Radio

I read news today that radio listening reached an all new high recently, something approaching 48m people, an impressive number.

I;'m assuming the advent of digital radio, improved sound quality etc helps, but on a personal level, I do find the standard of radio to have fallen quite allot. That of course depends on the station, some stations are good some not so good, as you'd expect.

My personal pet hate is Radio 1, I'm not going to start having a go at the music, that's not what I'm talking about here, I'm on about the presenting. Look at a selection Radio 1's line up

Moyles & co: My god could I dislike a man more, yes he's done stuff for charity but he'd have to climb a ladder to the moon to get any joy from me. I find him a big headed, self serving, unprofessional, annoying man. I'd honestly rather listen to the sound of water dripping than him. Never have I known a man think quite so much of himself, if his radio 'persona' is an accurate representation of him personally, I pity anyone living within 15 miles of him. Compare him to Radio 2's excellent Chris Evans (who in all fairness used to be like that, but grew up, something I can't see Moyles doing.) and there's no wonder he's losing ratings to him. The worst part is his seemingly mindless core of listeners who will do anything he says... Don't get me started on that div of a co-presenter/producer Aled. No wonder people think the Welsh are thick.

Remember Mark and Lard? Both still working of course, but they used to absolutely rule afternoon radio! Genius! Well now we have Greg James. I mean honestly where do they find these people and their local radio standard links etc? While not in Moyles' league I don't find the guy interesting, informative, anything, he's like background music between songs, the presenters (I'm not saying DJs) need personality.

Then there's Scott Mills who's like Greg James in a number of ways, once again he couldn't engage me if he got my phone number and rang me, I'd still zone out while he was talking about his favourite subject... himself. Once again Radio 2, with the award winning Simon Mayo trump here.

There's also the thoroughly empty Ferne Cotton, but she is better than the name dropping master that was Jo Whiley, so I'll give radio 1 credit there. There's more but they've never got past nameless voice to me, and never given me any desire to find out more. Wasn't one of them in Dr Who at some point?

So after reading that you're probably thinking just listen to Radio 2 or Nation (good music... dreadful presenting, proper local radio stuff) you miserable fucker, well OK I do. It's 90% of the time one or the other. But these mothertruckers from Radio 1 do turn up regularly other places and sometimes they're hard to avoid. Yes, so does Chris Evans, but I do like him!

So in short bring back Mark and Lard, end of. Or Radcliffe and Maconie. Or even better do some super show with Mark, Lard and Maconie! Yeah, now we're talking.

A wise man once said, "I'm pretty sure AM on my radio stands for absolute moron, I won't tell you what FM stands for." Sounds good to me!

I say wise man, it was Jasper Carrott...