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Just a quick one on #NationalRadioDay. I was obsessed with Radio from the age of about 10. I used to set my alarm for 4.50 every morning to hear Radio 1 launch everyday before they had overnight programming. I was particularly a Wogan, Mayo & Brambles fan.
My obsession for radio was cemented in 2003 when I didn’t allow for extra time in the RWC final and had to listen to it in the car in order to get to a wedding. Thay commentary of THAT moment was the greatest piece of radio I ever heard.
Despite working in TV at the time it made me determined to go back to radio (I started my very lowly lowly career at BBC radio Suffolk) and I always kept that hope despite the fact most people would give their right arm to do TV.
When I came back from a spell in the States I got an agent who was radio strong and went to BBC 5live for meetings. I was incredibly keen to work for them because I loved the bbc and idolising some of 5lives greats, Pougatch, Peter Allen, Mark Saggers, Ellie Aldroyd.
I went to see the then controller of 5live looked at my CV & said maybe I should go to BBC radio Cambridgeshire & read bulletins for a while and get some ‘experience’. I’d done this job already over ten years previously in my career.
I pointed out that I was 15 years into my career, had worked at SSN, Sky News and had been broadcasting for a major American network to 200m homes. (I was absolutely horrified that he didn’t seem to think my CV or experience mattered)
To which he said “well you haven’t done that for the BBC have you. So you don’t have what it takes to come and work for us”. So, I went to talkSPORT. I learned everything I know from Moz Dee who was kind enough to give me a go and gave me constructive help to improve.
I have always been lucky enough to also have Mark Pougatch as one of my great advisors. He’s without question one of the best radio broadcasters of his generation and also a bloody wonderful bloke who answers my questions and gave me tips.
Radio is a medium like no other. Really incredibly broadcasters absolutely nail radio and it completely exposes those who aren’t so good. To the listeners radio is personal and they allow themselves to be surrounded by it in their own space.
The biggest single problem with radio is the underestimation of just how hard it is. Yet if you’re good at it you’ll never find it difficult. Radio is flooded with talent from TV (of which I was one) and too many people fail to hit the personal note required to be good at it.
I’ll always love radio, even if that relationship is slightly love/hate at the moment because I know it’s a medium I love, and I am good at. I like being part of peoples lives and routine.
I have no idea why I wrote this #NationalRadioDay thread. Just because I love it I guess. Have a good day everyone!
