Out with the old...

Bye Aaron, good luck.



Anyone got a comment on the ideas for making the blog more visible, as suggested by ryanw and me?

Yes - good luck. Agree with Carrie - these blogs aren't easy to access - I stumbled across them initially and have had to make them a 'favourite' to make sure I can get back.

Wow that was quick, you remind me of Universty students who i have dealt with,who are looking for Work experience.

Steve with respect you've been "getting off to a good start" for 2 years! And if this is the sailent example of blogging across the BBC then Tim Davie needs to pull the pin on the whole enterprise.



But, it was nice to have Aaron working on the blog while it lasted. A good way to get the programme makers involved.

I can't understand why you don't see, Steve, that improving visibility of your blogs on the Home Page would immediately improve your participant numbers. ryanw and I both suggested something but there is no comment on that blog or this one where comments also appear, about what you think of them.



The frustrations some listeners feel are never going to be taken up while you hide this blog away. An informal conversation I had the other day with about five sports fans was illuminating. Your station is the one of choice for sports lovers so obviously we all listen to the rest of your output too.The talk was of Five Live and how the quality is so very patchy over your daily output. Some programmes I never listen to - i.e. Nolan, came in for a lot of stick. People yelling and talking over one another, him pretending to be bothered about calming them down whilst obviously feeling this is good listening, and bringing over minority NI subjects to fill his weekend programme which he has previously broadcast over in NI. When I heard that it was as if nothing had changed - the very reason I stopped listening to him. But the view was that at least he is tucked away from main time listening so it doesn't matter. However I think it does matter because you are a 24 hour broadcaster. The other main gripe was the loss of the news hour and the promotion of Gabby Logan to way out of her depth. Flirty talk with the over exposed Mr Riley makes it even worse.



Today in the Times there is a little piece about new BBC manager salaries, twice that of the Prime Minister. The BBC has simply forgotten what it is there for and I really resent the listener (and viewer) coming last in the priority list. Which brings me back to something so simple for you - increase the access to everyone by making the Five Live Blog visible so we can all give every type of view, from praise to criticism, that you can take on board.

Glad to read that someone else feels as I do about Gabby Logan and her co-presenter with the phlegmy northern accent. Her handovers with Richard Bacon are becoming more unprofessional by the day, on one occasion reduced to a playground squabble over who was turning up least often for work.

I used to think that Victoria Derbyshire was mediocre at best. She now shines like a beacon of professionalism compared to the two presenters who follow her.

Gabby Logan is in way above her capabilities, a recent example being her voice over at the opening of Parliament as she informed us that the Queen was on her way to the "robbing" room! Her giggling is incessant and reminds me of a schoolgirl rehearsing for the annual panto.( I speak as a retired schoolteacher).

Richard Bacon is now a complete no go area whilst he obsesses with celebrity and soap stars.

Oh for proper news and Simon Mayo.

Just what are the point of these blogs from 5 Live's point of view? A tick in the box of 'customer/consumer/ participation? They're hard to find; static (as in non-interactive) and don't seem to serve any useful purpose whatsoever in their present form.

Sarnia is right but I hope that won't mean that the BBC thinks that - however a hiatus of " a few weeks" mentioned by Aaron, before his successor starts on here, shows just how little AV-K and Steve probably care. One of the old mods would do to get things going.

Thank goodness there has been TMS to listen to instead of Nolan.

I agree with Sarnia, Msg 9. It all seems a bit pointless.

yep...

Yet AGAIN "our" blogs editor asks us what he can do to promote the blog and then TOTALLY ignores our suggestions, does not acknowledge them, and goes MIA.



This would be AT LEAST the fourth time this has happened.



Why ask if you're not interested?

In the absence of anywhere else to place a comment ....



Monday 31st - has Five Live closed down? Looking at the schedule there is one regular presenter in their usual slot today (Fogarty). Are they all on their way to the world cup or does no one simply care any more?



R4 for news and the joyful TMS for the rest of the day. If Five Live doesn't care why should the audience?

Nowhere to blog or comment on the days phone in either.

I think 5Live is simulcasting Radio Northern Ireland today. I pity anyone in the South West, North East of England or Scotland. Never even get a mention.

