Danny Baker considering launching 'crowdfunded' radio station

[Lord Camomile]

Seemingly as a response to Martin Kelner's sacking from BBC Radio Leeds and as procrastination to avoid writing a book, Danny Baker is thinking of launching a crowdfunded radio station.



May well come to naught, although a number of radio professionals have expressed an interest in joining Baker, but it's an interesting diversion. Curious to see whether he would go down the traditional analogue route or if it would be a net-based station. Podcast networks are sprouting up all over the place these days, but doesn't sound like that's what he's after.

 

[D'wards]

I love Danny Baker, but the lineup would be something like;

6am-10am - Wake up with Baker
10am - 1pm - Mid-Morning Matters with Danny Baker
1pm - 5pm - Afternoon Delight with Danny Baker featuring awful Prog Rock hour
5pm -7pm - Drivetime with Baker
7pm - 10pm - Kick-off with Baker aka Why all London clubs are shit apart from Millwall
10pm - 1am - Late Nights with Danny Baker
1am-6am - The Best of Baker (the man has to sleep sometimes)

 

[D'wards]

I wonder if they offered Baker a slot on the newly ressurected Talk Radio? Afternoon slot would be meat and potatoes to him.

 

[skyscraper101]

He should go for commercial funding I reckon. But the only commercials on air would be Daz washing powder.

 

[Lord Camomile]

As if you weren't excited already

 

[Sirena]

As if you weren't excited already

Spoiled already!

 

[Fez909]

The problem with a crowd funded radio station is ongoing costs. If you donate once, then never again, they'll run out of money, bring in adverts and start pandering to mass market appeal, diluting whatever it was that attracted you to it in the first place (like all commercial radio).

The idea's good, but it would have to be subscription or something. But then who would subscribe to a radio station when you can get Spotify etc. for a tenner a month?

 

[Lord Camomile]

The problem with a crowd funded radio station is ongoing costs. If you donate once, then never again, they'll run out of money, bring in adverts and start pandering to mass market appeal, diluting whatever it was that attracted you to it in the first place (like all commercial radio).

The idea's good, but it would have to be subscription or something. But then who would subscribe to a radio station when you can get Spotify etc. for a tenner a month?

It is a curious dilemma. Are there any examples of it working? As I say, I'm vaguely aware of some net radio stations but I don't know about the operating structure. I'm more familiar with podcasting networks, but they do run ads and I don't think it's what he wants - he wants live.

That said, has he explicitly said he doesn't want ads? I might have missed it.

 

[ska invita]

. Curious to see whether he would go down the traditional analogue route or if it would be a net-based station. Podcast networks are sprouting up all over the place these days, but doesn't sound like that's what he's after.

the path tends to be online first to get up and running then apply for a DAB second....

 

[ska invita]

The problem with a crowd funded radio station is ongoing costs. If you donate once, then never again, they'll run out of money, bring in adverts and start pandering to mass market appeal, diluting whatever it was that attracted you to it in the first place (like all commercial radio).

The idea's good, but it would have to be subscription or something. But then who would subscribe to a radio station when you can get Spotify etc. for a tenner a month?

you can have specialist commercial radio - its not impossible

 

[Sirena]

you can have specialist commercial radio - its not impossible

Pirate radio has been doing it for decades....

 

[QOTH]

He has previous on forming entrepreneurial relationships that then go bad. Anyone remember the All Day Breakfast Show? It was brilliant, but short lived due to a falling out with Wippit (an equally short lived music/podcast download service).

 

[Lord Camomile]

He has previous on forming entrepreneurial relationships that then go bad. Anyone remember the All Day Breakfast Show? It was brilliant, but short lived due to a falling out with Wippit (an equally short lived music/podcast download service).

I've heard him say before that he doesn't care about money, "it's there to be spent, don't worry about tomorrow" sort of thing. So, wouldn't surprise me if he went into this full-tilt.

Then again, wouldn't surprise me if it never materialised either

 

[ska invita]

Rinse, a candidate for the best station on the legal fm dial, seems to run with no adverts save for one or two rinse related ones every two hours. Basically none.

