Hello- Helen from the Cast Iron Balcony here. The LP hivemind has kindly asked me to submit some posts here, which I’m honoured to do, especially since the sad demise of Road to Surfdom. I irritate a great many commenters here, and I intend to go on doing so sporadically throughout 2009, so have at it. I also write from a feminist perspective, with no apologies.
Unlike most writers at LP, I am not an academic of any stripe. Read my posts at your own risk. Do not use these posts for financial or other planning.
I listen to Radio National talk radio most days. It’s a habit I picked up when the children were young. I mightn’t have been able to sit down and read a newspaper or journal article very often, but with the air full of the issues of the day and interviews with various scholars and opinion makers, it went a long way to mitigate the isolation from the world of ideas that I sometimes felt. I still like to listen to RN – alternating with music stations, naturally – while I weed, cook or drive the car.
Street Stories is a series of very wide-ranging social documentaries, bizarre, intriguing, or confronting. The last two Street Stories dealt with the day to day lives of Iraqi bloggers and Australian single parents. The latter program gave voice to mums and one dad who are experiencing the neoliberal economic miracle in much the same way as the mother I wrote about here. It’s giving a voice to people who generally, in our daily news, have none. (All the programs I’ve linked to are downloadable/listenable as podcasts, which I recommend highly.)
No wonder they had to axe it.
Radio Eye is another documentary program which I love (and it’s not just the content, but the production; the use of music, sound effects, voices.) Awakening from History, about sectarianism in Northern Ireland, was a finalist for the United Nations of Australia Media Peace Prize.
Apropos another Radio Eye documentary, producer and narrator Susan Murphy says: “I regard it as an important function of Radio National, especially Radio Eye, to open windows upon worlds we may otherwise not know about or venture into. …I wanted to look in on a strange, sometimes funny and disturbing world right in the heart of Sydney suburbia, yet far off the beaten track of ordinary experience.”
No wonder they had to axe that, too.
Also for the chop are the Sports Factor (a program even I listen to with interest, and I’m a sports dunce); the Religion Report, Media Report, Perspective, The Ark, and In Conversation. There’s been a controversy about the Religion Report, but not much else, which could give the impression that it’s religious programming that’s under threat at RN. It’s much more than that.
Can the ABC pretend this isn’t about cost cutting? Will our RN radio listening be more and more bought off the shelf, like this new-agey Californian program?
New Dimensions is a thoughtful alternative to the relentless urgency of energy draining crisis oriented programming. Like a breath of cool fresh air on a hot day, New Dimensions revives and inspires those who just can’t take another minute of what’s wrong with the world but who aren’t satisfied with simply escaping into fluff and filler.
But don’t take our word for it. Here is how one of our affiliate station’s managers says it:
We at WDBX absolutely love New Dimensions. We have carried it from practically the time we singed on in 1996. We carry only two syndicated programs and New Dimensions is by far the most popular. It consistently draws callers during our Pledge Drives and just makes a great fit with our listeners. The programs are always insightful and inspiring and provide much needed insight into a more complicated world. Keep up the great work!
Brian Powell Station Manager
WDBX Community Radio for Southern Illinois 91.1 FM
Available from PRSS, CD, and MP3 at a cost that fits any station’s budget. Stations are not asked to pay for production costs. We only ask for a $10/week distribution fee and are even willing to work with stations so that money never becomes an obstacle to your desire to carry New Dimensions.Contact us today…
Not even comparable. Not even close.
I’m not a media insider, so I’m not sure of the specific history of these axings, although I have my suspicions. And the daily half-hour homilies from our Glorious Leader Rupert* are nothing less than creepy.
*In case you’re reading this in the archives after the ABC has, hopefully, moved on – to a better or worse place I don’t know – the current page for the daily Boyer lecture has seven items, all of which are the Thoughts of Chairman Rupert. So you’ll forgive me for feeling the ABC has come over somewhat Kim Jong-illish.
A friend of mine was doing some consulting for the ABC in 2007 and told me a senior person with direct responsibilty for RN was vocally of the view it was a waste of money and should be closed down and the future of the ABC was local radio.
I thought this year’s Boyer Lectures were interesting. Australia Talks Back, though… I’d pay money for someone to cancel that.
