Monday, March 24, 2014

Sleep-walking

A generally good and positive interview with current (Radio) Five Live Controller, Jonathan Wall is featured in today's Guardian (from the pen of regular-Telegraph writer, Neil Midgley) as we head to the network's 20th Birthday.

However, I hope this remark, on possible cuts, is shroud-waving, and not serious: "We might have to play tapes overnight between 1am and 5am, instead of live news." By tapes, I think he means previously digitally-recorded items, i.e. repeats.

One of the greatest examples of creativity in the BBC over the past 20 years is how the Up All Night team have maintained engaging, distinctive and informative live broadcasting for four hours a night, year round, on an ever-diminishing budget.  If we're talking about national treasures, presenter Rhod Sharp is one, and Dotun Adebayo might, one day, become one. It's good stuff, and when something happens - Diana's death, a tsunami and more - it leads the way in overnight news coverage, against older, more established outlets. It sustains local radio and Radio Scotland and Ulster overnight. Take it away, and you are no longer a 24 hour news and sport network. Lay off now.

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