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Old 04-07-2016, 12:26
simon243
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From what I've heard thus far I'm guessing Neil Fox & Pat Sharp are being paid one day a week to record 8-9 hours of links (in Neil's case his Friday & Saturday shows and in Pat's case his Sunday show and 5 Top 10 at 10s).

I suspect everything else they're down in the schedule to do (Neil Mon-Thurs drive and Pat weekdays 11-1) will just be generic links that won't necessarily be updated every week.

Definitely a case of stretching the assets - but Nation are the masters at that. Trouble is it all sounds a bit flat and lifeless. However good the presenter you can tell it's VT'd because it lacks that spark you get when it's live.
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Old 04-07-2016, 12:31
FM Lover
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We've just re-tuned away from the ever dreadful Vanessa Feltz on Radio 2 with a pair of guests screaming at each other over to Thames

For a station that wanted to be billed as "What Capital Radio was like in the 80's & 90's" theya re making a pretty hash job of it. Pat used to be fabulous on Capital is the early 90's between 10am & 1pm - have the guys at Thames not bothered to listen to his airchecks ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MauVomG1xDY
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Old 04-07-2016, 12:41
Erwin
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We've just re-tuned away from the ever dreadful Vanessa Feltz on Radio 2 with a pair of guests screaming at each other over to Thames

For a station that wanted to be billed as "What Capital Radio was like in the 80's & 90's" theya re making a pretty hash job of it. Pat used to be fabulous on Capital is the early 90's between 10am & 1pm - have the guys at Thames not bothered to listen to his airchecks ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MauVomG1xDY
Agree 100%! And hear the good audio quality of Capital also in this aircheck. That't how it should be at Thames.
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Old 04-07-2016, 12:53
FM Lover
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From what I've heard thus far I'm guessing Neil Fox & Pat Sharp are being paid one day a week to record 8-9 hours of links (in Neil's case his Friday & Saturday shows and in Pat's case his Sunday show and 5 Top 10 at 10s).

I suspect everything else they're down in the schedule to do (Neil Mon-Thurs drive and Pat weekdays 11-1) will just be generic links that won't necessarily be updated every week.

Definitely a case of stretching the assets - but Nation are the masters at that. Trouble is it all sounds a bit flat and lifeless. However good the presenter you can tell it's VT'd because it lacks that spark you get when it's live.
The 80's & 90's weekend shows and Ton'y Saturday night slot are really going to be the only things worth listening to, at least these aren't voice tracked.

I'm not holding out much hope for Neil Francis at 1pm, guess they can get the presenters to VT all the shows in the space of a few hours each week.
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Old 04-07-2016, 13:26
Mark M
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I heard a bit of the breakfast show this morning, and it sounded live (or at least VT'd close to broadcast), as there was talk of last night's football result. The show seemed to have a bit of an identity crisis, as there were lots of 'non-stop breakfast' jingles, yet there was clearly a presenter - presumably Chris Blumer, but I didn't hear him say so.

The bits I heard couldn't have sounded less local. At one point there was a Stereophonics track, followed by the presenter saying he'd recently been to see them at the Cardiff City Stadium.

I didn't hear any of the Top 10 at 10, but Pat Sharp from 11-1 was extremely disappointing. I don't think you could even call it voice-tracked - all I heard apart from the music was the odd drop (literally just things like 'this is Thames Radio, playing London's greatest hits'). He didn't even identify himself. Not much different from the test broadcasts - so certainly not enough to justify the top-of-the-hour Pat Sharp ident.

Neil Francis seems to be a bit more present in his show.

I have to say, though, the music is still pretty good - and I do like the local news.
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Old 04-07-2016, 13:32
Erwin
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Music is still very repetitive for a classics radiostation. Disapointing.
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Old 04-07-2016, 13:36
simon243
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Good news for Tony Blackburn fans - his Saturday night soul party has been extended until 10pm.
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Old 04-07-2016, 13:44
FM Lover
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I heard a bit of the breakfast show this morning, and it sounded live (or at least VT'd close to broadcast), as there was talk of last night's football result. The show seemed to have a bit of an identity crisis, as there were lots of 'non-stop breakfast' jingles, yet there was clearly a presenter - presumably Chris Blumer, but I didn't hear him say so.

The bits I heard couldn't have sounded less local. At one point there was a Stereophonics track, followed by the presenter saying he'd recently been to see them at the Cardiff City Stadium.

I didn't hear any of the Top 10 at 10, but Pat Sharp from 11-1 was extremely disappointing. I don't think you could even call it voice-tracked - all I heard apart from the music was the odd drop (literally just things like 'this is Thames Radio, playing London's greatest hits'). He didn't even identify himself. Not much different from the test broadcasts - so certainly not enough to justify the top-of-the-hour Pat Sharp ident.

