Radio 4 remains a national treasure
Listening to Damon Albarn, guest editor of yesterday's Today programme, suggesting on air that 99 per cent of the media needs to be "dismantled" - except, of course, the bits he's involved with - it was a relief to hear that he would leave Radio 4 in existence. However irksome Albarn can be, he is spot on about this. I've been casting my mind back over the radio highs and lows of 2007, and the highs are notably dominated by Radio 4. There might be plenty on the network that could be tweaked or ditched, but it remains a national treasure.
It's been a good year for radio, with news in August of a strong surge in listeners turning to digital, download and internet radio. This in part explains a feel good factor about radio in 2007, and a continuing, deeply felt allegiance to the medium from its fans, both younger and older. So, what were your highlights and low points in the past year? What delighted or depressed you?
Here's a few of mine ...
Highs
1. Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie on Radio 2. A new pairing for weekday evenings, so scrumptious and likeable that I get ratty when one of them is off covering for someone else. The music's rather good too.
2. Jenni Murray returning to Woman's Hour after treatment for breast cancer.
3. Night Waves on Radio 3. If only all arts programmes could be like this. Nothing tricksy, nothing smart-arsed, just intelligent, in-depth discussion and some of the finest interviews on radio.
4. Channel 4 Radio. On the evidence so far, the cocky new kid on the radio block is going to be a very good thing, challenging Radio 4 directly, and prodding commercial radio to raise its game too.
5. Blackpool: The Greatest Show Town (Radio 4), Ken Loach's first foray into radio - a tender look back at his family holidays in Blackpool, plus an absorbing social history of the resort. More radio please Ken.
6. Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Harriet Scott. A fantastic breakfast duo, with a great on-air chemistry and the ability to connect with their audience without patronising them.
7. Holiday cover. This brings delights and perils (see Davina McCall, below) on all networks. Best of all, you discover someone like Liza Tarbuck, who has been sitting in for Steve Wright this week and doing so impressively. She was good when she worked with Mark Radcliffe over the summer, covering the same slot, but this week has been a revelation: she is charming, funny, has a voice that is perfect for radio, a lovely way with callers, and a healthy dose of self-deprecation. Please sign her up for more, Radio 2. Holiday cover also brought Evan Davis to Today in the summer and he joins the programme as a regular presenter early next year.
8. The continued brilliance of PM, In Our Time, Woman's Hour, Crossing Continents, The Today Programme, Just a Minute, From Our Own Correspondent ... See what I mean about Radio 4?
Lows
1. Jane Garvey leaving her partnership with Peter Allen on Five Live's Drive, and still not sounding quite right on Woman's Hour.
2. theJazz, a station which promised to do for jazz what sister station Classic FM has done for classical music - that is, smooth out all the rough edges - and which has kept its word.
3. Davina on Radio 2 sitting in for Ken Bruce. I was kinder to Davina than many about her first attempt at radio, but after listening to all the shows, it didn't work and she didn't make any progress. Telly and radio are not the same thing. Which brings me onto ....
4. The influx of television stars to high profile radio slots. Yes, that's you, Alan Titchmarsh. The odd one here or there, especially if they had some radio experience before making it big on the small screen, fine. But not coach parties of telly egos being bussed into radio studios. Please make it stop. What we need are some rising stars spotted in the world of radio and nurtured.
5. Party Classics with Tony Hadley on Virgin. Lord, this is rough. Makes Suggs, who used to present the show, seem the height of elegant, engaging, witty broadcasting.
