Mailwatch(ed) Forum

To collect bellwether insights into the public view, whether enriching or utterly bemusing, though I must confess I don't really listen beyond James O'Brien (and occasionally Matt Frei at the weekend).

I preferred it when that station couldn't get beyond London.

James O'Brien is excellent and I listen as often as I can. Shelagh Fogarty is sometimes good. I don't often listen to Eddie Mair because he clashes with PM which i wish he'd never left. Of the other presenters, I've caught bits and bobs, the only really objectionable ones I've heard are Ferrari and Iain Dale.

Oboogie wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 1:29 pm James O'Brien is excellent and I listen as often as I can.

"Pure poison for three hours", as a poster on a motoring forum I read described him.

LBC did stand for London Broadcasting Company or similar. But went national and invented some new words to fit the acronym. Bit like Sam’s advert after he fell out with his partner: ‘Wanted: Soul singer, must be called Dave.’

Boiler wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 1:40 pm

Oboogie wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 1:29 pm James O'Brien is excellent and I listen as often as I can.

"Pure poison for three hours", as a poster on a motoring forum I read described him.

They really do get offended by anything that isn't them.

davidjay wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 3:47 pm

Boiler wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 1:40 pm

Oboogie wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 1:29 pm James O'Brien is excellent and I listen as often as I can.

"Pure poison for three hours", as a poster on a motoring forum I read described him.

They really do get offended by anything that isn't them.

Would 'we' have said anything different listening to Farage though?

Boiler wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 3:59 pm

davidjay wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 3:47 pm

Boiler wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 1:40 pm

"Pure poison for three hours", as a poster on a motoring forum I read described him.

They really do get offended by anything that isn't them.

Would 'we' have said anything different listening to Farage though?

There's a bit of a difference between James O'Brien ridiculing racists and Farage enabling them.

I remember LBC form my school days.
Often on Dad's car radio because the traffic news was local and helpful.

Mornings tended to have a lot of "community" input.
Things like local Vicars or Rabbis doing a poundland "Thought for the day" and then giving a shout-out to their jumble sale.

I don't recall their having a big political agenda at the time, nor trying to lead anybody's conversation.
Of course, I'd have preferred to be tuned to Kenny Everett on Capital.
(Who turned out to have a big political agenda, but was bloody funny)

Does Kenny Everett qualify as a right wing comedian?

It was thanks to 'proper' local radio in the early 80s that I learned of porkers, baconers and cutters: it had fatstock prices at lunchtime.

Thank you Hereward Radio of blessed memory.

Brian Hayes used to be OK on weekday mornings. He had this thing where he insisted that callers back up their daft, prejudiced opinions with a bit of analysis or at least some evidence. Most, of course, couldn't.

Killer Whale wrote:Brian Hayes used to be OK on weekday mornings. He had this thing where he insisted that callers back up their daft, prejudiced opinions with a bit of analysis or at least some evidence. Most, of course, couldn't.

Challenging their insane prejudices by demanding facts? That's bullying, that is!

Caller irking Brian Hayes by saying she was against the Maastricht Treaty because she didn't know what it was about; 'How can you be against something you know nothing about? Stupid thing to say.' Sorely missed.

I've told this story before on the old forum, so apologies for those getting this again.

In 1994 my family went on holiday to Belgium. In every newsagent you could buy a straightforward guide to the Maastricht treaty, in Flemish, French, English or German, explaining exactly what the treaty meant, how it would affect workers, tourists, business owners, commercial travellers and so on. It cost about a pound in Belgian francs.

My dad loved it, but said that he could never envisage something like it being sold in the UK, except at prohibitive cost or only from a select few outlets. Because, as he put it, the government and media in the UK love to talk down to the public and treat them as a bit thick, and don't trust or want them to actually understand things.

Somewhere I've got a copy of the English version, so there was one. How many were sold, and how many were read, is another matter.

Because, as he put it, the government and media in the UK love to talk down to the public and treat them as a bit thick, and don't trust or want them to actually understand things.

PMs that talk to voters like ten year olds do seem to be popular. Not just Bozo, Blair got a hearing by talking without verbs. But he had substance to match gift of the gab, which is the holy grail of poitical leadership.

I was listening to Maajid Nawaz at lunchtime. Ten minutes uninterrupted of anti-vax rant disguised as concern for parents. Luckily the adverts interrupted him.

Nic Ferrari’s favourite gammon herding subject is do-gooders giving light sentences to murderers and rapist (‘You’d get longer for hacking a phone..’). Due to having some broadcasting regulations to deliver balanced news, Ferrari has to interview a lawyer through gritted teeth who explains the logic and law behind supposedly insane decisions. Ferrari’s tracks are halted and then; “But this man killed a child and you think he should be released after 25 years?”

- “That’s a matter for politicians to decide in future legislation, I’m just here to explain the legal facts.”

“So should a rapists get shorter sentences than phone hackers?”

“As I just explained Mr Ferrari…”

Just like those morons who cannot understand that civil servants are there to carry out government policy and moan about things they think the civil service is doing wrong. Maybe they should think about moaning to their MP, as it is they, as government, who make the 'wrong' policies the civil servants carry out.

It really isn't rocket surgery.

Blairite centrist tuna melt James O'Brien having some excellent conversations with hauliers about the government's absurd kneecapping of the logistics and supply chain with IR35, Brexit, and the "pingdemic" so far this morning.