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Danny Baker considering launching 'crowdfunded' radio station

"I think its there to make the range on DAB that little more interesting as Gcap have invested heavily in dab."

"I suppose GCAP view Chill as a bit of an experiment and the radio equivalent of a loss leader. It cost very little to run and encourages people to get DAB where it's available (unfortunately not here in the north west.)

I think putting ads and presenters on it would ruin it tbh."
:hmm:
 
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.

I'd like to think it can be done, plenty of successful cooperatives and other non-orthodox forms out there... without wanting to come over all Paul Mason (he'd hate that) it's probably more viable now than ever. Obviously would require some serious planning and a diluting of the egos of any celeb presenter - no room for mega-contracts surely. (Although the celebs might say they're proud to be 'giving something back' and you'd be vomiting too much to hear the programmes.)
 
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.


The Martin Kelner sacking is a disgrace and if anyone has not read the full story I urge you to read Kelners blog about it. Some time ago Martin went into hospital for cancer. During this time the BBC paid him for shows he didn't perform due to being nearly dead. BBC in their wisdom started taking this money back show by show when Kelner returned to work. The money was finally repaid by Kelner early last week. At the end of the week Kelner, obviously no longer in debt to the BBC, was sacked by them. Cunts.
 
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?

In what way are Danny Baker and Wossy not mass market anyway?

It's not clear whether he wants ads or not, but if he's going to have real live presenters then a proper income stream will be essential, no reason why you couldn't do an online radio station funded by a subs, advertising, and sponsorship model. The sort of thing that combines live streaming with podcasts, I spend a lot of time in my car which doesn't have DAB but does have a USB socket, so I only listen to podcasts in the car and live or streaming radio when at home.

Crowdfunding could just be a buzzy way of saying subscription model.

Worth mentioning though that Danny Baker was involved in Ginger with Chris Evans Media sale nets Chris Evans a £75m 'divvy'
 
I find Baker as obnoxious and unpleasant as I do Evans, but he's so popular. Lots of my friends think he's great. I don't get it, but if he did this he'd definitely have a following.
he does a great radio show...bit like ricky gervais and co...whatever else you might think about them as people its really entertaining radio

evans i really dislike, but again i can see why people like him on the radio...way too fucking UP for that time of the morning
 
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?
Not just commercial radio. I used work in community radio. Funded by charitable contributions, grants and... yes adverts.

We had less adverts than commercial radio due to regulations around community radio. Before I left there was rumblings that some of that restriction was going to be relaxed a bit. I don't know if that went through.

Hard to escape adverts when it comes to radio.
 
One thing I agree with Danny on 100% is no news... News has no place on the radio... It's on every 30mins on bbc London :grrr:
 
Woooooaaaaaah. Woah, woah, woah. Fair enough if you don't want it all the time on particular stations, but no place on radio?! I will not have it, sir!
There has always been this patronising attitude of the State that the masses must be given news.

It doesn't matter that they are having news pumped at them from all other media quarters, including television and newspapers. They should have it on entertainment radio as well.

When the pirate stations of the 80s were first offered their community wavebands, it was on condition that they had to pay for a news service (usually IRN). That was all well and good for the big-money stations (and most of the community licences went to big-money operations) but the true community stations like London Greek Radio and WNK (who shared the North London licence) and Choice FM found it a real burden to pay for a totally unnecessary news service.

I think we are all grown-up enough to listen to radio without being fed an obligatory propaganda message as well!:rolleyes:
 
The Martin Kelner sacking is a disgrace and if anyone has not read the full story I urge you to read Kelners blog about it.

One paragraph in and already my Partridgeometer is going crazy

You very rarely get to hear exact details of your favourite presenters' departures, certainly not on air. We suddenly become non-people, like dissidents in former East Germany, disappeared in the middle of the night.
 
Exactly that sirena
If I never hear a news broadcast again it would be fine by me.
Stick a bbc news 24 feed on a dedicated fm station and leave the rest of us in peace.

