The NEW Central West and BBC Midlands thread

For the record, I didn't listen to any !

Today & tomorrow, the Scouse lout, Danny Kelly, is looking after brekky, while Doolan today is with Danny Reddington, the rare records bloke, but tomorrow, between 9 & 10, Keith Beech, the managing editor of WM, is in to take calls re the station(How many cheers regarding the disappearance of Gaunt then, which gives me a good excuse to say that page 3 is not the only place you'll find a couple of t*ts in the Sun!(Gaunt & Clarkson, in case you were wondering!), between 10 & 11, the local filth pops in for a chat, then there's an audience with Doddy tween 11 & 12!

That's 3 nice captures of the Christmas BBCONE Midlands ident, tvmercia!

Does anybody watch this local TV service?

looks like kay will be doing this evening's midlands today. rather nice to see her in the evening again - even if it is a bank holiday.

As promised/threatened, Keith Beech made an appearance, on the Doolan show, to answer listeners questions about WM.

Here follows a synopsis, as best I can, due to the house safety cut out switch tripping out at least twice !

Local TV was introduced, due to people’s requests for more local news!

WM has had an ‘exceptional’ news year, due to various events, like Rover, the Brum Tornado, the Birmingham Saturday night bomb evacuation, & in programming terms, Ed’s Sunday breakfast show is a great success, as is Les Ross!

Station is about ‘personalities’ ! (The Other Side of Janice Long is on this weekend by the way!)

The first caller asked who was Janice Long?

(She’s not a local! Surprise Surprise!)

(Butler only did Saturday mornings on a temp basis!)

Beech accused of not answering the listener’s previously sent letter, re Carl Chinn!

Les Ross accused of pushing his atheist views.(His show not aimed at religion!)

Caller 2 also mentioned Les Ross & too much music! Station is 3 quarters talk, 1 quarter music! Also moaned about Goldberg & his travel bed jingle, ‘Too Loud!’ (Goldberg accused of ‘finger trouble’ !)

Caller 3 asked Beech what kind of culture shock he found after moving from Suffolk to Brum(He is Wolverhampton born by the way!). ‘It’s much bigger. People want a challenge! People have a great passion!’ Caller reckoned ‘The station balance is just right, especially Goldberg!’

Caller 4(The infamous Cath from Castle Bromwich!) asked about Keith Middleton & praised the back room teams.

Caller 5 asked about WM going 24 hours. (Money again!) Caller suggested replaying the daytime schedule during the night!(Could do, but what about breaking news? People prefer BBC Radio to be live!)
(I texted in at this point, ‘Why don’t you do regional, rather than local overnights?’ Even though it got read out, (Thanks Ed!), I wonder if it will get investigated further!)

Caller 6 asked about DAB radio, & not picking up WM. (Caller was in Rugby, so WM was not on in Warwickshire!)

Caller 7 defended Les Ross & his non religious views.(‘Better than Jon Gaunt!’)

Caller 8 asked about sport & coverage of non league football teams. No plans for a comprehensive round up of results. Apart from Tony Butler’s Monday show, this will be covered as & when, eg Chasetown & Tamworth, but invite contributions!

Caller 9 praised Les Ross(He’s funny!). (WM magazine now defunct. Didn’t sell enough, but may be specials in future)

Caller 10 praised Franksy, Goldie, Ed & Chinnie.

Caller 11 asked why the Jimmy Franks Late Show catered for a younger audience? (‘Show still evolving’) Keith Middleton wanted for the show again. Franks employed for his local event scene knowledge.

A couple of texters asked where Gaunt was! (Personally I think WM got the better deal !)

Generally praise for various presenters, not much dissent, unlike the post Boyden departure show, from roughly 2 years ago!

Verdict, in my opinion, 8 & a half out of 10 !

I will watch that then, tvmercia. I haven't seen Kay Alexander for ages!

kay's brief return to evening news-presenting was marred by a blunder. they played the 2002 closing music instead of the 2004

Do they even have the old music on the playout system

it would seem so. actually - i think they may still use the 2002 close on the bulletin for the deaf?

a rare outing for bernadette kearney this evening, what is this fashion for women newsreaders wearing velour jackets! they look awful on screen!

anyway an announcement before the 6.00 which you wont hear very often...

BBC ONE MIDLANDS CHRISTMAS IDENT

http://www.gorillaenterprises.co.uk/upload/uploadFiles/bbconemidlands-christmas2005c.jpg

Mike Rimmer in for Mollie Green & Dickie Wilford in for Goldie on WM earlies, while Jimmy Franks is doing a double shift at least today, noticing him in for Paul Franks & him mentioning he was still doing the Late Show as well.

I forgot to mention that C&W joined WM yesterday breakfast, as the Scouse lout was refering to 'technical problems'!

(Wasn't Wincey supposed to be doing C&W brekky anyway? Did she eventually get on air? How did she do?)

As regards MT tonight, nice to see Bernie presenting(Did I mention I got her signed photo a few years back?), but I assume the weather was prerecorded, albeit with a bit of notice, as the London weather presenter(Nina Ridge I think!), name checked Bernie.

Soft question, but why not just do the 'old favourite' of caption slides instead?

I don't know why they bother with specially recorded forecasts in the mornings anyway.

It ain't if we're stupid, we know the presenter ain't local anyway!

well we make do with still captions every weekend in the midlands don't we - and i don't recall having london forecasts in the week between christmas and new year last year. perhaps they feel the impending weather means its nice to have a detailed forecast - either that or it takes up more time - meaning they have to fill less time themselves

what day is the other side of tom coyne on westy?