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Stop the 'i' madness Stop the 'i' madness
(about 1 hour later)
Listeners should listen says Mair His show may have won a top award for interactivity, but Eddie Mair of Radio 4's PM programme says he's not a fan. Come on, who's he trying to kid?Listeners should listen says Mair His show may have won a top award for interactivity, but Eddie Mair of Radio 4's PM programme says he's not a fan. Come on, who's he trying to kid?
Mitchell and Webb did a wonderful send up of modern radio. "Are you personally affected by this issue? Then email us!Mitchell and Webb did a wonderful send up of modern radio. "Are you personally affected by this issue? Then email us!
"Or if you're not affected by this issue, can you imagine what it would be like if you were... what possible reason could there be for you not to email us?""Or if you're not affected by this issue, can you imagine what it would be like if you were... what possible reason could there be for you not to email us?"
I'm old enough to remember when BBC public service broadcasting was about some clever people thinking up good ideas and putting them on the radio. The only thing the listener had to do was listen.I'm old enough to remember when BBC public service broadcasting was about some clever people thinking up good ideas and putting them on the radio. The only thing the listener had to do was listen.
If they felt very strongly about the programme they could write in of course, but those letters always went straight in the bin. And quite right. If we wanted to know what a bunch of unqualified loons thought we'd have put a vox pop in the show.If they felt very strongly about the programme they could write in of course, but those letters always went straight in the bin. And quite right. If we wanted to know what a bunch of unqualified loons thought we'd have put a vox pop in the show.
THE EDITORS' BLOG Think of iPM as a small contribution to attempts to link old and new media Peter Rippon,Editor of PM and iPM Read Peter's comments in fullTHE EDITORS' BLOG Think of iPM as a small contribution to attempts to link old and new media Peter Rippon,Editor of PM and iPM Read Peter's comments in full
But there's been a creeping intrusion of the "audience" into the work we do. It started years ago with Family Favourites, but at least that was only reading out letters.But there's been a creeping intrusion of the "audience" into the work we do. It started years ago with Family Favourites, but at least that was only reading out letters.
Then came - cover your ears - the phone in. The only qualification was that your gnarled fingers could make little circles on the phone dial. Insight, wisdom and wit could take a back seat to ill-informed ranting. Then came - cover your ears - the phone-in. The only qualification was that your gnarled fingers could make little circles on the phone dial. Insight, wisdom and wit could take a back seat to ill-informed ranting.
People you would move house to avoid were suddenly on your radio, burbling and dribbling. "The trouble with this country" or "the thing about jam is" or "my brother-in-law knew someone who" is the backbone of radio with no backbone.People you would move house to avoid were suddenly on your radio, burbling and dribbling. "The trouble with this country" or "the thing about jam is" or "my brother-in-law knew someone who" is the backbone of radio with no backbone.
E-mail only worsened the trend. Now programmes which would have no truck with phone calls welcome the poorly considered missives from anyone with a keyboard. Output is now peppered with the badly-argued prejudices of the sort of folk whose gaze is avoided by all the other passengers on the bus.E-mail only worsened the trend. Now programmes which would have no truck with phone calls welcome the poorly considered missives from anyone with a keyboard. Output is now peppered with the badly-argued prejudices of the sort of folk whose gaze is avoided by all the other passengers on the bus.
FrenzyFrenzy
Whole weeks of airtime each year are devoted not to well-made programmes, but to the garbled scribblings of the ill-informed being badly read out by presenters who would never have cut it in the "Golden Age".Whole weeks of airtime each year are devoted not to well-made programmes, but to the garbled scribblings of the ill-informed being badly read out by presenters who would never have cut it in the "Golden Age".
The BBC is the worst offender. In a wilful misunderstanding of what public service broadcasting entails, putting the public on air as often as possible in as many different forms as possible is now the goal.The BBC is the worst offender. In a wilful misunderstanding of what public service broadcasting entails, putting the public on air as often as possible in as many different forms as possible is now the goal.
