Thursday, December 09, 2004

An open blog to radio DJs (especially you, Wogan)

Dear Radio DJs
I don't like to moan.
I like to accentuate the good things in life.

But would all of you stop talking over the end of songs? I would much rather hear the song than your bloody voice. I've noticed that you encroach further and further into songs at the beginning (here's a rough guideline, if the singer has started, you should have stopped by then), and as for the end, at least have the decency for the last verse to finish and the chorus to start before talking at us again. After a stressful day, I happened to be listening to Oxford's Fox FM on the way home, and they played the rather beautiful 'Don't Dream it's Over' by Crowded House, and it was making me a little bit more at peace with the world, except one of you started talking before the third verse had even started. What's that about? I mean, really? It wasn't even close to the news, so that couldn't have been it.

If I wanted to listen to people speak I'd listen to Radio 4. At least what I'd be hearing would be intelligent, rather than the verbal diarrhoea you lot spit out.

And Wogan, I like the music you play on your show, but hearing you do bird whistling in the middle of a song tends to make me turn off. That is after all, my choice. That's not all. Playing a song that starts at 7.55, then cutting it out at 7.56.33 so the song you play next fits exactly into the gap before the 8.00 chimes isn't exactly demonstrating a masterery of music programming.

You've all been mourning the passing of John Peel and holding him up as an inspiration as a DJ, and rightly so. But he could hold his tongue, why can't the rest of you?

Regards,
Richard

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Too right. I pretty much just listen to internet radio stations now. There has to be a market for 'over the air' radio stations without DJs as well. No news, no sport, absolutely no traffic updates, no DJs. With the money you save you could have less ads as well. win, win, win.

Apparently pirate radio stations often pay the publishers of the music they play for the broadcast rights. What's that all about?

Speaking of which, why do radio stations have to pay to advertise music? I would have thought that it helps album sales if you get airplay. Imagine if ITV had to pay Ford for the right to play ads. Madness.

Anonymous said...

speaking of advertising, via the NZ Internet Shop I like to send DVDs to NZ , and I like how you can add sweets and chocolate to a DVD order.