Manx Radio And The Interlopers

[woolley]

I heard John 'High-Horse' Houghton on Manx Radio this morning calling Mossy arrogant for his suggestion that the MHK's are stowing their sandals for the season and returning to the fray. Has Houghton had his sense of humour surgically removed through his ass or what ?

Johnny Moss extracting the urine, he may have scored the biggest own goal against MR as he sure upset Haughton!

 

Surely as a politician he isn't such a delicate flower that he can't stand up to that.

[woolley]

But...................there seems to be so much indecision about MR. Big increase in subvention a few years ago followed by cuts to the extent that the more important staff i.e. those who are the face of MR to the public have all lost their jobs and are now freelance. I am sure they thought that they had done their share of cuts and now it's all in the melting pot yet again. Perhaps MR management and admin budgets should be looked at once more, but I'll bet there is far more blatant waste elsewhere in government that would make the subvention look like chickenfeed and that hasn't been looked at even once yet.

 

You would be hard pushed to find a more superfluous service on which to spend £1m of our cash. Get rid - the attitude of MR this morning was cynical and disgusting and certainly proved it is incapable of impartial reporting regarding anything it does not agree with. A truly pathetic display of childishness and sour grapes.

 

I cannot see Government wanting to lose Manx Radio. It has been an icon for many years and it is a source of national pride as the first commercial radio station in the British Isles. I would be extremely surprised to see the end of the station as we know it. It is just possible that they are being commercially astute about this. Manx Radio with its Internal Audit report and the commercial interests with their alternative proposals create a buyer's market and if Government adopt a businesslike attitude and play both ends off against the middle, let both "suppliers" sweat for a while, they could finish up with Manx Radio retaining the public service remit at a far, far lower subvention and feeling jolly lucky to have done so against the prospect of losing it altogether. Hard nosed but business is business - just a straightforward tendering process. Going on from there, it could be a case of careful what you wish for for the other players because they could find themselves having to scrap harder for advertising revenue against a hungrier and leaner Manx Radio having to find more of its revenue commercially from a very limited market.

 

Edited to add: If this seems a bit capitalism gone to extremes it is the kind of process that many of us have had to contend with in our businesses for many years now including such niceties as "on line Dutch auctions" where suppliers bid live to kick the hell out of each others' bottom line by reducing the price until all but the winner decide it isn't worth doing. The winner probably finds out it wasn't worth doing after he goes bust! Another nice idea from our friends across the pond. (the big pond that is).

[Stu Peters]

I was also gobsmacked when I first heard that clip of JH in Tynwald. Seething didn't come close to describing his demeanour. Could be my last Xmas on Douglas Head if politicians like him are going to decide my broadcasting future based on a perceived slight.

 

What government clearly wants is a compliant media, and despite the accusations here that MR is 'in the pocket of Tynwald', you currently have a radio station that isn't afraid to rattle cages and ask pertinent questions, albeit without the showboating histrionics of Paxman et al. If the subvention is reduced there'll be fewer people to do that. If the funding is split or any of these 'alternative' ideas I've heard mentioned gain traction, your taxes will be used for the benefit of shareholders and investors and not the listening public. But hey ho, the presenter you don't like at the moment will lose his job, so that's OK!

 

ETA: Nobody is more aware than MR that government has no money. The simple question is, if you reduce the level of funding, what current output are you prepared to lose to pay for it. MR is probably the most cost-effective professional public service broadcaster you could have on the Isle of Man (and no, the kids from the college or volunteers couldn't do it just as well for free), so it's a simple equation - less money for programmes means fewer or cheaper programmes. Chances are, I reckon IOMG would probably love Talking Heads to be dropped in favour of a computerised jukebox. Or any reporter who asked about their pension contributions, or where they went on holiday.

[woolley]

 

Is there any way of linking to that broadcast? I would like to hear it myself.

 

You'll get it on Listen Again on MR website for Mandate this morning.

[mulokin]

I would frankly be appauled if Manx radio was to shut up shop.

 

Its not everyones cup of tea including mine, but it serves a purpose for the older generation who still get great enjoyment out of the radio.

 

Put it this way if i had a choice between paying for anot needed salt store and saving Manx Radio it would be a no brainer.

 

In also concerned that Government is in meetings with commercial radio stations with regard to the future of Manx Radio.

 

Im sure the commercial stations have the best interests of the public at heart.

 

We give enough cash to Juan Turner for doing fuck all as it is.

[hboy]

But...................there seems to be so much indecision about MR. Big increase in subvention a few years ago followed by cuts to the extent that the more important staff i.e. those who are the face of MR to the public have all lost their jobs and are now freelance. I am sure they thought that they had done their share of cuts and now it's all in the melting pot yet again. Perhaps MR management and admin budgets should be looked at once more, but I'll bet there is far more blatant waste elsewhere in government that would make the subvention look like chickenfeed and that hasn't been looked at even once yet.