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As a Radio National devotee/tragic,I’ll really miss all of the axed programs. What are they thinking?!!
And please, no more New Dimensions type programs! If programs are going to be bought in, what about Open Source, presented by Christopher Lydon – great listening, in my opinion.
Fark, I should hope not. It makes me feel sad that you even felt you needed to say that. I understand it, but it still makes me sad.
/OT
Spot on re Street Stories in particular. I only ever listen to the radio when I’m driving so don’t hear anything regularly but I caught a riveting Street Stories last year about the homeless living rough. Most of them were perfectly ordinary people who had run out of luck or got into strife by letting their guard down for a minute. One person they interviewed said something like ‘Don’t think this can’t happen to you — for a lot of people this life is only a marriage breakup or a mortgage payment or a month’s rent away.’ Or words to that effect.
Yes, you’re right, no wonder they had to axe it. What next, Andrew Ford?
Glad to see you posting here as well Helen and agree wholeheartedly with you about Rupe’s foray into the Boyer Lectures, made all the more appalling, (aside from their content), by his contrived annunciation. He very clearly articulated words in one sentence and then affectedly dropped consonants in the next giving us ‘innernet’. Some sort of inverted snobbery no doubt. I’m also tired of being lectured to by twats such he about an increasingly (read heartless) competitive world, wherein the only worthwhile aim in life is to work your guts out and get filthy rich.
I have been enjoying the repeats on RN Summer, (aside from the above). Yesterday’s repeat of “Sing Me Shipwreck”, was again gripping.
Great post, Helen. At the moment I have RN on in the background whilst I work. The trouble (as they see it) is that not enough people listen to it. I love it because you get people talking about all sorts of issues without feeling the ned to dumb it down for general consumption. That ‘New Dimensions’ – I farking hate it. The worst sort of Californian, dip-shit, New Age stuff. A bunch of people sitting around saying, ‘Wow, like that’s amazing’, as they investigate each others’ auras.
Well said Helen. Completely agree. I have a little radio in my bag so I can listen on the bus, when I’m walking round the campus and also sometimes to the podcasts when there’s nothing on the telly at night. I like local radio too (except when it is captured by teh cricket), but RN is for the big ideas and stuff I wouldn’t fall over in real life.
Welcome Helen, and no apologies, please, for the feminist perspective.
RN was my lifeline and sanity in the years I was home with toddlers. Robin Williams and the RN science team were a major influence in my career switch to science. RN is still my major link to all things non-science. I have always enjoyed both Religion Report and Sports Factor for their news and discussion about religion and sport, rather than religious news or sports news.
Recently, fed up with Fran Kelly’s blatant bias, I tried a couple of other stations, but am back in the RN fold and happy to be there. I don’t like the idea of the messing around with the programming, especially if it is just cost cutting. But I’m sure there have been programming changes in the past that I have come to like, eventually. The change from Offspring to Life Matters was one.
If ABC can let us vote on all sorts of trivia, like favourite sonatas, surely they could have taken a vote on the programs we want kept or changed, or consigned to the dustbin forever (New Dimensions!!!)
New Dimensions is usually on during the graveyard hours. During the summer silly season it is promoted to prime time.
Some folks are very interested in their cat’s aura. Do they have an alternative program? Down here in Victoria, I know that our sempeternal radio vet Hugh Wirth refuses to discuss such topics.
Ha! Nice to have some company. And nice to have you on board at LP.
Thanks Y’all!
Robin Williams and the RN science team were a major influence in my career switch to science.
That is absolutely wonderful. I think RN was a major influence in my career switch (ahem) to blogging, but that’s not quite as awesome!
One thing I completely object to is the equation of many commentators and policicians,
-Listening to RN = well-off and already a member of the elite, thus unnecessary and should be paid for
-Not well-off or a member of the elite = Must only like 3AW and other commercial radio, commercial television and junk food. Thus RN unnecessary for this group.
Dumbing down RN would be yet another way of denying social mobility to the less well-off and making knowledge yet another positional good.
Helen, are you’re sure you’re not over 50 ?? Because if you are, you don’t count anymore to RN management. They only have so much money and have to go digital to appeal to the present and future youth audience. Thus they’re scrapping your programs to use the money for digital stuff. Anyway the over 50s have New Dimensions – who else but baby-boomers would listen. (I love it).
