Radio Review: 16 November

The BBC isn’t all bad, but letting go of Danny Baker was the Corporation at its worst
Louis-Barfe-newBWWhen Barack Obama was elected US President in 2008, my daughter was six months old. My wish to stay up all night and watch the coverage on television dovetailed nicely with her desire to stay up all night on account of being a baby. So it was that Primrose and I watched America acquire its first black President together, something that I’ll remind her of long after she’s ceased to be interested in the fact.

Now she likes undisturbed slumber in preparation for her school day and my body clock seems to have changed too, so staying up all night was not an option for either of us. I took to bed with a small radio, and Jim Naughtie in my earphones. I drifted in and out of consciousness, but the moment I heard that Fox News had called Ohio for Obama, I sat bolt upright in bed and was gripped by the coverage for a couple of hours until Romney conceded. This was the BBC at its best.

Unfortunately, at the moment, the Corporation seems hell-bent on making it hard even for me to love and defend it. First, Radio 2 ditches Mike Harding. Then, BBC London cans Danny Baker’s afternoon show as part of the local radio budget cuts. Surreal trivia is being sidelined to make way for worthy discussion of local issues. Baker had been asked by management not to say anything until they were ready to make an announcement, but surely they must have realised that he wasn’t going to comply? Instead, he went straight on-air and did two hilarious, bittersweet hours with Amy Lamé and Baylen Leonard all about the cancellation.

Some thought Baker was arrogant in his declaration that he had carried the station on his shoulders for a decade, and wondered how other presenters and staff must have felt. Listening to the show, I thought I detected tongue lodged in cheek as he said that. Anyway, the station’s staff gathered outside his studio and formed a cheering guard of honour as he left.

Yes, I can get a Baker fix on Radio 5 Live every Saturday morning, but the daily BBC London show was streets ahead of the national offering. The listenership was a massive, inclusive club, sharing a wealth of in-jokes. I’ll still tune in for Robert Elms, but it won’t be the same, knowing the Candyman isn’t coming next.

Danny Baker, BBC Radio 5 Live on Saturdays at 9am.

BEERLING’S BID

Former BBC Radio 1 controller Johnny Beerling is chairing a consortium bidding to provide the Yorkshire town of Skipton with a community radio station. The retired executive, who recently published his memoirs, Radio 1: The Inside Scene, lives in the area.

Follow Louis on Twitter: @LadyWireless or email him at: wireless@cheeseford.net
Louis’ blog is on www.lady.co.uk