BBC Radio Solent revamp/refresh

Just thought I'd ask about people's opinions on the refreshed BBC Radio Solent production package.

There was a 20 min segment on Solent Today this morning where they interviewed the composer (he wrote the originals and rescored the revamp) and played a whole bunch of the jingles in full and completely clean. Their new news jingle is fab!

Just wondered if anyone else has heard the new package and what they think of it?

James

I'm glad that they haven't abandoned the old sound completely - the package used until yesterday was originally composed for LBC in 1986.

I've only heard a tiny bit of the new package via the news bulletin stream. Would love to hear some more of it.

Yes indeed... if anyone could upload some examples that would be appreciated. Sounds an interesting refresh.

Sounds rather a naff news intro to me, but I'm rather critical

Although it isn't half as bad as others I've heard. One station has an awful straight-out-of-1970 package which makes me feel physically sick...

It sounds like they're not using the BBC local radio generic theme. Personally, I think the best-sounding BBC local stations are the ones which do their own thing as far as jingles are concerned - BBC Radio Swindon/Wiltshire and BBC Radio Northampton both have fantastic Bespoke packages (although the Swindon/Wiltshire package is very loosely based on the generic 7-note jingle).

Mind you, BBC Radio Oxford has a lovely package which includes the generic jingle and their own unique theme - not sure who created that.

Glad to hear that Solent haven't dropped the David Arnold package. Sounds really good with a refresh. Do they still have the full up to the hour jingle with all the twee bits? If that's gone then I'll be very disappointed.

Not happy with stations going for this "On FM, AM and Digital Radio" lark - what was wrong with "Across Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight...this is BBC Radio Solent...it's your voice/station" - been a long time since I've listened mind. Always seemed like a decent BBC local. Seemed to acheive a nice balance between speech and speciality programming.

Indeed, I don't really like the generic local radio tune. Bespoke's packages are excellent (although I'm a tad biased as I work with some of their jingles), I've never heard a bad jingle from them. If you really want to be geeky you can get MP3s of Northampton's news/beds and IDs or Wiltshire's package from their site


Heh, whereas I hate Oxford's jingles, sound really old fashioned to me.

Already got 'em!

The Swindon/Wiltshire package on the Bespoke site is the clean one, though, so you don't get to hear the great "It's all about, all about Swindon" vocals (obviously there are 2 versions of each jingle - one for Radio Swindon and one for Radio Wiltshire).

The Northampton sung IDs are absolutely priceless - I particularly like the one that's meant to sound like "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" and, of course, the big song at the end of that mp3. A tad on the cheesy side, but great fun and proving that great sing-along jingles aren't a thing of the past! The style of TOTH featured in the other jingle is probably one of the best I've ever heard.

"Getting into Kettering on the A509"

And if you know where to look old jingles can be heard too

I have always *particularly* liked the pun: "In the kitchen making breakfast, you hear Towcester's news and views" (Towcester is pronounced "Toaster" for our younger viewers).

And I LOVE the Radio Oxford package. It's great. It's got a great tune to it and I love the build up on the top of hour.

Do Northampton ever actually play that song on air?! It reminds me of the cheesy Radio 1 jingles from the early 90s - top stuff.

Glad someone agrees with me about the Radio Oxford package! I really like the news ramp - a nice orchestral piece, and very catchy to boot. You can hear it at http://www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/realmedia/news/news.ram - and if you listen tonight, you also get to hear the back end of one of the most irritating songs of all time...

I much prefer the "From the top of the hill in Old Town, to Freshbrook, Liden and Cricklade" style ID to the "On FM, AM and DAB..." ones - makes the station sound much more 'local', especially when there are several versions with different place names.

Back to Solent, and it's very nice.
Makes a change from the totally awful BBC local radio corporate package from JAM/SBlue2, or a clumsy crowbarring of the tv news theme penned by David Lowe, into the top of the hour jingle..

What's the travel jingle like? I always thought that the drum beat should have gone on for much longer in the old one...