If I want news I'll access it... Why force feed it?
 
There has always been this patronising attitude of the State that the masses must be given news.

It doesn't matter that they are having news pumped at them from all other media quarters, including television and newspapers. They should have it on entertainment radio as well.

When the pirate stations of the 80s were first offered their community wavebands, it was on condition that they had to pay for a news service (usually IRN). That was all well and good for the big-money stations (and most of the community licences went to big-money operations) but the true community stations like London Greek Radio and WNK (who shared the North London licence) and Choice FM found it a real burden to pay for a totally unnecessary news service.

I think we are all grown-up enough to listen to radio without being fed an obligatory propaganda message as well!:rolleyes:

Exactly that sirena
If I never hear a news broadcast again it would be fine by me.
Stick a bbc news 24 feed on a dedicated fm station and leave the rest of us in peace.

If I want news I'll access it... Why force feed it?
Right, well that's different from "news shouldn't be on the radio", isn't it? Many people still listen to radio as their primary media, you can't just tell them to "go find it elsewhere". I'd also argue that many, if not a majority, of people would prefer a bit of news on their choice radio station rather than having to continually flick around between stations. Generally people listen to the radio while doing something else, it's a more passive experience. No, it's not the best argument and yes, it's not that much effort, but it is sooooome effort :p

London Greek Radio and WNK (who shared the North London licence)
My childminder's teenage daughter was well impressed that I, a preppy 7-year-old, listened to WNK :D
 
Danny Baker is a radio genius. I really miss him on BBC radio london. His morning show (some years ago now) with Amy Lame and wotisname was great.
 
There has always been this patronising attitude of the State that the masses must be given news.

It doesn't matter that they are having news pumped at them from all other media quarters, including television and newspapers. They should have it on entertainment radio as well.

When the pirate stations of the 80s were first offered their community wavebands, it was on condition that they had to pay for a news service (usually IRN). That was all well and good for the big-money stations (and most of the community licences went to big-money operations) but the true community stations like London Greek Radio and WNK (who shared the North London licence) and Choice FM found it a real burden to pay for a totally unnecessary news service.

I think we are all grown-up enough to listen to radio without being fed an obligatory propaganda message as well!:rolleyes:

You have to have news and weather.

Sure people can look outside and see the weather for themselves and browse the web for news etc.

But what you don't realise is that presenters need to have a cigarette at some time. I'd pop the station over to the sky news feed. Leg it outside with my portable radio, smoke and leg it back up before I had to talk again.
 
I've been enjoying Iain Lee on the all-new old TalkRadio - has been very very funny. Look forward to it every night
 
You have to have news and weather.

Sure people can look outside and see the weather for themselves and browse the web for news etc.

But what you don't realise is that presenters need to have a cigarette at some time. I'd pop the station over to the sky news feed. Leg it outside with my portable radio, smoke and leg it back up before I had to talk again.

Yes we could look up news and weather. But not while we are getting ready, having a shower and brushing teeth, I'm rather hoping that while I'm doing that someone on the radio might have told me to put and extra jumper on and take a brolley - thats why I listen to the radio.
 
I see that cunt Paul Ross trying his hardest to attract viewers to his new radio show.

About actress Michelle Dotrice...""I don't mean to be sizeist," he said "But she's carrying some timber... She's a shed on legs."

Class act.
 
I see that cunt Paul Ross trying his hardest to attract viewers to his new radio show.

About actress Michelle Dotrice...""I don't mean to be sizeist," he said "But she's carrying some timber... She's a shed on legs."

Class act.

Oooooh MEOW MEOW, saucer of meth for the wit!
 
I tried Ross out, and went back to Ferrari after 10 mins, and that's saying something.

Iain Lee has been a joy so far though
 
Was anyone listening just now (midnight sunday night) to Talkradio? Iain Lee had a suicidal woman on, and he was really good with her, being a terrible depressive himself who goes through suicidal bouts. It was upsetting though. I just hope that the fact she called a radio station means that she won't commit suicide :(
 
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