What was most frightening about the Religion Report thing was the silencing of the presenter. The ABC shouldn’t be run like any commercial organisation where everybody is expected to be always ‘on message’. It may not be pleasant for them, but management should have tolerated his opinion and answered with their own.
As a lifelong RN listener (well, since the 70s anyway)I concur with the ‘dumbing down’ thesis you appear to be setting out, Helen. Take, for example, Breakfast. Past presenters such as Richard Ackland and Clive Robertson enlivened my mornings with a bit of mordant cynicism. Interviews were generally long – interrupted if necessary by the news – and interviewees weren’t allowed to get away with repetition of conventional wisdom or propaganda. Compare this with the weekly Hendo’s Free Kick sesh with Fran Kelly, or the meekly uncritical interviews with Israeli and US propagandists in the current conflict. IMHO, Background Briefing will be made to carry the full load for RN investigative radio journalism, meaning it will likely move its subject material away from international political economy and toward sociology. The magazine format programs like Life Matters will expand. god forbid that anyone should be
informedoffended. It’s all emblematic of the Rudd Weltanschauung – conflict and debate are frightening and there is no issue for which a ‘middle ground’ blancmange isn’t the only option.I’m a big RN fan, not that I agree or like everything etc etc ..
I have written a few letters to ABC protesting the dreadful New Dimensions and it’s new age handwaving, homeopathy woo-woo positive thinking reiki energy healing cancer bullshit. To no avail – since I wrote my first complaint it’s been elevated to prime daytime.
I’ll hold my judgement on the new RN until after the silly season content desert but a few things I’ve told ‘em before they should do:
All music/sound programs including Eye, Andy Ford, Lucky etc should be transferred to ABCFM Stereo – for greater fidelity and better reception. ABCFM was never intended to be captured by the “classical music” mob.
RN should, at least in the summer break [nowdays october til feb] and midnight to dawn, utilise some of the programs developed by community radio stations around the nation.
Radio National? Huh?
Russell, as a card-carrying boomer (I’m nearly 60), I fucking hate New Dimensions (except for one or two interesting things they’ve had lately with the Bioneers, although even then you need to engage the California filter). I’ve also heard a rumour that Robyn Williams won’t be replaced when he retires, so goodbye to Occam’s Razor and the Science Show.
We’ll be finding things to blame Howard for for the next 20 years.
Oh my god, you used the ‘f’ word and whats more unapologetically!
Excellent, no need for the apology.
We usually have RN on most of the daytime, partly as background, partly so that when something interesting comes on we can stop whatever other activity is on and give it our attention.
And that happens fairly frequently, although there seems to be a greater regularity in the response from one of us along the lines of “Did you hear what that …..just said?”, usually in tones of slight disbelief or mildly outraged incredulity. You would think that we would be used to the lurch to the right by now but it still grates.
One of us from this household has even been a guest on ‘Life Matters’ a few times and once was contacted by a producer and asked to nominate a ’suitable male expert’ to be invited onto the program to comment on a recent spate of domestic violence homicides. When asked why they wanted a male the producer said they wanted to present from a ‘male perspective’, when asked who else was going to be interviewed they named 2 prominent rabid men’s rights advocates, right ….s.
There seems to be a narrow list of ‘go to’ persons who are considered ‘balanced and respectable’ by the ABC.
The ‘National Interest’ incurred my wrath not long ago when they slurred Christine Milne by presenting a blatantly incorrect, as in undeniably false, statement from a listener that decried Christine’s technical competence.
I shot off an e-mail, no response, I mentioned it here on LP, minimal response, but fortunately someone else, another listener, was more on the ball and corrected the erroneous information on air a week later, fully 2 whole weeks after the slur.
Radio National is not what it used to be and is clearly and deliberately being targeted for further downgrading.
And thats a pity.
For a couple of reasons.
Firstly, despite the whinges above there are still some excellent programs, full of insights, experiences, information and discussion that exceeds all other radio, particularly in rural regions, in its breadth and quality by a country mile.
The ‘Philosophers Hour’, the ‘Book Report’ just to mention 2 that haven’t been noted so far.
