My TV. As long as I didn't have to get rid of my Hava placeshifter or Sky Box.
Friday, 21 May 2010
Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?
Have you checked behind the fridge? When I lose something, it generally always ends up behind the fridge.
Thursday, 20 May 2010
If you had to cook dinner for someone tonight, what would you make?
My speciality is Fajitas, with Refried Beans, Nachos and Cornbread. The morning version (Heurvos Rancheros) is reserved for my lady love.
Wednesday, 14 April 2010
Saturday, 6 March 2010
The Joy of 6
Sirs,
In response to Mark Thompson’s recent proposal to close BBC 6Music and BBC Asian Network as part of a wider strategy review, I would like to offer my comments. Whilst most will refer specifically to 6Music, many of my points are transferrable to other parts of the policy, but also of the BBC’s overall remit as I see it.
The BBC has a responsibility (because of the unique way it is funded – remember the adverts?) to produce programming that noone else could. I would go so far as to say that the proposals made this week reflect a desire for the BBC not to diversify, but to conform to commerical norms, and as such, this would oppose me to the licence fee, should it come to pass.
BBC 6Music represents the intrinsic values of the BBC remit. There is a proven market for such a product as has been shown by the passionate support the station has been receiving from the music industry and public alike since the idea of closure was mooted in The Times leak.
Whilst it is acknowledged that 6Music is not likely to become the most listened to station in Britain, it fulfils a gap that the BBC is obliged to cater for. XFM, the nearest equivalent, is so watered down in its creativity due to commercial pressures, that it acts as living example of exactly WHY 6Music is needed.
Without 6Music there is no formal platform for up and coming bands who desperately need national exposure to feed into the mainstream. Without it, music in the UK is likely to become a homogenised mixture of American R&B and reality show winners.
The “Top 40” has no relevance to the majority of music fans. Radio 2 listeners are faced with a minefield of “safe” oldies and specialist shows that, again, bear no relevance. Radio 1 is a similar minefield of occasional brilliance in a sea of mediocrity, aimed at younger listeners. The demographic of popular music listening has changed, with over 25s looking to be challenged by popular music, rather than sinking into a conformist mixture of oldies, speech and classical.
6Music is clearly misunderstood by the BBC hierarchy. It is essential that they understand that around 40-60% of music played on 6 would not appear anywhere else, thus leaving NO outlet for these genres and artists. If it goes, these listeners won’t go to “appointment to listen” shows on 1&2, they will just leave.
One of the key arguments for the closures is the cost benefit of the station, given its relatively low listening figures. However, comparing “apples with apples”, Radio 3 has far lower figures, despite being on FM. 6Music is as important to popular music as Radio 3 is to classical, and given an FM platform it would outperform it consistently. Proof of this is Radio Nova in Paris who have a nationwide FM platform and a similar format and the station is a huge success.
The take-up of DAB has hitherto been limited by government policy. With plans to close FM in favour of DAB or a newer format such as AAC+ continually in flux, it is unfair to pass judgement on a station that is yet to reach a level playing field. Most 6Music listeners do not have access in their cars, at work and in many cases at home.
The cultural shift to listening through digital television, upgrading to DAB in offices and cars, or listening online is in relative infancy. Habits are changing all the time, and it will take at least 5-10 years before a digital-only station can hope to find its feet. In affect, the closure of the station at this point is tantamout to an abortion.
The content of 6Music is unique and represents a realisation of the dreams of presenters and music industry figures such as John Peel and Anthony H Wilson. The British licence fee system exists to allow the BBC to step away from the boundaries of commercial constraints and cater to minorities, untapped markets, and culturally relevant areas. 6Music is the embodiment of everything that the BBC should be about, and as such, its safety is a responsibility of the BBC towards its licence payers, and the world, to which it acts as a beacon of example and innovation.
In closing, I would like to reiterate that BBC 6Music is not doomed. It is not a minority station. It is a cultural masterpiece on a minority platform. The BBC’s first crime is that it isn’t given prescidence over Radio 1, which serves no real purpose in modern Britain, and that it isn’t given a mainstream broadcasting format to allow it to thrive. For the sake of the future of music, culture and radio in Britain, it MUST be saved.
Thank you for listening.
Chris Merriman
PLEASE join the Facebook group, follow @savebbc6music and make your feelings known to srconsultation@bbc.co.uk - your voice matters!
In response to Mark Thompson’s recent proposal to close BBC 6Music and BBC Asian Network as part of a wider strategy review, I would like to offer my comments. Whilst most will refer specifically to 6Music, many of my points are transferrable to other parts of the policy, but also of the BBC’s overall remit as I see it.