Total waste of time commenting, I am losing the will to listen to the wretched station. I avoid Nolan and I too feel that the regions of this country are given short shrift. What is so special about Nolan that he is the man of choice? Likewise why on earth are we going to have to listen to every match at the World Cup? Are we all interested in Cameroon v. Denmark, for example? Or is the ad "every match here on Five Live" actually only every England match? As England played like drains yesterday what are the plans for broadcasting the later rounds which will not feature "our boys"?



And why on earth is there this gap between Aaron going and Ellie arriving? Couldn't Steve fill in? As I say, losing the will to listen. Off to TMS now, having listened to Radio 7 for the last while.

I forgot to say this is a dream day for Nolan's favourite hobby: bashing. Let me think......homosexuality, naughty MPs from the Conservatives or Lib Dems (because of course he doesn't think there is anything wrong with Labour), murder, prostitutes and probably weight if he can get it in to the programme.

Yes - he was salivating and working himself up so much I thought he'd spontaneously combust.



Not a shred of human decency evident in his attitude; just intolerance and hatred. I am not a Lib Deb voter/suppporter but I, as a fellow human being, do feel some sympathy for the position that David Laws found himself in. Yet again the people who bang on about tolerance for their views are the last to apply that courtesy to others.

I wasn't even listening either! That is how predictably crass he is. I haven't heard a programme of his for years but sometimes I do catch the odd bit. However all I did today was look at the BBC news website and picked the subjects to mention.

Well anticipated then, Carrie!

Ah I missed today's bashing, I turned off as soon as I heard Nolan was lazily rehashing a Northern Ireland story from his show last week and relitigating it today on 5Live. Increasingly his show seems to be more worthy of Radio Ulster then a UK radio station.

"In the meantime, the blog will be in the more-than-capable hands of the interactive team and Steve Bowbrick."



Nothing for over a week. No responses to blog suggestions.

Yeah, sorry we haven't updated or been in touch - but we're all on holiday (we get twelve weeks plus b/h's) and we only ever work prep school hours when we're in, if that. Know you'll understand. Klav. Cape Town (on ex's) Speak maybe September. Kisses.

LOL at comment no. 25!



This practice of Justine Green (when reading out the news) to refer to people as "Dad" or "Mum" (as in "John Terry's 'Dad' was found guilty...) sounds unprofessional and immature. Is it a personal idiosyncrasy or is this rather infantile approach a diktat from above?

Am I you Sarnia? I sent a text yesterday to Radio Five Live saying it was appalling to hear a BBC newsreader use such a word in a news bulletin. Dad!!

Did you, Carrie! Can't send texts from the Channel Islands unfortunately otherwise I would have texted also. This is the second time that I've brought up this "Dad" and "Mum" usage by Justine Green - it really grates; it sounds like children talking in a playground.

Aasmah said it too later on, same news piece. That is when I texted as I had already heard Justine say it. You could email a programme with a comment though if you can't text.



Have not listened today since drink phone in. Nicky uses far too many personal anecdotes these days.

I've decided the post worthy riposte to this blog post is Yes. Yes, out with the old. Out with the tired, I'll-ask-for-your-opinon-and-ignore-you ways of the old regime, the hollow we'll-get-more-contributions-from-the-managment promises, the here's-another-digital-gimmick trumpetry, the oh-didn't-we-do-well ratings hoopla with the actual figures in meanginful demographics and dayparts to truly judge performance. Indeed, as the post said, out with the old.



Speaking of the old... has anyone sighted the old blogs editor lately? He's MIA. Again.



I thought he was interested in how he could better promote the blog, but since asking, hasn't done anything or even had the courtesy to acknowledge our responses.



Out with the old indeed!

Visiting old ground I know ..



How does Richard Bacon manage to con so many people in the beeb to keep giving him gigs?



He's done a (football) thing on BBC 3 which is the absolute pits.



Really, I don't know what this geezer earns but he must be laughing to the bank. The list of things he's no good out extends and extends but dear old Auntie keeps chuckinh 'em his way. (Bit like Graham Norton). He must have a contract that basically says 'here's a fortune, just present anything, they won't care'. Nice work if you can get it. Over to you Fedster, make a defence.

As the Cumbrian tragedy unfolded throughout yesterday, I was glad we have rolling news, especially as it was public service broadcasting. For those of us just sad and worried for our countrymen, a bit too much detail but you could see why it was being done. Livesey, amongst pretty near neighbours of his, was exceptionally good.



No intrusive "text us if...." thank goodness. The BBC apparently does know when to stop that ridiculous development of their broadcasting, I hope it does not return today.

