✒Whatever is the opposite of the Midas touch, then Bob Shennan appears to have it when it comes to digital radio. The former BBC Radio 5 Live controller, you will remember, jumped ship to Channel 4 only for the broadcaster to pull the plug on its entire digital radio operation. Shennan returned to the BBC, as controller of BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music, only for the BBC to announce it was pulling the plug on ... 6 Music. Rotten luck, Bob. Fans of hip-hop and drum and bass will be hoping Shennan is not put in charge of the BBC's black music station, 1Xtra.
✒It was unfortunate timing that just as the BBC's director general Mark Thompson was committing the corporation to ploughing millions more pounds into top-quality TV and radio content, BBC Radio 1 announced the latest contribution to its public service canon: Talk to the Hand – the Story of Masturbation.
A legitimate topic for discussion, of that Monkey has no doubt, but also a gift for the BBC's less broad-minded critics. "I'm left handed but it tends to be more with my right hand. I don't know why," offered one contributor. "I was feeling horny, innit. I use condoms. I don't like the mess," said another. Social action at its best — or a load of wank?
✒Monkey's sign of the times (part 26): "Time Out's shopping desk is seeking an enthusiastic graduate for a three-month internship." Sounds interesting. Tell Monkey more. Office experience essential, as is a sound knowledge of London's retail landscape. Three months. Full time. Unpaid. "Lunch contribution and two-zone travelcard included." Sold!
✒Now that ITV has picked up the rights to the Indian Premier League Twenty20 cricket to show on its fourth digital channel, Monkey can finally answer the question: what's ITV4?
✒The Times's editor James Harding introduced readers to his latest changes last week, including "bringing Times2 into the main section of the paper", AKA axing the Times2 supplement. Among the changes was a new-style fashion supplement edited by fashion editor "Lisa Armstong [sic]". "If you have any questions or comments then please email me," added Harding. Might Monkey suggest: "Dear James. You spelled my name wrong. Best, Lisa Armstrong."
✒No theatre critic, it appears, was better qualified to review the All New Hurly Burly Show, a burlesque extravaganza in London's West End, than the Daily Telegraph's Charles Spencer. "A theatre critic's life is one of infinite variety," began Spencer, who famously enjoyed the "theatrical Viagra" of a stitchless Nicole Kidman. "In a misspent life I have seen a lot of strippers, ranging from depraved clubs on Times Square that might have been conjured from the imagination of Hieronymus Bosch, to the soullessly graphic entertainment offered by the late Paul Raymond at his notorious Revuebar." The "wildly rotating nipple tassles" of this new production, however, are all good clean(ish) fun, concluded Spencer. Marks out of five: phwoar!
✒Monkey's tweet of the week is from Radio 2's breakfast DJ, Chris Evans: "May I thank the Mail for once again writing only bad things about me. I swear if they ever say anything nice I will have a heart attack and die."
✒While the BBC was axing two radio stations, Global Radio's entire staff (or at least, all of them minus those required to keep the stations on air) were gathering at London's Dominion Theatre to be addressed by Global Radio's founder and group chief executive, Ashley Tabor. The gee-up to the troops coincided with the second anniversary of Global's purchase of GCap Media for £375m. The Dominion is host to Ben Elton's Queen musical, but there was no word on whether We Will Rock You is to become the new slogan of Global's Heart. The BBC, meanwhile, was busy playing its reworking of another Queen song, Another Two Bite The Dust.