Some are on major issues, water for example with John Quiggin involved and far more importantly whatshername the Canadian who presented the real issues succinctly.
Some are personal type stuff that broadens our understanding of the people in this country, for example an interview with a granny who has been driving her RV around Australia by herself for years cos she was bored with widowhood in a city.
Compare that to our local country radio station here which until recently proudly presented John Laws for some hours every day.
We need RN.
Because, and this is the second main reason for its importance, rural Australia listens.
You can’t read and work simultaneously, nor watch TV, nor access the internet.
RN can present and we the rural listeners can select.
Its a major social and cultural player out here and its slow degenaration is to be deplored.
I’ll bet quids that
Restoring the BalanceCounerpoint won’t get axed, although the presenters are (now that Howard’s retired) the two most dishonest men in the public eye.Important post, Helen – thank you!
You and hannah’s dad @17 point out that radio can be listened to while getting on with other activities, unlike TV, the WWW etc. Hence, it occupies a vital niche in connecting busy but home-based people to the outside world. And exposure to serious ideas, issues and interests should be part of that connection, rather than cheap pap.
Helen @10: “Dumbing down RN would be yet another way of denying social mobility to the less well-off and making knowledge yet another positional good.”
Spt on. Hence, the dumbing down must cease, being contrary to the obvious social-good mission of a publicly funded broadcaster.
Russell @ 11. “What was most frightening about the Religion Report thing was the silencing of the presenter. “
Absolutely. In a democracy, a public broadcaster should be able to cope with internal dissent, even in public. They could even encourage it, as more of their listeners become acclimatised to WWW-like levels of hurly-burly.
Hal 9000 @ 12. “It’s all emblematic of the Rudd Weltanschauung – conflict and debate are frightening and there is no issue for which a ‘middle ground’ blancmange isn’t the only option.”
And the Howard Weltanschauung. I’m rather sick of wannabe dictators of whatever nominal political colour. It’s time for some leaders who can actually cope with managing a diverse society. Those who want to run Clone Farms can leave politics and go and do just that.
Francis Xavier Holden @13: “I have written a few letters to ABC protesting “
In my limited experience, the ABC generally do not like feedback, and don’t respond to it well. I don’t think they even like the public dissenting very much. This is despicable.
Caroline @# 4: “agree wholeheartedly with you about Rupe’s foray into the Boyer Lectures”
Me too. Everything we need to know about the credibility of the opinions of this over-rich, over-powerful, senescent ex-Australian American is encapsulated in his comment that one of the advantages of the Iraq Invasion would be oil at $20 a barrel. Pumping his propaganda into the public is not the job of a public broadcaster, when Murdoch has plenty of private boradcasters of his own.
It’s not just (inappropriate) cost saving: there’s an honest-to-Dog-elitist political agenda. The board of the ABC urgently needs to be purged of its toadies to wealth and power, who should be replaced by people who have a clue what they’re actually supposed to be doing.
It’s our ABC, thanks, and we want it back.
Well I’m 34 and love RN, and I’re pretty sure that when their podcasting took off, they did stories themselves (the usual ABC self back-patting, but I don’t mind) about how podcasting had hugely expanded their audience and reach demographically.
I think it’s pretty obvious at this point that the head of Radio at ABC (Suesan Howard? I think?) doesn’t get & hates RN, and it’s also been leaked to the press, luuurrrrves ABC local radio. One can only presume that with the unending pressure the ABC is under funding-wise, when she made a case for cost-cutting based on some number fudging, people were only too happy to take her up on the offer.
Their ‘logic’ for why they are doing it – which btw they just re-hash over and over in crap letters / emails to you if you write to protest the changes – is completely and obviously flawed, my favourite being about ‘getting more diversity’ on the radio, even as it’s blatantly obvious that it’s all the bits of RN that make it diverse that are getting canned.
I haven’t heard New Dimensions, but by the description, can just about guarantee I’d hate it. Hell, my least favourite program is ‘the Spirit of Things’ with that US-accented vacuous drip who presents it.
Slowly but surely, the investigative and in-depth analytical sections, and those that bring alternative voices of Australia to air, are being excised from the ABC. It’s seriously a tragedy.