I was just about to come on and make the same point Carrie. I listened to most of Bacon yesterday (which also included PMQs) and the first hour of Breakfast this morning and thought that the coverage of this incident in Cumbria was handled well.



5Live is still a very good news station, and it is a shame that it reverts back to "text us if.." or vacuous entertainment news all too often.

Nowhere else to post this but it seems that 5Live have lost more sports rights:



https://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jun/03/talksport-rugby-world-cup-2011

There you go. Good old Moz Dee, learns his trade at Five Live then shafts it.



Perhaps the BBC didn't want it - too expensive with all those high salaries and expense claims to meet. After all, think of the money they are spending on the World Cup coverage. The staff won't be B and B'ing.



Hey ho. Poor old Ian.

Nice to have a day without giggling Gabby and gobby George.

The same old arguments, made by the same old suspects over and over again, this blog is really getting stale, and no wonder there seems to be any input from senior Editors at 5live, when all we get is the usual tedious hogwash.



“How does Richard Bacon get so many gigs on the BBC” asks Jackstumps, well the answer is very simple, the reason he gets so many gigs on the BBC, is because he is really good at what he does, that’s why the Media industry as a whole like him he has appeared on all the Terrestrial Channels, as well as quite a few Commercial Radio stations.



I really think the people at BBC, FIVE, and ITV are more qualified than you Mr. Stump to judge which presenter should be signed up, and will people like him. Like it or not Richard Bacon is a popular figure, who is enjoyed by many, that’s why “Auntie keeps chuckinh 'em his way”



Now Mr. Stumps why you don’t post a reply, which proves that my assertions are false, I bet you can’t, no doubt instead you will call me a stooge, but hey I think you have lost the argument already.

As long as we accept that Radio 5 is now devoted to celebrity, soap stars, giggly presenters, "text us and tell us what you think", shouting, sloppy speech and grammar etc. then ,of course, Richard Bacon and Gabby Logan will remain on this apology for a news station.

If the above criteria represent what is now required from broadcasters then anyone enjoying this should remember to renew their subscription to Hello magazine and the Daily Star where their needs will be duly satisfied.

I've been meaning to post about what a good job Livesey did the night of the horrific shootings in Cumbria. He show's signs of real promise. It's increasingly clear that he's getting poor advice from his producers who seem to think facebook mentions and banal banter maketh a good show, because he can, and does, acquit himself well during live news events.

Fedster and Arthur are right. If you want brainless programmes, you have them.



I mentioned Livesey's programme from the other night too, ryanw, in post 32. He lives in the Lakes and he did a great job with gravity and sympathy. It was a very good programme, approaching the quality of Christian Fraser on UAN as the tragedy of the tsunami unfolded.



I don't think the quality of Five and ITV is much to base an opinion about Bacon on, Fedster. And many people are questioning the BBC's policy and programming. Whilst gross amounts of pay go to a few individuals, and they forget who they are in their world hopping jaunts - on my behalf!! - I will judge it the way I want anyway, as cheap programming and text us fill ins

take the place of interesting insights in to news and current affairs.



The best idea would be to make the bulk of Radio Five Live in to 6 and absorb the adult bits of Five Live in to Radio Four as a running news programme for part of the day.



Then grown ups could listen and they could avoid Gabby, Bacon, Riley, Nolan, Green et al.

Helen Whoever-but-I-canoed -single-handed-down-the-Amazon-with-20-BBC-helpers is on the Derby broadcast. Apart from having an unsuitable voice for either TV or radio in my opinion, she has just asked a 10 year old whether her father bets and if he gets angry if he loses, and to tell her later if he does lose it.



Nice.

Reading between the lines I think the problem most critics have on here, is that they do not appreciate Social Media, because there generation did not have such luxuries, and they are not used to the likes of Twitter and Blogging. They see the use of such things as quite immature and the dumbing down of Radio; however people from my generation fully embrace such things, and I feel the age group 20+ are listening 5live in their droves.



I can understand why posters such as Carrie and the like find Nolan and Bacon somewhat irritating, Bacon in particular has somewhat of a boyish approach presenting his show, and I can see why the older listeners find him to be immature, particularly when in the past 5live had older and more mature presenters such as Bannister and Curry.



However I don’t see this changing in the near future, because quite clearly people are embracing the likes of Twitter, and the approach of Bacon is clearly working to win over listeners, so why change something which isn’t broke?

