Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
BBC Radio WM listening figures hit new low
Friday 17th December 2010, 11:30AM GMT.
The number of people listening to BBC Radio WM has fallen by 210,000 a week over the last six years, a record low.
The station, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this month, had 400,000 listeners at its peak in 2004.
However, the figures slumped to 190,000 during the six months from April to September this year. Big names including drummer Bev Bevan and ex-TV presenter Joanne Malin failed to halt the slide. It now has an audience reach of just eight per cent and a market share of 4.6 per cent.
Other Midlands stations are faring better in comparison, with Heart West Midlands recording 769,000 listeners and a 22 per cent reach, while Smooth West Midlands has 375,000 listeners and a 10 per cent reach.
Keith Beech, managing editor of BBC WM, said today: “Of course the loss of listeners is disappointing and should be taken in the context of nearly all other local radio stations in the West Midlands region also losing listeners.
“It is a tough market and fewer people are listening to local radio services now than they were one year, two years and five years ago.
“BBC WM is the only radio station that provides West Midlands listeners with a comprehensive local speech service with the emphasis on news and sport.
“It continues to deliver quality local radio broadcasting, particularly in our original journalism and coverage of key events such as the General Election and the Pope’s visit to Birmingham earlier this year.”
There was a big shake up at the station last year, when veteran broadcaster Les Ross left the station and rock star Bev Bevan was brought in.
Ross, who was voted DJ of the Year in 1965, left his afternoon show at the station on April 6 after four years. The 2 to 4pm show was taken over by Danny Kelly.
By Sally Walmsley
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No wonder when it still secretly believes itself to be Radio Birmingham !
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i have issues with the sports coverage personally the station is anti west Brom and pro all the other midlands teams
also music is the issue they dont play enough current material
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If you want modern music, there are plenty of commercial stations.
I don’t see why they’re playing music at all. If we’re taxed to pay for this station, it should be doing something the commercials can’t do.
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The main problem with their sports coverage is there is way too much football. As someone left cold by football, I find the station way too boring.
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Steve, if you think WM is anti West Brom try being a Saddler. Sometimes I don’t think they know we exist!
When they say “All 4 of our local teams are in the Premier League” it shows their level of interest.
Even though he is a Wolves fan, Daz Hale is the only one with knoweledge and interest in ALL the regions teams. The rest of them (Regan & Franks in particular) should be ashamed to call themselves sports presenetrs.
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What’s a Saddler? :-)
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They make saddles. It’s tough right now, no one wants to buy saddles.
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WM is a disgrace when considered in comparison with other local BBC stations.
It focuses far too heavily on sports chit-chat and golden oldie music, which are readily available elsewhere but cheap to put on air.
And while many local BBC stations feature presenters who feel representative of the area, WM is the knackers yard for Birmingham media luvvies. Look at the sort of names who crop up: people who’ve had a career on the city’s TV or radio and have nowhere else to go. Where’s the room for new talent?
They should change the name to BBC Radio Birmingham, at least that would be honest.
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Can’t say I am suprised. I used to listen every day but more and more I turn off.
Phil upton loves the sound of his own voice too much and I’m sorry but Jo Malin has been a disaster, don’t even start me on Danny Kelly. Sack ‘em all exept for Daz Hale and Mollie Green !
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Used to listen to all of their programmes, now only Ed Doolan and Danny Kelly. I find the others boring and the interviews with Paul Franks terrible! Bev should stick to music recording.
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I imagine the Express & Star’s readership figures make eerily similar reading.
People seem to have lost interest in local affairs.
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If WM actually covered local affairs I’d be interested. If they got out of the studio and made real programmes, rather than “shows”, that’d be a start.
The tittle-tattle they do cover is usually along the lines, “A press release we received from some marketing company says that 9 out of 10 people love Rolos. What’s your favourite chocolate and why?”
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I agree with Steve Brisco (especially regarding Paul Franks)
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I thin you have to give Mike Taylor his due as well tinned (#3). Underused though.
WM suffers because its audience share is dropping because it is aimed at a market of people aged 80+.