On a related note, I had the opportunity in an official capacity recently to hear about SBS’s plans for the future, as they are in the process of making their pitch for more funds to the new gov’t (and no doubt ABC is doing the same). I have to say that what SBS has got planned was truly inspirational, and while I’m sure plenty of people still just peg them as ‘the multicultural channel’, I rather suspect that unless there is a major shake-up in ABC management, SBS is going to overtake it as our version of the beloved Beeb.
“as a card-carrying boomer (I’m nearly 60), I fucking hate New Dimensions” – a lot of negativity there David I don’t think you’ve taken the New Dimensions message to heart.
RN really is in a bind with its limited funds and digital challenge – the convenience of radio is magnified if you can (be bothered to) download staff to your pod and then listen anywhere, anytime. They need more money.
There are lots of good RN programs and presenters, but I can’t listen at either end of the day: Fran Kelly’s voice is so unpleasant that listening is just unbearable, and Phillip Adams is such an egomaniac that LNL should be called the Phillip Adams Show, and after a dozen years or whatever of Phillip, I’ve had more than enough. John Cargher he ain’t.
Myriad – that was a mean thing to say about Rachael Kohn, who is from Canada, not the U.S. I like The Spirit of Things – the recent one about the Rajneesh disciples had some mesmerising music in it. (Counterpoint also has good music – not much else though).
So you see, RN has to cater for a lot of different tastes.
I’m glad you like Rachael, Russel, and entirely agree that RN needs to cater to all tastes. I personally feel that the music played on AM – RN is rather lost unfortunately, in terms of quality of signal down here in Tas, but whether it would be fair or appropriate to remove all music from RN is another matter.
You can’t stand Phillip Adams, I love LNL not necessarily because I find Adams some paragon of virtue, but his wide-ranging interests and correlative diversity of guests and opinions makes for one of my favourite programs. note that I don’t accuse you of being ‘mean’ when labelling Adams an egomaniac!
And in fact the digital medium is precisely an argument for RN keeping more programs and expanding diversity, not decreasing it. Given that there are large numbers of people downloading their programs to listen to, while they might be able to justify shifting some programs out of ‘prime time’ listening slots to make way for stuff deemed as having more mainstream appeal, there’s little excuse for axing content when there’s now an increased demand due to digital improvements in accessibility.
I still like life matters due the interesting range of topics they discuss, though they culled it down to 1 hour about a year ago which pissed me off.
New dimensions is unlistenable, and counterpoint with the petulant child, Michael Duffy and that other pompous turd, is just a platform for pseudo-scientific cranks.
I’ll suggest the key questions are:
Do we approve of RN?
-yes, despite it’s faults, it’s of critical value.
Was it better in the ‘good old days’ [pre-COALition]?
- well I reckon it was, what about you?
Is it heading for darker times?
-clearly so is my impression.
What can be done, by who and how, to make it better?
-we need to do lots more noisy whinging and …..[?].
“note that I don’t accuse you of being ‘mean’ when labelling Adams an egomaniac!”
I think my assessment could be evidence-based, if I could be bothered. You would just have to tally up how much time Adams spoke compared to the guest/s. How many times he interrupted them with his own opinions. How many seconds they spoke for (not many) before he interrupted them etc Not at all like Rachael’s polite and sensitive manner.
If Adams has his fans let them have him one or two nights per week on the topics he’s good at (unlike Fran he does have a good radio voice) but bring in some new blood to LNL.
counterpoint with the petulant child, Michael Duffy
For a man of his age, his radio voice is strangely light and jejeune, isn’t it. It’s a strange one. Not that the others are perfect – Rachel K is a bit too earnest hippy-dippy and Phillip Adams can shovel the avuncularity too thickly sometimes. But I do find MD’s voice very schoolboyish, and annoyingly self-satisfied. The forced chuckles (always at some perceived leftish excess) particularly grate.
But that program’s not for the axe. Why am I (and others) not surprised?!
“I think it’s pretty obvious at this point that the head of Radio at ABC (Suesan Howard? I think?) doesn’t get & hates RN, and it’s also been leaked to the press, luuurrrrves ABC local radio.”
No longer employed myriad @19. Margaret Simons is the one to read on recent Aunty goss’.
