This article was originally written on Monday 30th March 2020, seven days after the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, told the country to stay at home. https://youtu.be/Ml-1hUISPj8 We live in exceptional times. A fact noted by many journalists in recent days. In The Times of London, in the Daily Telegraph, and on Channel 4's Dispatches … Continue reading These are extraordinary times…
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Bite the hand that feeds you…
...Go on. Why don't you? I was listening to a Busted track recently. I've always had a soft spot for the band, despite their early teeny-bop-rock stylings. They've grown. In particular I've been enjoying the track called Radio (2019). https://youtu.be/kG2CVhbt5W4 Here we see the British trio jump into a red BMW convertible and drive down … Continue reading Bite the hand that feeds you…
Is it sound?…
...Or is it just noise? This website is called 'pre-fade listen'. That's a bit of radio jargon that I've tried to explain elsewhere. For example, I've recorded a video where I point to a pre-fade listen button on a studio mixing desk and talk about how it allows the on-air presenter to make sure that … Continue reading Is it sound?…
The trouble is…
In 1946 the writer and novelist George Orwell complained that, In very many English homes the radio is literally never turned off. [...] This is done with a definite purpose. The music prevents the conversation from becoming serious or even coherent. (Tribune, 11 January 1946) Which coming from someone who once worked for the BBC … Continue reading The trouble is…
The art of presentation…
...on radio is at once both radically complex and stultifyingly mundane. I wrote a previous article in February 2018 about some of my favourite radio presenters. In simple terms I reckon you've either got 'it', or you could - at a pinch - struggle to learn it. But mostly I'm of the opinion that the … Continue reading The art of presentation…
Radio jingles…
The jingles are the bits between the news, weather, sport, DJ and music. And this is an example of how they are made. https://youtu.be/O1Bb_DI77SE My 2022 book, published to celebrate 100 years of British broadcasting, Radio’s Legacy in Popular Culture, tells the story of radio through pop songs, movies, novels, poetry, art and sculpture. What’s … Continue reading Radio jingles…
Know any good jokes about radio…?
One of my favourites is a really old one that I first heard over thirty years ago: "I've got a friend who's a newsreader on a medium wave radio station. When we go for a drive he keeps fading out under bridges." ...which probably doesn't work too well in these days of DAB, FM and … Continue reading Know any good jokes about radio…?
Don’t Touch That Dial…
...bear with me this once. This article will appear to be joyously off-topic at the start because it won't mention much about radio; just superheroes. The reason is I want to talk about finding reality in fiction. On the face of it that sounds like nonsense, but if I try to explain I hope you'll … Continue reading Don’t Touch That Dial…
How far would you trust a journalist?
The challenge is to get the trust of our listeners. According to a survey in 2018, journalists are (along with estate agents, advertising executives and politicians) amongst the least trusted professions. Technical details of the survey can be found at the bottom of this link. I'm not quite sure how I feel about being lumped … Continue reading How far would you trust a journalist?
Turn Your Radio On
….or perhaps “Turn ON Your Radio”, or “ Turn on THE Radio”. Or “Turn the Radio ON”. It all depends on the order of the words. And it starts with country gospel, takes in post-punk, AoR, disco, rap and nu-metal. What follows is a brief history of song titles – and adverb particle positions too. … Continue reading Turn Your Radio On
Pre-fade Listen 