 

You would be hard pushed to find a more superfluous service on which to spend £1m of our cash. Get rid - the attitude of MR this morning was cynical and disgusting and certainly proved it is incapable of impartial reporting regarding anything it does not agree with. A truly pathetic display of childishness and sour grapes.

 

I cannot see Government wanting to lose Manx Radio. It has been an icon for many years and it is a source of national pride as the first commercial radio station in the British Isles.

 

Its a relic just like the horsetrams - just because it was first at something 50 years ago does not mean that it should be preserved at our cost now. Besides what company with any integrity can claim to be the first commercial radio station in the UK whilst proving that it cannot possibly function commercially by taking £1m off the taxpayer to balance the books?

[orbit]

The idea that Mr acts independently is a joke, the issue is that if does go then we will get the same sort of shit news as the tripe served up as mttv where soft news is interspersed with mt adverts pretending to be news.

 

Perhaps the government should put that subvention money into this forum.

 

[hissingsid]

stu Peters must be having a laugh when he describes Manx Radio as professional I was squirming tonight as the newsreader stumbled and stuttered through the non news that was on. Manx Radio should be made to stand on its own two feet as the other radio stations have to, I doubt they are having happy times at the moment as things are tough and going to get tougher but they are surviving without public money being invested in them. There is no justification at all to financially support a radio station when family allowances are being cut and there will be more cuts, a lot more drastic to come of that there is no doubt. Manx Radio is sub-standard and it should be made to self support and then perhaps it would raise the bar on it's broadcasting standards.

[woolley]

stu Peters must be having a laugh when he describes Manx Radio as professional I was squirming tonight as the newsreader stumbled and stuttered through the non news that was on. Manx Radio should be made to stand on its own two feet as the other radio stations have to, I doubt they are having happy times at the moment as things are tough and going to get tougher but they are surviving without public money being invested in them. There is no justification at all to financially support a radio station when family allowances are being cut and there will be more cuts, a lot more drastic to come of that there is no doubt. Manx Radio is sub-standard and it should be made to self support and then perhaps it would raise the bar on it's broadcasting standards.

 

You don't say a single word though about the difference in output between Manx Radio and the others. It is required to cover local sport, manx language, history and culture, current affairs, Tynwald live, election nights live, TT & MGP races in depth as well as extended news programmes several times a day. You may not listen to these but it is dishonest to pretend that they don't exist when saying the other stations survive without public money. This blind spot seems to exist in almost everyone who has a go at the Manx Radio subvention. The commercial operators are simply different animals operating a minimalist schedule when it comes to speech radio and there is a lot of automated voice tracked output. Do you believe that MR should be relieved of providing those specialist programmes for the Isle of Man? The Island has to make up its mind whether it wants those aspects of MR output. I agree wholeheartedly that the taxpayer should get them at the lowest cost it can but for so long as we want the service we will have to pay for it.

[Broadcaster]

Manx Radio has the "contract" to cover the TT & MGP and do so for commercial reasons, the other stations are not permittedto cover them.

[Gladys]

I would be very sorry to lose MR in its current form, not for the music progs, but for the magazine/culture content. I listen every morning to Mandate, and catch most of the 6.00 pm programmes too. Absolute required listening is Sunday mornings from David Callister's early morning programme until 2.00. It is good, interesting and local stuff.

 

Perhaps the way to go is to focus on the non-music content (like a Manx Radio 4) and drop the DJ's music progs? I have to say as far as music listening I much prefer the overnight jukebox - no 'personalities' and the best music slice from the automated system.

 

All that said, I have absolutely no wish or desire for anyone to lose their jobs, be they bus drivers, radio DJs or baggage handlers, but I would like to see a bit of truly imaginative, innovative and daring management to turn these ailing areas around.

[Stu Peters]

With respect Gladys, MR isn't 'ailing' and passes all annual compliance indicators, independent reviews, Treasury/VFM reports, and regularly wins industry awards. Whether people value these things or not is another thing - I think that there is an assumption that MR fails to deliver or is substandard - and whilst I acknowledge some cringeworthy moments ('good result tonight Mr Earnshaw'?) have a look on YouTube for far worse bloopers from the BBC and others who operate on comparatively massive budgets with millionaire presenters. No, this present debate has been launched because Tynwald had agreed a funding formula and now wants to back out of it (understandable) but wants the same service for less money. To hissingsid's suggestion that MR should 'stand on its own two feet like the others', that's eminently achievable if all you want is an automated jukebox with none of the public service stuff you and Woolley have identified, and it's like suggesting that BUPA report on the Manx NHS with a view to taking it over.

