Shuffling at 2

[Benbow]

I know that these pages usually celebrate the wonder and occasional misery that is Radio 4, but surely I can't be the only one who is concerned with the upheaval at Radio 2?
There is trouble afoot in the shape of Chris Evans, who has taken the Saturday afternoon spot from Richard Allinson, a man whom I have long believed to be one of the better R2 presenters. Worryingly, I've not, so far, seen any indication that he is being retained, either.
As I recall, one of Evans's recent guest-presenter spots (round about the time of the election) included a feature entitled "If pies were politicians, which one would you vote for?"
Hilarious, eh?

[Crusoe]

Radio 2 is a funny old station. Billy O’Craise Finton Kirk has, for some time, expressed concerns about it. The problem being that it doesn’t really know what it wants to be – it’s target audience too old for it to be Radio 1 but it seems to be younger than it once was.

Some of the documentaries it produces are quite good and some of the “specialist” shows (Paul Jones’s blues programme, Mike Harding’s folk programme, Norman Jay’s Funk Factory, Courtney Pine’s Jazz Crusade and so on) are excellent but I’ve never really listened to many of the more general DJs’ shows, although I seem to recall that Billy O’Etc had a lot of time for Richard Allinson so, if he is being given the axe, it is a pity. It seems odd that radio stations are so happy to ditch certain presenters and programmes, whilst retaining some that are well past their sell-by-date.

I do quite often listen to some of Mark Radcliffe’s show and do think that he’s an excellent broadcaster, deserving of greater “star billing” than he receives, not least because of his interest in music. The problem with many radio stations seems to be the replacement of music professionals with “personalities”: if you don’t like the personality’s personality (an many people don’t seem to like Chris Evans’s), there’s not a lot left worth listening to.

[Captain Nudnick]

I haven't forgiven them for buggering up my Sunday listening (the only time I ever listen to Radio 1½) All that 's left is a mere one hour of the excellent Russell Davies. And oh joy! DAle Wynton is coming back. Yippee.