I would love to see their books and find out if DJs get paid.

That's the thing with rossy and Danny, they do like pay cheques with lots of zeros. If they do it for free it could work

 

[Lord Camomile]

If they do it for free it could work

 

[ska invita]

Id welcome Ricky g and Karl Pilkington back on the radio...

 

[D'wards]

Rinse, a candidate for the best station on the legal fm dial, seems to run with no adverts save for one or two rinse related ones every two hours. Basically none.

I would love to see their books and find out if DJs get paid.

That's the thing with rossy and Danny, they do like pay cheques with lots of zeros. If they do it for free it could work

I listen to a station on DAB called The Arrow - dinosaur rocktastic. It broadcasts 24 hours a day with no adverts - how do they keep rolling?

 

[Lord Camomile]

I listen to a station on DAB called The Arrow - dinosaur rocktastic. It broadcasts 24 hours a day with no adverts - how do they keep rolling?

I always wondered that about Chill too, and I'm sure there are others that follow the same model.

I know a guy who did a bit of work for Chill but he won't reveal their secrets

 

[D'wards]

I always wondered that about Chill too, and I'm sure there are others that follow the same model.

I know a guy who did a bit of work for Chill but he won't reveal their secrets

Probably illuminati and all that. It normally is. Low frequency subliminal message played alongside the tracks

 

[killer b]

It is a curious dilemma. Are there any examples of it working?

WFMU - also coincidentally (or perhaps not...) the best radio station in the world.

 

[ska invita]

I listen to a station on DAB called The Arrow - dinosaur rocktastic. It broadcasts 24 hours a day with no adverts - how do they keep rolling?

are there presenters?
Chill is just some mp3s on a playlist in a (long) loop, with semiregular updates...its a super cheap model that one...i could run that from my bed(room)

 

[Lord Camomile]

WFMU - also coincidentally (or perhaps not...) the best radio station in the world.

Ach, it's been so long since I listened to WFMU! Not for much longer...!

 

[Lord Camomile]

are there presenters?
Chill is just some mp3s on a playlist in a loop...its a super cheap model that one...i could run that from my bed

Chill's definitely had presenters. Not broadcasting live, but presenters nonetheless.

 

[Lord Camomile]

Oh, and Dandelion Radio. Not sure that quite fits the spec, mind.

 

[D'wards]

are there presenters?
Chill is just some mp3s on a playlist in a (long) loop, with semiregular updates...its a super cheap model that one...i could run that from my bed(room)

No presenters. Just hot rocking hits from the 60s-90s. I thought that stations had to pay PRS or something based on listenership. I was once told £200 per minute of a song, but can't recall if that's small or national station, so really its sod all help

 

[ska invita]

everytime ive tuned in its been without presenters
theres a french station i sometime listen to called FIP - FIP great station, really recommend it, mostly its mp3s on a loop with an occasional presenter, has been my experience
its still a very lightweight model and doesnt needs 24/7 always there presenters

 

[ska invita]

No presenters. Just hot rocking hits from the 60s-90s. I thought that stations had to pay PRS or something based on listenership. I was once told £200 per minute of a song, but can't recall if that's small or national station, so really its sod all help

cost for PRS really does depend on platform and partnership...i knew someone who made their internet station legal with a PRS license of some sort and it didnt cost much at all

i dont know what they would pay - nor do i know where they make any money! same as rinse!

 

[ska invita]

Interesting short read re these autopilot stations
how does chill make money - Radio - Digital Spy Forums

 

[Lord Camomile]

its still a very lightweight model and doesnt needs 24/7 always there presenters

But their has to be some funding. You can't pirate yourself onto the DAB network (can you?! )!

 

[Lord Camomile]

Interesting short read re these autopilot stations
how does chill make money - Radio - Digital Spy Forums

Chill is actually just a PC that lives in a rack of the server room @ GWR Bristol, along with most of GCap's digital stations - I know cos I was there recently

80s sci-fi-philoso-rom-com in the waiting.