at all about cars.

Nick has seemed much more relaxed and.... almost .... back to his humororous self, since starting on his A-Z thingy.

I fell asleep, last night, before the news of George Michael's death - but was bored by Steve's three hour discourse on the subject, this morning.

Oo-er, Katie is in favour of fox hunting, which will not endear her to her haters.

Good morning to gurney and all my fellow posters xxx

If that's true, they will be very highly screened. He would never risk anyone telling him exactly what they thought of his rubbish.

Glad it's not just me....thought if I said as much would be seen as churlish and heartless... but it's been ridiculously over the top....

He sold a lot of albums over years and he had some talent for some inheriting talent and some singing but really he's done nothing of note for years.... his legacy of songs is some poppy fun stuff with Wham and a couple of others later....

But he's not say John Lennon/David Bowie or even James Brown status really (it's 10 years since the godfather of soul died also on Christmas Day by the way).

So Stadlen' s really maudlin fawning and then Fanny Allen's 3 hours of mawkish meandering... I don't agree he's doing well with callers.... I can see why he doesn't take them normally....

the gem that sums him up was the bloke from Blue phone call.... Fanny was miffed because GM came out of building and came up to the singer,called him by name and talked to him....was miffed because he (Fanny) was blanked and never spoke to him........ what Steve? But you've been in the business for ages...he didn't know who you are?
Surely not....... but you're in the business? How could that happen??

I did listen to most of it CC thanks.....
but that was in a post Christmas fog.....

then couldn't take any more of his waffle ......switched to Paul Ross who was talking to Chef about bubble and squeak and then some other items with some on GM , much more sensible and balanced....

How does he conduct a phone call without awkwardness away from LBC

Seems more of an oddball as the days go by.

There was a riveting hour, moaning about a studio change and putting down a producer we can't hear off air on Friday.

Unprepared rubbish

That's what I was thinking.

Maybe he's been speaking to himself too much (to a mic), that he's forgotten what it's like to have real conversation with a human.

I know he does In Conversation but much of that is Steve giving his views about things, and then it's the turn of the celeb to speak.

That's the trouble. Years spent being vitriolic about others would, no doubt attract calls criticising him and they would carefully have to be filtered out and the whole system sanitized. The man's an idiot, as I've alluded to before.

I am not sure what his 'self' is any more. He's not the man I once found innovative, witty and funny.

Speaking from experiance You can't "highly screen a call". Certainly with new Phone software you can check if the caller has any previous warnings/bans and also see any notes that any other producer has left, however if a caller has never done anything before you don't know 100% that there not going to.

The usual way it happens is a producer asks the callers name and what they want to talk about, theres nothing to stop a caller saying to the producer that they have a great story about Christmas and making up something then as soon as they are put through onto air they go on a massive rant against the presenter. I can count a number of times when i saw that happen, obviously then a warning is put on the account for other producers however if they've never done it before theres no way of knowing.

Obviously there is the dump button and the caller can be cut off however when most people plan to do this sort of thing they don't jump straight in. Usually they will give a minute or so on the subject they said so not to create any suspicion and then jump in with the rant. At that point both the presenter and the producers have usually relaxed a bit and are not paying 100% attention and at least some of the rant gets out as you haven't clicked the dump button quick enough.

Oh no, Ian Payne starting on George Michael now. The media's turning this into a real grief pouring exercise.

TBF, I didn't think Steve was too bad on taking phone calls, well not as awkward as I thought he would be. Brain-numbing was his constancy of talking about George Michael which literally went on for hours. I could have stuck one of these > up his proverbial.

How old is Ian Payne? 54...55?

He still comes across like he's a kid on student radio. I just can't take the man seriously.

A Payne in the neck so to speak.

The thought of that cheered me up no end. Thanks Cayce!

Well said.

LBC is supposed to be a serious news and comment station. This may be of interest listeners of pop stations like Smooth and Heart but in no way can be categorised as serious news.

George Michael was one half of a cheesy 80s pop duo, and then went on to acquire convictions for public indecency and various drugs offences. Hardly deserving of tributes putting him on a par with a saint.

He was great
I would much rather listen to tributes about him than listen to the duo of the Nicks

When they can get a word in... and usually only allowed if talking about "the business"

I've just looked up Ian Payne's age, he's 54. I find him likeable when I don't want demanding radio. I know what you mean he's like a kid, maybe he has a naivety, quite refreshing though.

I do agree I'm afraid.... wittering on by Fanny Allen about "George's conquering his demons doesn't mean this should be quite so people's princess in its outpouring .. its extremely sad but he was an ok pop star...

i was upset by the death of Ayrton Senna (not a saint in the car either) but actually a decent man... never met him but as upset by Barry Sheene who i met a few times.. (definitely not a saint!! but a lovely guy....
i didnt feel compelled to leave flowers or call radio stations just remember them fondly....

also didnt need them to be totally put into sainthood when they weren't anything of the sort....

Some of this was ok but hours and hours of it was ridiculous... Parfitt probably way more successful and well known but didnt get hours of tributes either.

I've heard him for the first & last time today, sounds very boring ......... back to tS for me !

Matt ? Who is on before SA has really grown on me
He seems such a nice,genuine chap