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I will accept Mike Taylor is also of a better quality of the others.
Problem is the two leading lights on the sports department are only interested in Wolves and Villa.
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Terrible radio = losing listeners… who knew?
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Whilst working at home I used to listen most evenings to Daz Hale’s excellent sports-based evening show, but the programme and presenters they replaced him with are embarrassingly amateurish.
I would sooner work in silence.
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To All The above !! Try tuning in to Jenny Wilkes show 7pm-9pm Friday Nights there you will hear some proper music !! best show in the Midlands !! Keep It Going Jenny ;-) KTF
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Far to much coverage of wolves when other local stations already cover them,so i dont turn on anymore.Up the sadddlers
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Time to bring Boyden back !!
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I am not supprised,I used to listern to the breakfast show every day but the present presenter is that bad and talks so much rubbish that I now listern to radio 2 every day and will do not go back as its a much better station, the only person I would listern to now on radio WM is Franksy.
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I tune in to WM at about 6:30 am weekdays and all I seem to hear is Upton on about his offsprings or about where he’s about to go on his bike. Then it’s footie or cricket ;WM has programmes for this ,so why does he go on and on about it. Don’t talk to me about the “snow guru”. I’ sick of him, sack him and put malcolm boyden on in his place!
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No suprise for me either.
I gave up after Phil Upton joined the team. Radio WM…really all he talks about is Birmingham. there is life outside you know.
After drifting through commercial for a while I am now tune to Radio 2, catch me at breakfast and keep me all day. Radio WM could not catch a cold.
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The problem is the one presenter has a subject for say the morning, then the next will carry it on, it has become more depressing as jo malin delves into illness’s that folk have and the football coverage does my nut in. it was suppossed to be a consumer programme. not suprised it failing. to be honest its lost its whole appeal of a radio station. i dont listen anymore as its boring.
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Ed Doolan’s programme is popular because there will always be people in need of help and advice.
Carl Chinn should be mindful of his contribution because, whilst it is educative, interesting and well- presented, he is essentially in the nostalgia zone. By this I mean by presenting “memory lane” programmes about Birmingham during the war years or earlier, he is broadcasting to an ever diminishing audience. Carl is a good bloke but needs to be careful that he doesn’t get sidelined. I would suggest he starts to branch out into more modern-day material .
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franksie ,kelly are brill .its true they only love talking about wolves or villa there are 3 other teams as well you know !
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I listen to WM when I travel the Midland motorways. Frankly, sometimes I would rather have constant travel updates than some of the drivel that is presented. More news, current affairs, business updates would suit me. Years ago, I am sure Shrewsbury Town used to be mentioned as a Midlands club on WM sport, now Radio Shropshire actually provides commentry on every Shrewsbury game – WM needs to up it’s game like that.
Perhaps they should concentrate the money on less, but better quality, shows and join other networks when they don’t have anything to say. For example, relaying the current Ashes cricket on an FM station would be great for better quality – except that the BBC is committed to pushing DAB take-up, so unlikely to provide cricket non-digitally on anything other than a weak signal on Lomg Wave.
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I like John Platt, his music tastes and his professional presentation.Poor Ed is past his best.The irritating traffic reports are pointless,excessive, and distracting because usually there is nothing important,”the motorways are heavy”, and when there is an incident they talk too gibberishly fast in the time slot and don`t provide options.For obvious reasons I call their morning presenter Phil Uptime.Presumeably the management are being paid peanuts.
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I am a WM widow. My husband loves it but I hate it. The radio comes on at 6.30am and I count down the seconds until football is mentioned. The station is football football or we would like your comments on… There is very little music or light hearted banter (listen to Chris Evans on radio 2 to get an idea of what an entertaining programme consists of)
The other thing that gets me angry is when there is a debate the presenters always dismiss or argue with anyone who has an opinion that could be seen as anti muslim.
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Please don’t bring Boyden back. I find his weedy falsetto – like voice with that stupid singing he sometimes launches into so annoying I want to throw the radio through the window.
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