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/contentmakers/2008/12/16/sue-howard-is-going-from-abc-radio/
Well I’d disagree Russell on both counts. Adams is in conversation with his guests, which means he’s allowed to offer opinion as part of the dialogue. As a highly skilled interviewer, he usually only interrupts when his guest is drifting off topic, rambling or otherwise derailing Adam’s goal for the interview. He’s least effective when engaging in tired and largely irrelevant topics like Manne vs Henderson which no-one actually cares about (certainly not of my generation by the by).
Rachael is indeed polite, but I find the Spirit of Things to be one of the most shallow examinations of all things spiritual I’ve ever heard, and her exaggerated reverence for her guests thorooughly grating. Vive la difference.
But Hannah’s Dad is spot on. Personally despite my own preferences I actually hope the Spirit of Things continues because it obviously caters to an appreciative audience, just as LNL does. So too did all those programs getting the axe. We need to help out Friends of the ABC with the protesting and try and get the issue some more profile, and on a broader front, raise the urgent need for more public funding for the ABC before it goes entirely to the dogs.
And while I find Duffy irritating, his unctuous co-host who’s name presently escapes me is thoroughly unbearable. Which is a shame because every now and then Counterpoint does actually have some quite interesting guests on, in between all the climate change denialism hacks etc.
Myriad – thing is we’ve heard Adams’ opinions many times over by now, and, given that his guests are the experts on the issues, we’d rather hear what they have to say. Please don’t make me have to get out the stopwatch.
I find it interesting Russell that I can accept quite happily that someone I find irritating is someone you enjoy, but you expect to be able to ‘objectively prove’ that Adams is irritating to everyone, not just you.
Personally I don’t think you’ve got a particularly good grasp of in-depth interview technique, and simply don’t agree that it’s Adam’s opinion that he inserts, nor that we’ve hear all his opinions given he interviews new guests on new topics every week.
How about we leave it (you can have the last word if you like) so we don’t derail Helen’s excellent thread by uselessly disagreeing over Adams?
I was actually trying to hint what myriad more precisely stated ” We need to help out Friends of the ABC with the protesting and try and get the issue some more profile ….”
We have enough concerned people here, as a core, some of who am I sure have experience in matters like this and those with writing ability to get a new group going ‘Concerned Citizens for Radio national”, whatever, to lobby as an EXTRA GROUP for RN.
Both words are important, Friends of the ABC are vital but I suspect largely ignored by the powers-that-be. Those of you who have been are involved in lobbying would know that a coordinated group, acting as a body, wields far more influence than a gaggle of whingers.
I’m serious about this, I reckon someone here, who has access to e-mail addresses [hint], writing ability [hint], concerned motivation [yet another] could get a tiny snowball rolling. I’ll cheer from the sidelines, yeah I know you are all busy but it would be worth it. Maybe.
Squeaky wheels.
Eh?
From the non – unco good and wise,
I am the same age as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the ABC and of course others born in that year of 1932. I tell people who ask after my age that I and the Bridge are doing well, regular maintenance and care; the ABC needs terminal care or extreme unction, whatever one does to put a shambles out of its misery.
To be subjected to pop-psychology, psuedo-intellectual analysis and ’snake oil” cures for the worlds perceived ills is an insult to a SOB(card carrying member of the Old Ba****ds society)
Helen, Duffy’s voice reminds me of that plonker Christopher Pyne’s – not so much the sound of it, but the smugness.
IIRC, Counterpoint (and what an appalling appropriation of a musical term that menas something quite different and much nicer) was in the first instance whipped up out of thin air as a response to the ‘”Balance” or else’ imperative, and they plonked the plonker Michael Duffy at the mic because they couldn’t find any other conservative able to get to the end of an hour on air without actually melting down. (Imre Salusinszky was actually quite brilliant back in his student radio days; they were mad not to offer it to him, or maybe they did and he turned it down.) I remember someone saying back in the 80s when nobody could possibly have predicted Howard’s rise to the leadership — Bob Ellis, I think it was — saying that Howard had a voice like a tin of cat food that had been left open all night,* but Howard is positively mellifluous compared to Duffy.
Philip Adams and Rachael Kohn both irritate me to tears, but the difference is that I shout at Adams and I just switch Kohn off.
