Manx Radio And The Interlopers

[woolley 19,198]

Last day to have your say to the committee.

[Donald Trumps 5,536]

Spent 35mins 9secs listening to RBs proposals for our national broadcaster

 

Some sound suggestions of cost sharing

 

Didn't like his view of the way forward for MR at all

 

Please Select Committee on Broadcasting don't let him take over Manx Radio

 

Allow us a 'talk,news, & culture' station broadcasting over all digital media

[spermann 146]

Ron Berry's interview in full http://www.manx.net/tv/mt-tv/watch/52587/the-future-for-manx-radio

 

Total cost to the tax payer last year was £1.6 million according to his presentation (including the on going capital works)

 

I dont think that the management up there will be very happy that the net is closing in.

[censorship 1,683]

the net is closing in.

what net, the net of private business getting a taxpayer-funded subsidy to prop up their failing business model to the detriment of an important public service?

[Albert Tatlock 11,277]

the net is closing in.

what net, the net of private business getting a taxpayer-funded subsidy to prop up their failing business model to the detriment of an important public service?

+1. It is Ron Jingle Dingle Berry et al that have been allowed to break the model in the first place.

 

Revoke at least one licence I say, which should not have even been issued in the first place.

[orbit 71]

There is no need for three stations, if you want hear Manx news you can switch to MR at lunchtime and back to a decent music station afterwards. If the subvention is to be split then surely MYTV.im would be the best place to spend it not on failing music radio stations.

[Stu Peters 2,206]

Very much a personal view this, and possibly not one shared by MR bosses.

 

I think George Ferguson is my favourite Manx broadcaster - I love his irreverent syle and quick wit, and I like Ron - when I first moved here he was one of only a very small number of potential clents who would even agree to see me. When I was given a chance at Manx Radio in 2000 it was to take over his Saturday evening programme. I admire people who have the balls to put their money up to try something new.

 

However, I think it's rich that in Ron's presentation he says that the IOM clearly can't sustain three radio stations. Manx Radio said that when there was going to be two, and Juan subscribed to that when the prospect of 3FM (or Radio Athol or whatever it was called then) was being debated in Tynwald. Both Juan and Ron cut their teeth with Manx Radio yet rather than rise through the ranks and improve it thought they could do a better job themselves. The audience figures would clearly suggest they were wrong. Had Energy and 3FM been successful, they would have scuppered MR without a second thought. The fact is they are both losing money (according to Ron himself) so he wants to hobble MR by making its output less attractive to a general audience, make his own station(s) more attractive to advertisers, engineer himself a seat at the top table (MD of MBC would be?) and pocket some government money.

 

Of course, the politicians will be attracted to the headline premise that you get three stations for less than the price of one, and the fact (under Ron's schedule) that there'll be no lunchtime phone-in programme where people can criticise them openly.

 

To me the real debate should be whether one or both new stations should have their licences revoked. Sadly, Energy only exists (according to Ron's presentation) as a loss-making basket case with few listeners - more a 'vanity' broadcaster now than anything of real value (to reiterate, I admire Juan for trying but it simply hasn't worked) and 3FM has failed to secure enough of an audience to remain viable. The solution to those problems isn't to allow the same principals to mess around with MR, which at the end of the day is still owned by the people who listen to it.

[parchedpeas 723]

If the government try and make the subsidy (which is already too large and spent on things it has no place 'subsidising') stretch to cover these other two stations then it will say all you need to know about the will and resolve of this government to 'cut spending'.

 

The market can't sustain three stations, so one of them should go. Which one it is should be between energy and 3fm - I'd suggest its the one that doesn't have the nerve to measure its own audience for fear of scaring away advertisers.

 

Not one public purse penny should be spent subsidising Robbie Williams records and subscriptions to Daily tabloids. If we really need an alternative to Manx Radio that cannot be supported by advertising (we don't - most yoofs don't bother with radio) then Manx Radio should be made to do it out of the same pot they already get. They already do that with Radio TT.

[orbit 71]

MR, which at the end of the day is still owned by the people who listen to it.

 

And a shit load more who don't, if anything this should be a kick up the arse for Manx Radio and they should try and make themselves more relevant to those who pay for it.

[Stu Peters 2,206]

MR, which at the end of the day is still owned by the people who listen to it.

 

And a shit load more who don't, if anything this should be a kick up the arse for Manx Radio and they should try and make themselves more relevant to those who pay for it.

Whilst your apparent desire to kick arses is acknowledged, your proposals for improvements that would please 'most of the people most of the time' are not. One thing I can promise is that ANY workable good ideas would be considered by the MD or the Director of Programmes and Content if you get in touch with them. Just be aware that some of the people who tell me what would improve Manx Radio 'more religious music', 'more Elvis', 'less bad news' will probably get a standard response.

[In fact . . . 45]

If Manx Radio wants to save money, why doesn't it close down at 7pm like it used to? Audiences after 7pm won't be very big. And it doesn't do much "public service" stuff then. So it's mainly people playing records etc, which is available on countless other stations, two local and many others available in the island.

And, while we're at it, why bother having separate services on AM and FM? How is playing pop music on AM while Mandate is on FM helping its "public service" remit? It's just adding competition to the other stations.

The Manx Radio building would be a great place for expensive apartments. Why doesn't the government sell it, generate income for itself, and house Manx Radio in an industrial estate somewhere?

[Stu Peters 2,206]

If Manx Radio wants to save money, why doesn't it close down at 7pm like it used to? Audiences after 7pm won't be very big. And it doesn't do much "public service" stuff then. So it's mainly people playing records etc, which is available on countless other stations, two local and many others available in the island.

And, while we're at it, why bother having separate services on AM and FM? How is playing pop music on AM while Mandate is on FM helping its "public service" remit? It's just adding competition to the other stations.

The Manx Radio building would be a great place for expensive apartments. Why doesn't the government sell it, generate income for itself, and house Manx Radio in an industrial estate somewhere?

My understanding is that the building isn't really suitable for alternative uses - it's concrete and built as a military installation. I think your idea was considered quite recently and the expert view was that it would be cheaper to leave it as a radio station. Certainly as the place has been upgraded recently.

 

AM is still used for a number of purposes - not least Tynwald sessions, Keys Questions and Radio TT etc. There will always be a debate about whether the right service is on the right transmitter, but having two options is often important.

 

After 7pm is when a lot of the specialist music programmes go out. I'm not a fan of opera, classical or country music (for example) but appreciate that each has a following. I think a significant number of people who listen late at night would miss having a local station on air with a real live presenter in the studio presenting it, and don't think it's much of a cost in The Great Scheme Of Things.

[GD4ELI 2,734]

After 7pm is when a lot of the specialist music programmes go out. I'm not a fan of opera, classical or country music (for example) but appreciate that each has a following. I think a significant number of people who listen late at night would miss having a local station on air with a real live presenter in the studio presenting it, and don't think it's much of a cost in The Great Scheme Of Things.

 

All this 'stuff' is available elsewhere, I must say though the quality of some of the evening programs is excellent, as good as Radio 2 or 3's evening programming at times.

[Pierrot Lunaire 2,276]

MR, which at the end of the day is still owned by the people who listen to it.

 

And a lot of us who don't.

[Patrick 207]

Why not just pipe in the other station at night, save a fortune, same type of output.