Neil Francis seems to be a bit more present in his show.

I have to say, though, the music is still pretty good - and I do like the local news.
I'm thinking they are using names like Pat & Neil to attract listeners.
Neil Francis, no disrespect is probably a lot cheaper and he does appear to be live although I'm unsure.

From what I heard of Breakfast this morning I didn't hear any links just the Non Stop Breakfast sweepers
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Old 04-07-2016, 13:50
Erwin
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Neil Francis sounding also disapointing, lots of useless VT's with only mentioning that you listen to Thames Radio, boring and lame this way of making radio.
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Old 04-07-2016, 13:53
Mark M
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From what I heard of Breakfast this morning I didn't hear any links just the Non Stop Breakfast sweepers
I heard about three links between 6.45 and 7.15, so there was definitely someone there. That's as much of the show as I heard, though.

Just noticed that they tweeted to say that it was Chris Blumer's first show.
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Old 04-07-2016, 14:37
simon243
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Neil Francis = generic VT links. He's not ID'ing any songs, there's no topical content, they've just paid him to record a long list of timeless links that they can play out every day in a different order.

And Erwin's right about the playlist, it's tight. I've heard Boy Meets Girl three times since Friday and I've only been listening for an hour or two a day.
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Old 04-07-2016, 14:54
FM_Bandit
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Thames Radio, boring and lame this way of making radio.
I have to laugh at you Erwin. Once again you've been nothing but negative this entire thread. I can just envisage you sitting in front of your computer speakers for 12 hours a day scowling and shaking your head.
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Old 04-07-2016, 15:07
Erwin
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I have to laugh at you Erwin. Once again you've been nothing but negative this entire thread. I can just envisage you sitting in front of your computer speakers for 12 hours a day scowling and shaking your head.
Assumption, assumption...
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Old 04-07-2016, 15:08
TonyCurrie
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A couple of observations from someone with no vested interest at all but 53 years in radio.

First of all, radio costs money, even when done 'on the cheap'. My upcoming 9 - day RSL in Harwich for Radio Mi Amigo will set the Trustees of the LV18 back over six grand before anyone opens a fader. Copyright payments on a London DAB station are substantial, and carriage fees, publicity, news service etc all cost very significant amounts. So that's all before you hire a single jock.

Basic economics demands that you spend as little as is absolutely necessary on a risky venture like this, and even with voicetracking, some of the names in the schedule won't come for the "petrol money + unlimited coffee" that the vast majority of small/startup non-FM stations pay these days.

To clarify the jargon for some posters who unsurprisingly find it baffling: "Live" means a show produced in real time (i.e. it takes 60 minutes to make a 60 minute show) at the moment you're listening. "As Live" means one which was recorded in a studio in real time and then replayed from a server later. "VTd" = voicetracked. The presenter sits in a studio and records all the links in one session and a computer fits them into the right places. Or sometimes the wrong places. Good systems allow you to listen to the first ten seconds and last twenty seconds or so of the record so that your voice fits snugly. Poorer systems simply record the voice and try to match the music around it. I've used both and there's an enormous difference, believe me!

Leaving OFCOM requirements aside, does it really matter where things come from? To the taxi driver or the hairdressers or the housewife doing the cleaning, it's music and some chatter and it could come from Penzance or Pitlochry - as long as it sounds professional and does the job location makes no difference. If the news and travel sets its editorial values firmly in the right place, then it should all work. How many listeners really know which Radio 2 shows are recorded and which are live - or care?

After that, the problems of sound become more subtle. Processing makes a big difference, and on DAB so does the bitrate. It can take time to get the sound just right .

Thames is still in its babyhood, so give it a chance. Hard criticisms should be saved for at least the first two months - assuming a station like this survives that long.
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Old 04-07-2016, 17:48
FM Lover
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A couple of observations from someone with no vested interest at all but 53 years in radio.

First of all, radio costs money, even when done 'on the cheap'. My upcoming 9 - day RSL in Harwich for Radio Mi Amigo will set the Trustees of the LV18 back over six grand before anyone opens a fader. Copyright payments on a London DAB station are substantial, and carriage fees, publicity, news service etc all cost very significant amounts. So that's all before you hire a single jock.

Basic economics demands that you spend as little as is absolutely necessary on a risky venture like this, and even with voicetracking, some of the names in the schedule won't come for the "petrol money + unlimited coffee" that the vast majority of small/startup non-FM stations pay these days.

To clarify the jargon for some posters who unsurprisingly find it baffling: "Live" means a show produced in real time (i.e. it takes 60 minutes to make a 60 minute show) at the moment you're listening. "As Live" means one which was recorded in a studio in real time and then replayed from a server later. "VTd" = voicetracked. The presenter sits in a studio and records all the links in one session and a computer fits them into the right places. Or sometimes the wrong places. Good systems allow you to listen to the first ten seconds and last twenty seconds or so of the record so that your voice fits snugly. Poorer systems simply record the voice and try to match the music around it. I've used both and there's an enormous difference, believe me!

