I am sure I retired...

What a week! Monday started with the release of my report into BBC Local Radio and I can now get on with life. Over the following 24 hours I received over 60 emails from staff which was nice along with a number from colleagues, friends and just media observers. However, one email did make me smile a lot. It simply said... Dear John, you are a cu*t. I have no idea who sent that but for a moment I thought I had 40 suspects!!  Later in the day, I had chats with Radio WM before meeting up with a producer, to chat about a new programme idea that might be interesting. Before you ask it is NOTHING to do with any proposal for Radio England.  

Tuesday featured more BBC local interviews, a number of meetings across London and then I met up with Steve Hewlett for a recording of The Media Show on R4. Steve is absolutely the best media commentator in the UK right now. He knows his stuff, you have to be on your toes and he is extremely well connected. On top of that, his programme this week in particular was a brilliant listen especially with regard to Leveson and Murdoch. 

Wednesday we progressed the plans for The Radio Festival and The Sony Awards. Also on the day, I had one of those embarrassing moments to forget. A friend was in town so I met up with them for an early lunch. Then just as I arrived back in the office, my phone went from another friend asking where I was?  It seems I agreed to have lunch with him so I had to hot-foot it for another bite to eat.  Two lunches in one day! 

On Thursday I was in Salford for a face to face meeting at the BBC Local Radio Managing Editors conference.  I was first up and to be fair to everyone there, it was a good debate and I enjoyed it a lot. Later on, I was up to see my mum in law who was celebrating her 90th birthday. Soon I was over to Stranraer for the ferry to Belfast.  An open top tour bus of Belfast with typical Irish humour in full flow. The best line was... The Titanic. It was alright when it left here! There was time for some fun on the golf course at Lough Erne - just as the sun was going down and I can recommend this place. Wonderful hotel and golf to just stand back and thank god you are alive. Right now, I am at the equally impressive Galgorm resort for more golf, spa stuff and earlier today I had a trip to The Giants Causeway via the coast road that is a must to do, especially when the sun is shining. Giants Causeway was good but busy, windy, cold and I to be honest, I have now been there and done it! 

This coming Monday, we have a Radio Academy event at U105 in Belfast. A Q and A and a chance to meet radio folk this side of the water.   For those who can, please come along to say hello. 

Right now I am listening to entries for the Bauer Radio Awards. Linda is in The Spa... doing whatever they do in those things.. 

I'm a winner...

The efforts of some radio stations amuse me greatly. Today, one was running a promo informing me about a HUGE cash prize that was up for grabs tomorrow morning. It turns out this huge cash prize is nothing more than £250. Now, forgive me for being ungrateful - and I know we would all like to have that cash in our back pocket - but I doubt anyone would alter their listening habits for this promotion. If that is the best they can do, I would give up. 

The lottery has mostly killed it for big money prizes on the radio and anyway, surely everyone understands by now that 'the mechanic' is always much more important than the prize itself. In the past, I have given away houses, cars, holidays and cash by the lorry load. Some of the ideas were so good we were convinced it was a winner. Sadly, the reaility is much more sobering. You can never quite measure the success of any competition in pure audience terms. Programmers will convince themselves it has worked, especially if it has blown most of their prize budget. They will point to the mountain of texts, record social media feedback, full phone lines, on-line traffic but in reality it makes little difference. What usually happens is that after all that work, all that effort and all that promotion, audience figures come in and you will be lucky if you have stood still. Some even go down. Radio stations do well when they do the same thing with good regular promotions and features in a style that fits into their overall station sound. Mind you, stupidity can also be a talking point.

I once had no budget for a competition but I needed a feature so I gave away a free car service from a garage called Jennings Ford. The idea was simple. I  just recorded a car door being slammed shut. To win the service, listeners had to call and name the car that door belonged too. I used this to get people to air so I could have fun with them. However, you would be amazed how many people were sure they knew that car. It got people talking. I was once shouted at in the street by a man who was convinced it was a Ford Escort 1.6L. In another prank, we got a fellow presenter to dress up as a Pink Pig and giveaway free sausages to people in the street. Some years ago, I loved hearing listeners compete on air with the late Norman Thomas for a prize of a Dobber in something called 'what have I got in my hand'. That was pure genius! Can you believe that I recently heard Ken Bruce give away a CD Wallet. With prizes like that, this competition they call 'Pop Master' is doomed surely?

Features and competitions make a nice change but if that is all you have to promote, you are in trouble.

What is the worst prize you have heard being given away...

BBC LOCAL RADIO

I was sent a blog this week by a BBC Insider that was amusing to read but highlights a worrying trend for people to make up what they don't know.  The author is concerned about the reason for the delay in releasing my report. He is also worried that I have not commented on twitter about the remarks made by the Chairman of The Trust last week. He has a direct line to the top it seems and hears the delay is caused by a disagreement about what my report contains. If you can't get the story, let's all make it up is his motto. For the record, he knows nothing. Management have not sought any changes to the content whatsoever. The report was only delivered three weeks ago, slightly later than planned and it is their job to release it not mine. That is only right. 

Anyone who thinks my silence is an indication that I agree or disagree with Lord Patten is just guessing. Although, having read it through again this morning, I doubt it will match Patten for press coverage.