The BBC has a responsibility (because of the unique way it is funded – remember the adverts?) to produce programming that noone else could. I would go so far as to say that the proposals made this week reflect a desire for the BBC not to diversify, but to conform to commerical norms, and as such, this would oppose me to the licence fee, should it come to pass.
BBC 6Music represents the intrinsic values of the BBC remit. There is a proven market for such a product as has been shown by the passionate support the station has been receiving from the music industry and public alike since the idea of closure was mooted in The Times leak.
Whilst it is acknowledged that 6Music is not likely to become the most listened to station in Britain, it fulfils a gap that the BBC is obliged to cater for. XFM, the nearest equivalent, is so watered down in its creativity due to commercial pressures, that it acts as living example of exactly WHY 6Music is needed.
Without 6Music there is no formal platform for up and coming bands who desperately need national exposure to feed into the mainstream. Without it, music in the UK is likely to become a homogenised mixture of American R&B and reality show winners.
The “Top 40” has no relevance to the majority of music fans. Radio 2 listeners are faced with a minefield of “safe” oldies and specialist shows that, again, bear no relevance. Radio 1 is a similar minefield of occasional brilliance in a sea of mediocrity, aimed at younger listeners. The demographic of popular music listening has changed, with over 25s looking to be challenged by popular music, rather than sinking into a conformist mixture of oldies, speech and classical.
6Music is clearly misunderstood by the BBC hierarchy. It is essential that they understand that around 40-60% of music played on 6 would not appear anywhere else, thus leaving NO outlet for these genres and artists. If it goes, these listeners won’t go to “appointment to listen” shows on 1&2, they will just leave.
One of the key arguments for the closures is the cost benefit of the station, given its relatively low listening figures. However, comparing “apples with apples”, Radio 3 has far lower figures, despite being on FM. 6Music is as important to popular music as Radio 3 is to classical, and given an FM platform it would outperform it consistently. Proof of this is Radio Nova in Paris who have a nationwide FM platform and a similar format and the station is a huge success.
The take-up of DAB has hitherto been limited by government policy. With plans to close FM in favour of DAB or a newer format such as AAC+ continually in flux, it is unfair to pass judgement on a station that is yet to reach a level playing field. Most 6Music listeners do not have access in their cars, at work and in many cases at home.
The cultural shift to listening through digital television, upgrading to DAB in offices and cars, or listening online is in relative infancy. Habits are changing all the time, and it will take at least 5-10 years before a digital-only station can hope to find its feet. In affect, the closure of the station at this point is tantamout to an abortion.
The content of 6Music is unique and represents a realisation of the dreams of presenters and music industry figures such as John Peel and Anthony H Wilson. The British licence fee system exists to allow the BBC to step away from the boundaries of commercial constraints and cater to minorities, untapped markets, and culturally relevant areas. 6Music is the embodiment of everything that the BBC should be about, and as such, its safety is a responsibility of the BBC towards its licence payers, and the world, to which it acts as a beacon of example and innovation.
In closing, I would like to reiterate that BBC 6Music is not doomed. It is not a minority station. It is a cultural masterpiece on a minority platform. The BBC’s first crime is that it isn’t given prescidence over Radio 1, which serves no real purpose in modern Britain, and that it isn’t given a mainstream broadcasting format to allow it to thrive. For the sake of the future of music, culture and radio in Britain, it MUST be saved.
Thank you for listening.
Chris Merriman
PLEASE join the Facebook group, follow @savebbc6music and make your feelings known to srconsultation@bbc.co.uk - your voice matters!
Monday, 1 March 2010
The End of an Era…
It's been a while, hasn't it?
The fact of the matter is, I've been going through some major life changes and I really didn't feel like chronicling them here. Except now, of course, I'm going to completely contradict myself by blogging about it - at least in general terms.
Every day, I see messages hit my Inbox about the latest website to hit the streets claiming to be the saviour of music. And halfway down comes the immortal line "We can't pay you at the moment but we can give you loads of free CDs and tickets".
Rule of thumb here - if you can't pay me now, you never will. Sure DiS had a brief moment in the sun when Sky thought, for about half an hour, that it'd be nice to have a music site. They soon went off the idea when they realised there was no money in it.
Still, we all live in hope – and moreover, it’s really important that grass roots journalism isn’t allowed to die, after all, without Sniffin’ Glue in the seventies and Dissident in the nineties, we wouldn’t have discovered… well, loads of people really. (my perspicacity has suffered in my absence!)