“Counterpoint (and what an appalling appropriation of a musical term that menas something quite different and much nicer)”
Thanks PC, for this parenthetical aside. Counterpoint exists so one musician’s part can enhance the another toward a common harmonic purpose, in which schema echo chambers are uniquely unsuitable.
LOL FDB!
One thing that I meant to say about Adams, and again the disclaimer that I haven’t got huge tickets on his interviewing style, but I always like the kindness that he radiates. I like a good snark with the best of them but this seemingly real kindness is very refreshing to hear on radio and seems to bring out the best in his interviewees. What I DO like about the program is the quality and variety of the interviewees – they’re almost always fascinating.
There’s also a lot of comments from “younger” people i.e. under 40 on the ABC guestbook protesting the changes.
And this program was responsible for introducing to the Country aq certain Nationals Senator who was then known as Barnaby of St George
This show went to shit ever since Sandy McCutcheon was replaced by the shows producer Paul Barclay. But at least it was noteworthy that it actually wasn’tdelayed into WA so us Sandgropers could cal in – unlike the current Local Radio Summber programming which is delayed.
And while we are at it I’ll gladly personally strangle Macca one Sunday morning if it will get rid of his jingoistic propaganda and insistence that the only real australians are outside of the cities and Victoria and “in the outback” – ignoring the fact that most of the callers are travelling suburbanites from Ringwood doing the “real australia” from the comfort of an $80k 4wd.
Cheers Helen – as a grossly under-read layabout musician and sound guy, I gots to take me LOLz where I can get ‘em; i.e. riffing off someone else’s limpid observations.
Misspelt ones, I might add, in the spirit of exploring my other common contribution here – pointless pedantry. PC, lift your game lass! You’ll never make it as a widely respected, witty and erudite commentator with that kind of work ethic.
Sorry to anyone reading this, but I’m feeling all introspective and questiony-of-own-worth. I blame my weekend on hallucinogens with Jack Strocchi.
I agree, put him on the regional network only and spare him from the Metro stations – he is a classic example of the ABC delaying his program here in WA thereby denying anyone from even the rural areas the chance of talking to Macca live.
Oh and the ABC have decided to Cancel the Suncday night Coodabeen Champions programme and restricting them to Saturday Mornings – except in WA who have a local Sports Talkback program in Winter, and take Delayed programming on Saturday Evenings in Summer which will be the new home of the program during Summer.
Hint: Australia doesn’t start and end on the NSW Borders to Qld/Victoria.
FDB, how did your ATP sets go btw? Annoyed I couldn’t make it to Buller.
Really well thanks Nick.
We opened the whole thing, so not heaps of punters there by midday on day 1, and my right hand seized up (due to a week of renovation and gardening – how fucking rock and roll is that?) in the middle of the set. I had to hold the stick ‘caveman style’, which kinda gets in the way of nuance, but managed to maintain my record of never dropping a stick while playing to an audience.
We managed to gather a bit of a crowd for the second set on Saturday, played better and got some positive feedback from people I’m frankly in awe of, so no complaints!
Also do I know you? You needn’t answer.
Or I suppose you could answer by calling, emailing or bookfacing me. I reckon right about now a book to the face is exactly what I need.
No, you’d mentioned your band a few times and the Triffids tribute shows you did a while back…
Been meaning to get to a show but the timing hasn’t been right…finally living back in the city again though now, which makes things easier.
Actually I’m actually kind of glad, for a variety of reasons, that you aren’t any of the Nicks I know in Melbourne.
Sorry admins. Will cease and desist forthwith.
They’re cancelling In Conversation? Frip, I love that little show.
One thing I’ve noticed lately is that RN really doesn’t schedule its programming for the 9-5 set. Listening only on weekends and before and after work means I can hear the same program 4 times in a week! I know there’s interesting things I’m missing out on, but they’re in the middle of the day, or super-late at night.
Seriously, I’m a world expert on effing Billy Hughes, after hearing his 3-part series 6 times. Ask me anything.
As i drive 440km on one day each week, I swing between music and RN podcasts to while away the 4 hours or so. The Health Report is terrific most weeks, love Ockhams Razor, Big Ideas< perspective, All in the mind.
Local radio is a poor alternative (except when the cricket is on!) with it’s mindless chitter chatter and dreary presenters. And god, how I loathe the WA 720 talkback in the morning; opionated retirees reffing on the topic d’jour. Just ghastly.