I am not sure I would call social media a luxury, I do not like twitter but we have embraced blogging big time in our family and if I told you about it you would be able to work out my identity and background. Yes, really. I do not find Bacon irritating, in fact I have been a fan of his for a long time, the only reason I mentioned him in my last but one post is that I know others find him annoying. Nolan is a self possessed small town radio journalist who has been pushed forward beyond his ability. He doesn't mean a word he says.



Anyway, you are right Fedster, it won't change, and the ever changing listener demographic means people drop off as they grow away from the way a station develops. One day it will even happen to you chum.

Oh dear, there you go again Fedster. Casting assumptions about the commenters here. Again.



I recall before you accused us of all being from another website or something. Many of us, including myself, had never even heard of the site you mentioned. I'm no octoganarian luddite, but I'm a 30-something who's worked in radio, won a national radio award, now I work in advertising, for a large multi-national, working on European digital assignments and have a personal twitter following 3,500.



So not a digital dunce either.



I didn't intend to trumpet my credentials -- and I certainly have nothing to prove to you or to apologise for -- other then to show you that dismissing those who don't agree with you as curmudgeoning old windbags is insulting, incorrect and short-sighted.



And for the record I don't like Bacon's style (and he is old then me). He's well-suited to voicing Brit Cops, hosting banal Bafta banter and human (sorry, Bacon) interest stories. But this 'big personality' is not a fit to polish Mayo's shoes. He was ok in the evenings but can't command the afternoon slot.

There won't be any postings from anyone at the BBC now as they are all either in the Business Class lounges waiting to fly to SA or they are already there.



Could I say one more thing about twitter used as a radio presenter interloper? I am very sorry but those tweets are nothing more than asides that distract performers ( or 'talent', as the BBC insists on calling them) from their presenting roles and can come back to bite them because so many written on the spur of the moment are inappropriate and ill judged in their wording. It is quite another thing when you are not on air or in an important situation that needs all your attention, so that when on air broadcasters think "I have 10000 followers I had better tweet" please think twice it is just too ridiculous. There is a place for tweeting and it is not when you can take advantage of your situation and paid job to show off some nondescript thought.

Ah, pure bliss, listening to a true professional at work - Clare Balding.

You are right lunchtime_legend. I was going to post exactly the same thing. Pity Riley didn't go off to SA with Gabby and give us a real break.

Some big changes to the 5 live schedule-Part 2



From August the iconic Sports Report (Saturday 5pm), a broadcasting staple for over 50 years and with one of the most memorable theme tunes in radio, returns to a regular full hour from 5pm until 6pm within 5 Live Sport.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/06_june/08/5live.shtml

Well at last 5live have got something right by giving John Pienaar and Declan Curry their own programmes on Sunday evening.



This is obviously a welcome change of direction.I had the unfortunate experience of listening to some of the Victoria Derbyshire programme this morning and quite frankly it was pitiful radio.Rubbishy World Cup football anthems and Vicky asking for text votes must be more than a low point even for 5live.

Leonard-Zelig, did you hear the rubbish spoken by Mike Ingham about the interview with Ferdinand in the Logan programme? I have never heard such tosh about feelings and disappointment about a footballer with a bad leg. His son will be disappointed he is not England captain. What??? The BBC need to get a grip. Quite frankly, in the week we have seen real tragedy and sadness, this counts as minus 1,000,000 on the scale of such feelings. And to excuse Rooney for swearing at the ref "because it was a practice game" makes me embarrassed to listen to such ridiculous excuses for a foul mouthed outburst at an referee. Great example to set for the boys who idolise Rooney and Rio, I don't think.

I did hear a little of that unbearable interview before I could stand it no more and switched off Carrie but that is the general feeling I get towards 5live nowadays.



My advice to AVK would be to ditch the giggly and irritating Logan,the chidish Bacon and the usually woeful and desperate sounding Derbyshire.Oh and get rid of those extremely loud and very annoying football trailers.You would be doing us all a great favour.

As you have now featured this on the Five Live homepage, I felt I could post again that Rio needs to get a grip of his "World Cup injury heartache" and think about others everywhere else in the whole world worse off in every way than him. Ingham should be above such schmaltz. As it is he tries to make football sound like some kind of unfathomable quantum physics or an unpenetrable conundrum we need him to enlighten us about. No, it's football Mike.

I got the impression with Ingham's solemn tone that he thought the whole world was coming to an end and that the sky was about to fall in,rather than a footballer with an injury.A footballer with an injury ?Doesn't that happen quite alot ?



