Carnage

Lewis Carnie, the Boogies With Wolves chieftain at the helm of Radio 2, has taken an axe to some of the network's tallest totem polls.

Listen to the Band, which has existed in various forms since the Second World War and continually on BBC Radio 2 since 1976, features brass band music. There are thought to be some 100,000 brass players in the UK, and around 200 brass bands, includling more than a handful embedded in our universities. The current presenter, Frank Renton, is approaching his eighties. Big Lew assures us "brass band music will continue to be played elsewhere".

The Organist Entertains has been a weekly feature of the Radio 2 schedules since 1969, first presented by Robin Richmond until current host Nigel Ogden took over in 1980 (though he'd started depping for Richmond in 1971). Nigel is 63.

Paul Jones, frontman for Manfred Mann, is dropped as presenter of The Blues Show. He is 75, has been presenting on Radio 3 for 30 years, and can be found wailing with his mouthorgan on the current Van Morrison cd. Cerys Matthews takes over. She's 48 and a woman.

The Radio 2 Arts show, running for ten years, tossed between Jonathan Ross and Claudia Winkleman is "rested".  Has some one told James Purnell ?

With a firm hand on his good luck charms, Lewis has fearlessly introduced a woman to the weekday day time schedules, albeit alongside Simon Mayo at Drivetime. Mayo is currently paid somewhere north of £350k for the show plus his once a week gig at 5Live. Jo Whiley, currently on between £150k and £199,999, has been assured her salary will match Simon's, at least for the Radio 2 bit. Is it possible a presentation duo on Radio 2 at tea time is worth £600k ?