You can't just have a good idea and go out and make a programme anymore. No. Oh no. How very old fashioned of you to think that. Nowadays you must consider before you've made the programme how the listener might interact with it.You can't just have a good idea and go out and make a programme anymore. No. Oh no. How very old fashioned of you to think that. Nowadays you must consider before you've made the programme how the listener might interact with it.
E-mail has increased interactivityIdeally, is there a way of the listener deciding the content of the programme before you've made it? Then perhaps having the opportunity to criticise it half way through, in the hope of improving the content before the end of it? "We have an email address for you"... "we have a blog for you to write on"... "we know a song about that don't we?"E-mail has increased interactivityIdeally, is there a way of the listener deciding the content of the programme before you've made it? Then perhaps having the opportunity to criticise it half way through, in the hope of improving the content before the end of it? "We have an email address for you"... "we have a blog for you to write on"... "we know a song about that don't we?"
It's a pathetic attempt by broadcasters to "appear" engaged with their audience. What could make a listener feel more important and valued than being asked - constantly - what he or she thinks?It's a pathetic attempt by broadcasters to "appear" engaged with their audience. What could make a listener feel more important and valued than being asked - constantly - what he or she thinks?
"How kind of my favourite station to consider what I think. I'm so pleased with them I could go and make a radio programme about it. No hang on - I'll just drop an email or blog something and they'll make it FOR me!""How kind of my favourite station to consider what I think. I'm so pleased with them I could go and make a radio programme about it. No hang on - I'll just drop an email or blog something and they'll make it FOR me!"
Don't misunderstand me, opinion is important. Even ill-informed opinion has its place. It's in the pub. Or the taxi. But on the radio? What makes listeners or viewers or, heaven forbid, bloggers think they have the faintest idea about broadcasting? If they had any good ideas they'd be employed in broadcasting.Don't misunderstand me, opinion is important. Even ill-informed opinion has its place. It's in the pub. Or the taxi. But on the radio? What makes listeners or viewers or, heaven forbid, bloggers think they have the faintest idea about broadcasting? If they had any good ideas they'd be employed in broadcasting.
Dreadful radioDreadful radio
But of course no-one will say that out loud. Before you know it the hapless modern broadcasters will start churning out programmes where the content has been decided, not by the well-paid hacks themselves, but by the listeners - who're paying the hacks' wages. But of course no-one will say that out loud. Before you know it the hapless modern broadcasters will start churning out programmes where the content has been decided, not by the well-paid hacks themselves, but by the listeners - who are paying the hacks' wages.
The day will come when people will pay the licence fee but the broadcasters will say: "Hey, you're so great, what do you think should be in the show, if you're so smart?" And then the listeners will in effect make the programmes and the broadcasters will try to get a word in edgeways.The day will come when people will pay the licence fee but the broadcasters will say: "Hey, you're so great, what do you think should be in the show, if you're so smart?" And then the listeners will in effect make the programmes and the broadcasters will try to get a word in edgeways.
I may be a lone voice in this but isn't it time to stop the madness? To say that the interactive frenzy is bad for broadcasting. It numbs the skills of the broadcasters, it makes dreadful radio and it gives listeners ideas above their station.I may be a lone voice in this but isn't it time to stop the madness? To say that the interactive frenzy is bad for broadcasting. It numbs the skills of the broadcasters, it makes dreadful radio and it gives listeners ideas above their station.
The demarcation worked well for decades. Broadcasters broadcast. Listeners listened. It all went rather well before interactivity prevailed. Let's get back to that and give the dreaded "i" one in the eye.The demarcation worked well for decades. Broadcasters broadcast. Listeners listened. It all went rather well before interactivity prevailed. Let's get back to that and give the dreaded "i" one in the eye.
Eddie Mair's PM won the Gold Sony Award for interactivity this year. His new weekly programme iPM starts on 10 Nov, on BBC Radio 4 at 1730 GMT.Eddie Mair's PM won the Gold Sony Award for interactivity this year. His new weekly programme iPM starts on 10 Nov, on BBC Radio 4 at 1730 GMT.