Btw going back to my previous post about V. Derbyshire:for some reason the last time I listened to her a few weeks back she made great play to her listeners of how little alcohol she had consumed the night before but on the following morning how terrible she was feeling.Great to know that she is keeping the flag flying and that the well known ' culture ' in the journalistic world shines out like bright red nose.

I refer to the lunchtime love-in/laugh-a-thon as Giggly and Gobby.



The Sunday changes look very good as I commented on Mr Controllers thread.



How many days till we have Vasos Alexander popping up on breakfast reading the backpage headlines from South Africa? That guy must have the cushiest job in radio!

I wish 5Live would give up on its obsession with The Thick Of It. Ever since they involved Richard Bacon's show we've never heard the end of it. What qualifies Rebecca Front to comment on PMQ? Today's discussion seems to be trivialising it - but it's been ever thus since Mayo left.

Havn't plucked up the courage to comment in Fedster's latest pro-beed tirade. Working on it though ... but not too hard.

Starting a list of 5Live personnel who don't have to be at the World Cup:

Colin Paterson, Danny Baker, Vassos Alexander ...

It can be added to as we go along.

I agree it's great to hear someone intelligent like Claire Balding for a change. I was listening to the end of her programme in the car yesterday when Richard Bacon came on, a programme I usually avoid like the plague these days. His first words were to tell us about having his ears de-waxed that morning. I immediately switched off as enough was enough. What has happened to Radio 5Live that we have to listen to this dreadful rubbish?



I thought VD did well with the political programmes before the Election. I have been out of the country ever since and was disappointed to listen to her this week, just as trivial as ever.

What on earth is Colin Patterson doing at the World Cup? That is ridiculous! I think he is good talent but not worthy of a seat on the plane. Incidently, if anyone hears Vassos do anything other then read the back pages can they post it hear. I hope he is also producing some of the shows, otherwise it it a waste of our money having him there.



But let's not forget the £1 million tv studio we're paying for either.



https://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/814382/Fog-veils-BBCs-1m-World-Cup-studio-window-Outlook-is-grim-as-workmen-race-to-finish-building-on-time.html

Let's not forget we're trying the _save_ money as the country is a in hole. Looks like that doesnt apply to the taxpayer funded BBC though.

The list continues:

Russell Fuller, Gordon Farquhar

Lunchtime -- great list. There was some guy (Ben?) covering the concert last night on drive you c. This is the world cup! Why are they there to cover concerts? Ben Brogan was there for News24 too. So that's at least 1x Radio, 2x TV (camera, journalist) + sound (?). This could just have easily been handled ONE person for both TV and radio.

As ever, the match coverage and pre/post match build up with the experts has been superb. But guys, please spare us all the guff inbetween. We really don't want to hear endless 'interviews' with people in outdoor parties or fan zones. It is tedious beyond belief. As predicted here and elsewhere, Nicky Campbell has now morfed himself into a football expert. This on top of temporaily being and Olympics expert, rugby union expert, in fact an expert on anything he can blag a free trip to! Not sure I can stand another month of all the waffle.

I've no problem with the main presenters, commentators and pundits (even Jan "is there an echo in here" Molby). I find Gordon Farquhar's meagre contributions to justify his presence there quite pathetic. I thought that after the opening ceremony and England's first match he would return to the UK but no doubt trade union strict demarcation rules mean that "sports news" can't be presented by anyone else.

I agree with you Jackstumps. I think we have endless, needless voxpops masterminded by endless numbers of correspondents so they can justify their junket.



London, where 5Live is based, heralds itself as a multicultural world city to hundreds of nationalities. I am these holidaying journalists could find a drunk fan of every hue in London, they all don't need to be traipsing across South Africa at our expense when a daily London travelcard will do the job.



Flavour from South Africa is fine, but the BBC have not in any way been frugal as far as I am concerned.



And they have a flippin' rotating tv studio!!! Couldn't they have just moved the table and chairs? It's dark for most of their games anyway so it's pointless extravagence.

https://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article7137458.ece

I'm sure at some point today - whether it's online, on tv or on radio I shall find something from the BBC's output that pleases me. Excellent value for my 40p a day. I don't care for Nolan & Logan much either, but accept that other people do. Tough task being all things to all men ain't it? Now I'm back off to read the Daily Mail - don't like that either but I do like to wind myself up :-)