Orginal content... where is it then?

I was listening to Stan Park's interesting interview with Les Burrage this week. Les is the CEO of Roberts Radio and a very likeable man who has strong views about parts of the radio industry.  In this podcast, recorded at Maple Street Studios in London, he believes there is far less original content on the radio today, than there was 10 years ago. I have pondered about that a lot this week. There are hundreds of community radio stations right now often contributing fresh and interesting content, student radio is awash with talent and is often very original, listenership to radio is up across the decade, podcasts galore showcase tons of new thought provoking stuff (although is that radio?). There are more radio stations from The BBC, some DAB offerings are wonderful and the list goes on. He is right that there are less ILR stations around these days but most of those that have gone should not have been awarded in the first place. However, commercial radio has more listeners now even with fewer services so it must be doing something right. The industry is hardly suffering in this respect. 


RAJAR suggests that in areas where local names have disappeared, network shows are increasing audiences so while you could say original 'local' content could be reducing, the audience don't seem to mind. To me the excitement of radio is in discovering great content. I like to dip into music brands now and again but I mostly tune in for content and perhaps companionship alongside that. Presenters who engage me, shock me a little, inform and educate, bring colour to my grey world are always welcome to wrestle with the odd thought in my head. So if Les is talking about mainstream FM radio stations of the past, he might have a point but surely in this world, radio is much more than that. 


To change his view on this, where would you suggest we point Les to look? 

Hear the podcast with Stan Park right here