Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.
I have noticed a subtle change in my radio habits. Other than background when I'm doing something else on a workday (Classical King FM / RTE Lyric FM) or when West Ham is playing or Test Match Special is on I'm finding that I'm no longer listening to an English language radio station.
(On a non workday I do listen to a station in a language I'm trying to learn. In fact after I've finished this I'll be listening to the Irish state broadcaster RTE's Gaelic station. Now don't be impressed I won't understand anything other than "Teresa May" "Brexit" and probably I'll find out what the Gaelic for "Idiot" is. But it will give me a sense of how it sounds)
Anyway back to English language listening. I find myself spending one day on podcasts and the other replicating the best English language station I've ever heard. I'll deal with the latter later. But let's start with podcasts.
I have previously chatted about the Backlisted podcast in this blog and the latest one I've stumbled upon is Fortunatlely...with Fi and Jane. This is a BBC podcast where Fi Glover and Jane Garvey chat about life, universe and everything with themselves and then a guest from the world of broadcasting but always drawing itself back to these ladies' first true love I'd guess radio.
When I get find a podcast I always start from the first episode. Which means currently I'm on the world as it is on November 2017 (better than it is now on Brexit eve I can tell you!) but as the episode dated 10 November showed. the ladies don't need a guest really. They could entertainingly hold a conversation to the listener. They are also candid about everything. Not quite Caitlin Moran candid (if you hear Jane Garvey after episode one of the Radio 4 adaptation of How To Be A Woman I think you will hear what could only be described as a broadcasting blush) but still these are ladies who aren't afraid of anything.
Ms Garvey presented the drive time show on Radio 5 live with Peter Allen which was the only drive time show I could say I was a fan of. Ms Glover introduces The Listening Project where people discuss their lives for posterity. But more importantly that that she also wrote the best book about radio I've ever read called Travels With My Radio I'm An Oil Tanker where she visits more unusual radio stations round the world. It's a great read.
They personify the thing that radio at it's best could achieve that TV has never seemed able to do. The feeling that the people you're listening to are friends even though you've never met them. I seem to remember having the same view of Terry Wogan and before I was aware of his writing skills just knew him from The News Quiz Alan Coren.
Apparently when I eventually reach the present day I would have to listen to Fortunately exclusively on BBC Sounds. Something which the BBC Iplayer radio App now incorporates. I'm still keeping the BBC Iplayer radio app mind you. Because I've been able to recreate the best English Language Radio Station I've ever heard.....the BBC World Service....in the seventies and eighties.
UK National radio stations have always been "themed" channels in my lifetime. But the BBC World service (where you could listen in the UK on your AM dial - now that really dates me) was different because it would have news, but also drama, music (all types) sports and programmes where for example a guest would pick his/her favourite book. I remember Arthur Scargill (kids google his name) picked The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. It would also broadcast shows like Round The Horne or Just A Minute. All of this on just one channel.
And with the Iplayer radio App (and I hope with BBC Sounds) you can download most (not it seems sport) programmes from all the different BBC radio stations and listen to them seamlessly as if creating your own little radio station catering to your own varied tastes (A note. Most downloads will expire 30 days from broadcasting)
New technology then. Taking me back.
Until the next time.
(On a non workday I do listen to a station in a language I'm trying to learn. In fact after I've finished this I'll be listening to the Irish state broadcaster RTE's Gaelic station. Now don't be impressed I won't understand anything other than "Teresa May" "Brexit" and probably I'll find out what the Gaelic for "Idiot" is. But it will give me a sense of how it sounds)
Anyway back to English language listening. I find myself spending one day on podcasts and the other replicating the best English language station I've ever heard. I'll deal with the latter later. But let's start with podcasts.
I have previously chatted about the Backlisted podcast in this blog and the latest one I've stumbled upon is Fortunatlely...with Fi and Jane. This is a BBC podcast where Fi Glover and Jane Garvey chat about life, universe and everything with themselves and then a guest from the world of broadcasting but always drawing itself back to these ladies' first true love I'd guess radio.
When I get find a podcast I always start from the first episode. Which means currently I'm on the world as it is on November 2017 (better than it is now on Brexit eve I can tell you!) but as the episode dated 10 November showed. the ladies don't need a guest really. They could entertainingly hold a conversation to the listener. They are also candid about everything. Not quite Caitlin Moran candid (if you hear Jane Garvey after episode one of the Radio 4 adaptation of How To Be A Woman I think you will hear what could only be described as a broadcasting blush) but still these are ladies who aren't afraid of anything.
Ms Garvey presented the drive time show on Radio 5 live with Peter Allen which was the only drive time show I could say I was a fan of. Ms Glover introduces The Listening Project where people discuss their lives for posterity. But more importantly that that she also wrote the best book about radio I've ever read called Travels With My Radio I'm An Oil Tanker where she visits more unusual radio stations round the world. It's a great read.
They personify the thing that radio at it's best could achieve that TV has never seemed able to do. The feeling that the people you're listening to are friends even though you've never met them. I seem to remember having the same view of Terry Wogan and before I was aware of his writing skills just knew him from The News Quiz Alan Coren.
Apparently when I eventually reach the present day I would have to listen to Fortunately exclusively on BBC Sounds. Something which the BBC Iplayer radio App now incorporates. I'm still keeping the BBC Iplayer radio app mind you. Because I've been able to recreate the best English Language Radio Station I've ever heard.....the BBC World Service....in the seventies and eighties.
UK National radio stations have always been "themed" channels in my lifetime. But the BBC World service (where you could listen in the UK on your AM dial - now that really dates me) was different because it would have news, but also drama, music (all types) sports and programmes where for example a guest would pick his/her favourite book. I remember Arthur Scargill (kids google his name) picked The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. It would also broadcast shows like Round The Horne or Just A Minute. All of this on just one channel.
And with the Iplayer radio App (and I hope with BBC Sounds) you can download most (not it seems sport) programmes from all the different BBC radio stations and listen to them seamlessly as if creating your own little radio station catering to your own varied tastes (A note. Most downloads will expire 30 days from broadcasting)
New technology then. Taking me back.
Until the next time.
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