This morning, London’s news and talk station, LBC, came back on air. Of course, LBC is not really new, nor has it really been away. The Chrysalis Radio Group have acquired the London speech licences from London News Radio and is continuing to use the LBC name (LBC being the original London commercial news station).

Sadly, despite the name’s heritage of almost thirty years, day one seemed a bit shambolic. The most noticeable and irritating part for me is the constant paper shuffling that goes on when the presenters are on air. I suspect that, back when the news talk version was on AM, this wasn’t very audible. Now, it’s irritating. Then there are presenters whispering to each other but still clearly there. It’s as if there is no off button on the microphones. This evening, there seems to be no off button on the computers that play the commercials, as poor Clive Bull seems to be suffering because the advertisements keep starting, and he seems blissfully unaware that they are about to play.

Still, I am pleased that the rolling news format has moved to AM. Not because it’s on AM but because it means most of my portable radios (which are FM-only) have the more interesting of the two talk stations. These early teething troubles will, hopefully, be rectified and we’ll have a decent commercial talk station for London again (although, IMHO, BBC London seems to have been doing a fine job). I just wonder who is going to listen to the rolling news on AM.

On this day…

2006: Who Are You?
2004: Same Sex Partnerships in 2004
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