But – and here’s the rub. Not only does the recession mean that pro-hacks like me can’t get paid, but the whole nature of the industry is being killed – Video Killed The Radio Star. Digital is killing the Video Star.
In an effort to save money – especially as digital piracy has left record moguls in masses of debt – the chances of getting an intern along to review a gig is dwindling fast, and bringing a friend? Forget it! Meanwhile, the glut of free CDs popping through the letterbox has turned to a trickle as more and more promo copies are mp3s, streaming websites, or worse still, being forced to sit in a room and drink tea while you listen to it and make notes.
What kind of lure is that for the interns and free writers that keep many of these print and online publications going? There’s no carrot for people to work for free – and so if the sites can’t afford to pay, there’s no content. And we all know, content is king.
The live music industry is thriving – but then at £80 for a Lady Gaga ticket, it would be. But recorded music and journalism are dying ducks. And that makes me very, very sad.
So, it looks like another music journalist is biting the dust. I just can’t afford to do it anymore….
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
The Revival of The High Street: It's Not MY Fault....
I've just done all my Christmas shopping. And WHERE did I complete this gargantuan task? (and it is gargantuan). Bluewater? Oxford Street? No. Frankly I'd rather stick molten excrement in my eyes. Woolwich?
My silence speaks volumes.
No. For the first time ever, I have completed every, last, bit online. Some of it on the sofa, some of a train, some in a Starbucks, and some on a freezing cold bench on London Bridge station.
"Props" I hear you cry, assuming that the word "props" is in your vocabulary, rather than being some hideous vulgarism of the modern age.
Well, yes and no. Whilst I am delighted not to have had to smell (and I do mean smell) Woolwich "town" "centre", leave alone the dreaded West End bun-fight, I can't help but feel just a little bit responsible. You know that "if you're not part of the solution" thing? Well, yeah. S'me. I am that "not part".
As we traverse one of the longest recessions in years, I really feel like I ought to have supported our beligered retailers. After all, I was the first one to do the pouty-lip thing when Woolies and Zavvi closed their doors.
However, on the other hand, it's great that we can finally do away with the "socks and naff jumpers" image we have of Christmas presents. Between the Amazon Wish List (an ingenious take on the Nuptual Demands) and the wide range of online retailers who stock... everything... then I'm pretty confident of offering up a killer Christmas for my nearest and dearest this year. I either got them stuff I knew they wanted, or if that was too unimaginative, then I managed to find the weird and wonderful in a way that's only possible when a warehouse the size of umpteen football pitches is your shop floor.
A couple of retailers have dabbled in the "we'll have it for you next day" approach, but none successfully so far. After all - you still have to get off your hiney and pick the stuff up. So it looks like e-commerce is going to win every time. Unless we can find something other than cheap Chinese electronics and mobile phone shops to lure us back onto the High Street.
And of course, I got to speak to a lovely lady from Bolton, who sorted out a present that I'd scoured the internet to get. More props for Chris.
My silence speaks volumes.
No. For the first time ever, I have completed every, last, bit online. Some of it on the sofa, some of a train, some in a Starbucks, and some on a freezing cold bench on London Bridge station.
"Props" I hear you cry, assuming that the word "props" is in your vocabulary, rather than being some hideous vulgarism of the modern age.
Well, yes and no. Whilst I am delighted not to have had to smell (and I do mean smell) Woolwich "town" "centre", leave alone the dreaded West End bun-fight, I can't help but feel just a little bit responsible. You know that "if you're not part of the solution" thing? Well, yeah. S'me. I am that "not part".
As we traverse one of the longest recessions in years, I really feel like I ought to have supported our beligered retailers. After all, I was the first one to do the pouty-lip thing when Woolies and Zavvi closed their doors.
However, on the other hand, it's great that we can finally do away with the "socks and naff jumpers" image we have of Christmas presents. Between the Amazon Wish List (an ingenious take on the Nuptual Demands) and the wide range of online retailers who stock... everything... then I'm pretty confident of offering up a killer Christmas for my nearest and dearest this year. I either got them stuff I knew they wanted, or if that was too unimaginative, then I managed to find the weird and wonderful in a way that's only possible when a warehouse the size of umpteen football pitches is your shop floor.
A couple of retailers have dabbled in the "we'll have it for you next day" approach, but none successfully so far. After all - you still have to get off your hiney and pick the stuff up. So it looks like e-commerce is going to win every time. Unless we can find something other than cheap Chinese electronics and mobile phone shops to lure us back onto the High Street.
And of course, I got to speak to a lovely lady from Bolton, who sorted out a present that I'd scoured the internet to get. More props for Chris.
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