Russell Davies

showing radio working

Partly because of speechification, and partly for work reasons I've been thinking a lot recently about  how radio might, and should, change. One of the great and exciting possibilities it seems to me is for radio to show more of its working, to let you peek behind the scenes a little. iPM is doing that very well, and Pods and Blogs (and presumably the presence of Chris Vallance doing both programmes is not a coincidence) but I also have to say hats-off to WNYC's RadioLab for what they're doing with their podcast.

They're not on air at the moment, they're working on series 4, but they're still podcasting, letting you hear some of what would seem to be raw material for the shows they've got coming up. Interviews, features etc. They're not finished and polished with the same Piers Plowright meets Art Of Noise sonic intensity of their regular shows but they're still great little listens, and they maintain your relationship with the show while they're off air. This tiny little feature on what composer David Lang did when asked to write music for a morgue is a perfect, and touching example. 

speechify

Speechification got a write-up in The Guardian over the holidays which was rather exciting. And there's been some fantastic listening up there recently. I've especially liked Dan's contribution of The Oyster Farmers, Roo's extra Don't Hang Ups,  Bobbie's Stop The World and Steve's To Sing Like Bing. And if you don't listen to anything else you might want to bend an ear to this Chris Watson programme.

radio radio

It's generally been a bad day for the BBC, but I happened across a couple of little bits of news that suggested some excitement for radio. A twitter from Phil Gyford pointed me at the new beta programme pages - a permanent, linkable page for every episode of every radio and TV programme, which is going to make BBC content way more accessible and easy to get at (especially handy for speechification). (more details from Phil here)

And then I noticed the iPM blog/site/stuff - a web thing with a programme baked in, or the other way round. It seems properly cross-platform. The tagline is 'the web in your ear'. Anyway, it's got good credentials, including Chris Vallance, who's a gent and did the only enjoyable interview I did on the ebcb book, because he knew what a blog was and didn't assume it was merely a stepping stone to a book. And it's got Eddie Mair, who's the only Radio 4 presenter with the lightness of touch and wit to cope with something as open and fluid as iPM might be. I suspect it'll be good. There are already some audio bits up and the radio broadcast is 5.30 on Saturday.  Perfect, just when Sports Report starts to get dull.

studio 360

I've enjoyed catching up with the Studio360 podcast today. A couple of bits caught my ear. This show has a great interview with Herbie Hancock, which reveals how his training as an electrician helped his career and how Maiden Voyage (which he'd say is his best piece) was written as soundtrack for a Yardley Cologne ad.

And Ben'll like the feature in this show on the redesign of the font for the US interstate sign system. Graphic design saving lives, that's what we want.

the bottom line

I'll stick this on speechification too, but after years of being terrible at business coverage (and the news reporting still is, for the most part) BBC Radio 4 now has two rather good and thoughtful programmes about the dread world of commerce; the estimable In Business and the feisty newcomer The Bottom Line. And, also departing from BBC tradition, there are comprehensive archives and podcasts available for both shows. It's well worth digging through the radio crates.

wide field of sound

One of the frequently noted good things about the webetc is the way otherwise fringe things can find a viable audience - it's especially excellent for odd audio stuff. But, mostly, to date, it's been about an offbeat artist sharing with lots of people, it's not been about lots of people contributing to the art. This excellent project from BLDGBLOG and DJ/rupture is a bit different. They've set up a voicemail account and they're asking you to use your phone to record various different soundscapes and ambiences. Find yourself somewhere sonically interesting? Call them up and dump it on their voicemail. And then they'll do interesting stuff with it on the radio. I really like that. Excellent idea. Another clever, simple, use of phones.

speechification

Radio things have been coming together today. Firstly, Mr Bowbrick and I have knocked up a little blog called speechification which is designed to be a celebration of / curation of / alternative way in to - BBC Radio 4. Have a look and a listen if you're not busy.

Secondly, BBC pods and blogs has done a brilliant three hour programme on 'the future of radio' which is well worth listening to; especially Danny Baker's magnificent rant about the horrible creative bankruptcy of most commercial radio and the joy of podcasting. (About an hour and a half in.)

UPDATE: Here's the Danny Baker bit (hope that's OK)

MP3 File

It's all got me thinking about radio again, hoping for good things from the 4 Digital Group. I've long wondered why no commercial entity has gone after Radio 4's audience, which must be a valuable one, maybe 4 Digital will. Surely there's room for intelligent audio content that people will pay for, sponsor or advertiser in. Maybe I should try and do episode two of In Our Own Time.

dad radio

Well maybe not. But this is a damn good programme. Radio 4 at its finest. A touching, funny, enlightening programme; all sorts of men talking about what the advice their fathers gave them. And, by way of illustration, this is my Dad, atop a Monroe.

radio blog

(picture from Cambridge Consultants)

You get the sense that we're on the cusp (in the UK at least, and probably in other places) of a massive surge in the amount of radio we'll all be able to listen to. And that'll mean lots of speech radio, and I suspect that'll mean lots of jobs for bloggers. (Though probably not very lucrative ones.)

Most cool stuff was born because some civil servant somewhere decided to do something or forgot to do something. In this case the Ofcom have decided to sell off a new digital multiplex, which means someone gets to set up a bunch of new radio stations. Channel 4 are leading the race at the moment.

I suspect the most valuable, untapped (i.e. unadvertised to) audience in the UK (if not on the planet) is probably Radio 4's. Exactly the people advertisers want to reach, exactly the people who don't watch much telly or consume much commercial media. And there's no competition. If you want relatively intelligent speech radio what else do you listen to? BBC7 sometimes. 5live sometimes. NPR online sometimes. Oneword very, very occasionally. Channel 4 must be interested in this crowd.

And it seems we're not that far from internet radio being a cheap, practical reality. That means everyone with a microphone's in the race. But media brands with a bit of initiative would seem to have a slight advantage, The Guardian's podcasts add up to a version of speech radio. And there must be plenty of other people thinking of the same opportunities.

So, we'll have lots of radio stations looking for cheap content. Many of them will want smart, speechy stuff. Where are they going to turn for it? Bloggers. Surely. It's a great way to find people who can write. All you have to do is make sure they can talk a bit too. And hey-presto, speech radio. Get your mics out folks and start practising, the commissioning editors are coming and they're bringing tiny, tiny bags of gold.

this american life

I'm assuming all you Americans out there are already massive fans of This American Life. If you're not, what's wrong with you? But for all you non-Americans, you should know about this programme. Because it's, simply, the greatest radio programme ever. Even better than In Our Time.

They've got their entire archive online, and you've been able to subscribe  via  audible for ages. But now they're doing free podcasts - you should subscribe.

Some of my favourite episodes are these; about telephones, about 24 hours at a diner,  about classified advertising (featuring Jon Langford from The Mekons), about experimental phases, and this one, about prison. Which I think is the best single hour of radio ever. Make sure you listen to it through to the end.