Leaving OFCOM requirements aside, does it really matter where things come from? To the taxi driver or the hairdressers or the housewife doing the cleaning, it's music and some chatter and it could come from Penzance or Pitlochry - as long as it sounds professional and does the job location makes no difference. If the news and travel sets its editorial values firmly in the right place, then it should all work. How many listeners really know which Radio 2 shows are recorded and which are live - or care?

After that, the problems of sound become more subtle. Processing makes a big difference, and on DAB so does the bitrate. It can take time to get the sound just right .

Thames is still in its babyhood, so give it a chance. Hard criticisms should be saved for at least the first two months - assuming a station like this survives that long.
Very wise words and thanks for clarifying a few things regarding VT'ing and recording as live (eg Tony's shows)

I think the main disappointment about this station so far is that when they announced it last month it was described as bringing back the sound of Capital Radio to how it sounded in the 80's and 90's.

However from what I hear nothing could be further from the truth, it's a bit of a mish mash so far. A mix of Non stop/VT'd Heart/Gold/Smooth which isn't a bad thing but like Capital of the 80's and 90's it ain't.
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Old 04-07-2016, 18:18
Sophie_Greene
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Maybe some of these big names will end up being embarrassed to be associated with all of this?
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Old 04-07-2016, 19:15
radioanorak
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Have a listen to this station. This is how it can be done
www.solidgoldgem.am
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Old 04-07-2016, 20:01
Mark M
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Anyone hear Foxy at drivetime? Anything different from the generic VT links of the other shows?
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Old 04-07-2016, 21:26
Erwin
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Have a listen to this station. This is how it can be done
www.solidgoldgem.am
Spam, and has nothing to do with this station we talking about here.
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Old 04-07-2016, 23:19
tezenis
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In The Times today Jason Bryant is quoted as saying that the company has invested between half and three quarters of a million pounds in the station. Having heard a little bit of it today it's difficult to see where they've spent it.
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Old 04-07-2016, 23:31
Erwin
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In The Times today Jason Bryant is quoted as saying that the company has invested between half and three quarters of a million pounds in the station. Having heard a little bit of it today it's difficult to see where they've spent it.
Really?! Don't hear that right now.
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Old 04-07-2016, 23:31
wns_195
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The presenters are all names that have been on big and national radio stations and they're settling for this? Having presented the live shows they have presented and built audiences, now they're just happy to be a voice on a computer? Have these talented people no ambition or vision?

As for the long post about the costs, the company wasn't forced to set up a station on DAB in London. Low standards should never be accepted. Peoplewho run radio stations should have the mindset that everything that is broadcast is a reflection on them and should be seen as being the best they can do. So if all that is broadcast is a few songs on repeat in different random order and recordings of people saying the name of the station, who ever is in charge of that is obviously incapable of anything better. If they could do better they would do better.

The most amazing thing about this station, is that the presenters are so willing to work for people who are so inferior to them in terms of ability, experience, skills and reputation.
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Old 05-07-2016, 01:01
Erwin
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It's a big hoax and deception. All sounds as a very early big bad april fools joke.
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Old 05-07-2016, 07:52
TonyCurrie
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The presenters are all names that have been on big and national radio stations and they're settling for this? Having presented the live shows they have presented and built audiences, now they're just happy to be a voice on a computer? Have these talented people no ambition or vision?

As for the long post about the costs, the company wasn't forced to set up a station on DAB in London. Low standards should never be accepted. Peoplewho run radio stations should have the mindset that everything that is broadcast is a reflection on them and should be seen as being the best they can do. So if all that is broadcast is a few songs on repeat in different random order and recordings of people saying the name of the station, who ever is in charge of that is obviously incapable of anything better. If they could do better they would do better.

The most amazing thing about this station, is that the presenters are so willing to work for people who are so inferior to them in terms of ability, experience, skills and reputation.
Radio is a commercial business, like any other. The laws of supply and demand apply. The owners get into the business to make money, not to gain peer approval, and most certainly not to appease posters on Digital Spy. The way radio works has changed a lot and being a 'voice on a computer' is simply how it works nowadays. This isn't really 1980. And I can assure you that many presenters do work for people who are inferior to them in terms of ability, experience, skills and reputation, because the people they work for have the money and business sense to make jobs available.
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Old 05-07-2016, 08:36
Mark M
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Has anyone seen any marketing for Thames anywhere in London?

I haven't so far - so I'm wondering whether anyone is actually listening who doesn't read Radio Today. Given the massive volume of stations on DAB in London nowadays, I can't imagine many people will stumble across it by channel-hopping.
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