Breakfast on RN ain’t what it used to be – too much too quickly and FRan was far far better as chief political correspondent many years ago.
RN is the best thing that ABC radio does (now that JJJ no longer speaks to me!).
“I’m a world expert on effing Billy Hughes”
Well, I sincerely hope not.
Is this suddenly Necrophilia Week ??
“Silly Season” I can accept, but I draw the line at …….
Managing Director of Aunty, Mark Scott, has shown the same wild arrogance that Peter Garrett displayed with his announcement of the closure of The Australian Academy of Music.
He just unilaterally announced the programs he planned to axe on R.N. without explaining what was to replace them. What made it even more galling was that the station had been recently calling on listeners to give feedback about what they wanted, so that the national broadcaster could be made “even better”.
It is interesting to note, with regard to ratings concerns, that R.N. has never had the benefit of cross promotion from the local abc stations and via television. A decent radio signal would also help and should be made available right around Australia. Proper recognition of the importance of, one station, that every individual can tune into, no matter where they are in the country, should at last be made. And definitely not in that creepy ‘Macca’, hyper-patriotic, model.
This wonderful gem is just not being given any where near a fair go by administrators who should know far better. Mark Scott needs to resign immediately and somebody who understands radio that stimulates brains, rather than counts heads, should be brought into the job.
I’ve listened to RN since the days when it was still called 4QG, moving the dial to News Radio when RN broadcast something I’d rather not listen to.
Unfortunately, the opposite is the case now, in that I only turn to RN when I don’t like what’s on PNN.
Why? Geraldine Doogue is one reason. She was a very good broadcaster 20 years ago, but now is more of a ‘celebrity’ broadcaster than an interviewer in my opinion.
Crap buy-ins like “New Dimensions” is another reason.
Nevertheless, RN still has some terrific audio gems amongst the growing dross. Others have mentioned what they are, so I won’t repeat them here.
Oh, and whatever his faults as a broadcaster, Phillip Adams is still far superior as a broadcaster to his predecessor at LNL; Virginia Bell (who’s now sitting on the NSW Supreme Court bench).
Wait, are you folks trying to tell me there are people who still listen to RN via the RADIO?
For us, listening to the wireless means using the laptop with the wifi card in it!
How nice for you.
And some people still play drums with sticks. Fancy.
Actually, misterz, I have a pretty nifty internet radio that I picked up cheap at the Aldi discount bin. Makes it possible to listen to live local coucil meetings in smallstown usa if that be the whim. When I’m in the car or outside somewhere, generally, it would be nice if R.N. had at least the reception of the bible bashers or the horse gambling pusher stations.
Maybe it should be pride of place on the F.M. band and Lucky Oceans be allowed to take over the time from the saccharine Rachael Kohn.
Where else are you likely to hear the word ‘inveigle’ worked into a story about football?
I’m so glad i stumbled onto this thread,
(memo to Mark – when a thread drops off the main page, it actually doesn’t come up when you search by Archives for current month, only the top stories re-appear. Is it just me? It’s happened more than once).
On Thursday morning, heard the Media report’s Antony Fennell say it was the last program. Ditto for Robin Williams – and Perspective (where ordinary people get 5 mins to eloquently sound off about something interesting). So i was thinking: where are the people who might care about this stuff – if they’re on the Oz blogosphere, i can’t find them. As someone who’s passionate about the radio it gobsmacks me that no-one is regularly and exclusively blogging about radio. Come to think of it – where do we go if we want to have a whinge about something we’ve read in the Age?
Matilda, if you click on any of the archived categories, there should be an arrow thingie with “older posts” next to it, either at the top or bottom of the page, depending on your browser. That should enable you to navigate the entire archive.
Yes. I was driving to Canberra the other day, enjoying my RN current affairs as I ploughed the excellent (Vic), unbelievably crappy (NSW), and then excellent (ACT) Hume/Barton highway from Melbourne, when suddenly my senses were assailed.
Confused, I reached for the dial. I must have accidentally changed stations. Because there seems to some navel-gazing, crystal-toting west coast Yank whining intolerably about a host of uninteresting matters, primarily herself.
The horror! It WAS Radio National.