 

I blame the politicians (remember this is an entirely personal view and possibly not shared or endorsed by anyone at MR). The expensive Darwin Report some years ago was to be the blueprint for broadcasting in the Isle of Man. Manx Radio ceded the 'youth' market to allow Energy its own specialist niche, which it clearly soon found was unprofitable and ditched in favour of a mainstream offering. The Communications Commission should have refused to allow that. It's like getting planning consent for a youth club and building a pub. Then 3FM surprised everyone (Juan joined forces with MR to object to this at the bar of Tynwald IIRC) by getting a licence for yet another music station - this wasn't mentioned at all in the Darwin Report (although the small print didn't preclude it) and whilst I truly have the greatest respect for George and Ron, I don't believe that a third station did much apart from diluting the advertising pot - the result is that Energy has now apparently been subsumed and MR commercial income has been compromised, making MR reliant on public funding. Maybe the politicians at the time anticipated that and decided it would give them a bigger stick if they needed it.

 

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the last 10 years decisions, MR has retained a far bigger audience share than the haters expected, and the only way the other stations will make a profit for their shareholders and investors is by trying to destroy what far better men and women than me have spent 40+ years building. People from off-island adore Manx Radio - maybe familiarity here breeds the contempt that is so evident from certain quarters. Maybe the best answer is to FULLY fund MR by telling the BBC it's not getting any more licence money, and leave the advertising to support the other stations. But you can't have steak and chips for burger and fries money - I'm not aware of any disproportionate salaries being paid at MR (certainly not to the presenters!) so everything goes into providing the service. If you don't like that service, write to the bosses - although finding content designed to appeal to most of the people most of the time must be a thankless task in itself (I'm regularly being told I should play more operatic/classical/brass band/church organ/dubstep music on Talking Heads for example...).

[Amadeus]

I heard John 'High-Horse' Houghton on Manx Radio this morning calling Mossy arrogant for his suggestion that the MHK's are stowing their sandals for the season and returning to the fray. Has Houghton had his sense of humour surgically removed through his ass or what ?

Please, no ass comments when Homophobe Houghton is concerned - It defies common decency!

 

Let's remind ourselves of his greatest moment in politics, so we don't forget what he is:

 

John Houghton Homophobe: Outrage in Keys over transsexuals' rights comments

 

AN MHK sparked outcry in the House of Keys today (Tuesday) when he protested that new laws to protect the rights of transsexuals would 'defy common decency'.

 

Douglas North MHK John Houghton's outburst came as the Keys debated the Gender Recognition Bill which seeks to extend human rights legislation to transsexuals.

 

He told MHKs: 'It defies common decency. I can't support it, I won't support it. It takes human rights too far.'

 

 

He is a Grade A granny farming leech and a true symbol for everything that is wrong with Manx Politics. How anyone could vote for this individual is beyond me - he is clearly totally unfit for public office. He should follow up a career that is more in line with his abilities and intellect, although I guess he would struggle in the real world as there isn't much need for a "Join The Dots With Crayons Manager".

[credente]

It's as easy to criticise Manx Radio as it was to criticise Manx Airlines when it was providing a service to the island. Then, once it's gone, to mourn it's passing as those who take over provide far less.

More people listen to MR than any other local station (no surprise, because the others are pretty dire!) and, although I'm not Manx, I do recognise that MR provides more informative broadcasting for the island than the other two put together.

For those who praise the BBC, let me just say that Radio 1 is niche broadcasting for the young generation - dumbed down radio to the nth degree; Radio 2 is fine if you don't want any local input and simply want bland entertainment, Radio 3 is for a small minority of musical snobs and Radio 4 provides very good 'talk radio' - most of the time. But the BBC costs us each far more than MR which is required to provide almost all of that - plus a massive amount of local programming.

I don't work for MR, nor do I have any connection with it other than as a listener. My travels mean that I get to listen to many other local stations and I have to say that MR is right up there with the best of them - those that are supported by the licence fee and those that have a much higher catchment area for their local content.

If the other two local stations were to fade away, they wouldn't be missed - but MR is a lot better than many of you seem to realise and never forget that there are so many times when 'you don't know what you've got 'til its gone.'

[Pierrot Lunaire]

For those who praise the BBC, let me just say that Radio 1 is niche broadcasting for the young generation - dumbed down radio to the nth degree; Radio 2 is fine if you don't want any local input and simply want bland entertainment, Radio 3 is for a small minority of musical snobs and Radio 4 provides very good 'talk radio' - most of the time. But the BBC costs us each far more than MR which is required to provide almost all of that - plus a massive amount of local programming.

 

Blimey, what a flexible collection of arguments. You do realise that all of the BBC services you've cited are available for free, don't you? Manx Radio is exceptionally poor value for money compared to the BBC. You must be insane if you actually stand by your post.