Manx Radio

[Twitch]

More propaganda from Manx Radio dressed up as a ‘public interest story and still no mention of their MD’s role on the board of the PMA, an outfit that nobody seems to have heard of until this issue arose.

 

 

[WKRP]

Thursday sees Manx Radio make their pitch to MHK’s to save the station in its present form.

They have been in full PR mode over the last week with a current and ex-director being put on the news, yet almost making the same points. The strange one was keeping advertising, not for the money and the £500,000 costs each year, but to let people know what’s going on! Surely they can do that without those very odd/doggy singing jingles. Ex-newsroom reporters tell of news stories that have had to be removed or rewritten due to pressure. If advertisers have had input into how some stories are reported that can’t be good.

What we should have been hearing is the other local broadcasters and newspaper editor invited on to give other views. Sadly it seems no one has bothered to try to balance this story.

What we should be hearing is how the station will cut its cloth to do what it can on money raised or given by the government and the end to the overspend in the future.

[piebaps]

But like the Murphys, you're not bitter

[Stu Peters]

1 hour ago, WKRP said:

Thursday sees Manx Radio make their pitch to MHK’s to save the station in its present form.

They have been in full PR mode over the last week with a current and ex-director being put on the news, yet almost making the same points. The strange one was keeping advertising, not for the money and the £500,000 costs each year, but to let people know what’s going on! Surely they can do that without those very odd/doggy singing jingles. Ex-newsroom reporters tell of news stories that have had to be removed or rewritten due to pressure. If advertisers have had input into how some stories are reported that can’t be good.

What we should have been hearing is the other local broadcasters and newspaper editor invited on to give other views. Sadly it seems no one has bothered to try to balance this story.

What we should be hearing is how the station will cut its cloth to do what it can on money raised or given by the government and the end to the overspend in the future.

I worked full time in the newsroom for 5 years producing and presenting Mandate. At no time was I EVER asked not to cover a story because of a commercial conflict. Not once, ever! I can't answer for my former colleagues but I suspect you are spouting bullshit or you've been talking to someone with their own warped agenda.

ETA: Of course the station is fighting back. It's under attack from politicians who know the cost of everything (including their massive PS pension shortfall) and the value of nothing, despite numerous glowing (and costly) reports commissioned by pretty much every new administration over the last 20 years. Would YOU roll over and take it? As to the advertising, I took from Charles Fargher's letter that he found it odd that they would consider removing over half of the station's funding if what MHK's really want to do is save the taxpayer money.  And other local broadcasters and the papers won't hesitate in covering this story as it unfolds. Can you really imagine me getting Ron or Juan on to bolster MR's case and provide 'balance'?

The overspend is not the real problem - which is about the fundamental basis of the public having its own radio station. It's no good cutting the coat until you know what cloth will be available after Tynwald has had its say.

Edited December 6, 2018 by Stu Peters

[GreyWolf]

I can take or leave manx radio, some things they do very well and some of it is complete rubbish to me but I still believe it has a place,  my worry is political interference will come as the government don’t like criticism or healthy debate on certain programmes it runs.

I am sure there are savings than can be made at management level or reverting to a jukebox station from early evening maybe? our government always seems to go for the easy targets when it should be looking inwardly at our bloated civil service. How about they absolutely demand bbc pays something toward its running cost and top slice 24 mhks down to 20 with 4 mlcs to go now that would more than make up the shortfall and we certainly wouldn’t miss some of them now would we.

[gettafa]

9 hours ago, Stu Peters said:

I worked full time in the newsroom for 5 years producing and presenting Mandate. 

With little support.

These days there is an army of 'em involved. You lose James Davis and replace him with a plethora of wannabes.

MR seems to be a gravy train these days. Lots of part-timers on enough of a wack to make a living. At the end of the day who is paying for it all?

Produce an organigram for a start and let's see what's going on up yonder.

I'm not anti-MR, far from it, but there comes a time when it would appear far too much piss is being taken.

 

[hissingsid]

I like MR and think it is a valuable asset although I do think it is bloated.    It is however proving a welcome distraction for the government to keep attention off the real issues the Island is facing.    As someone has already said always attack the easy option, this is what Beecroft did when she stopped Meals on Whees instead of sorting out the hospital, I wonder if the vulnerable people are alright with eating frozen meals 365 days a year, frozen food is ok now and then but I would not like it all the time.   Unfortunately the firm who was providing chilled food has stopped, it was obviously uneconomical so perhaps the money Meals on Wheels were getting was not so over the top after all.   The other companies who do this are expensive if someone is on a basic starter pension.   Sorry to go off topic but the cuts and attacks are always aimed at the poorest and the easy targets, distraction is the oldest trick in the book and the most effective.   Perhaps if they had not had the underwhelming Year of 2018 which cost apparently £300,000 we could have left Manx Radio alone and even fed some very vulnerable people.   These vanity projects sicken me.

[Stu Peters]

21 minutes ago, gettafa said:

With little support.

These days there is an army of 'em involved. You lose James Davis and replace him with a plethora of wannabes.

MR seems to be a gravy train these days. Lots of part-timers on enough of a wack to make a living. At the end of the day who is paying for it all?

Produce an organigram for a start and let's see what's going on up yonder.

I'm not anti-MR, far from it, but there comes a time when it would appear far too much piss is being taken.

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but there were just as many people (if not more) producing Mandate content 'in my day' as there are now - the difference is that instead of a single host/presenter the newsroom staff pretty much all get a chance to present when they're considered ready. I think that's probably a good thing.

Don't know why you think it's more of a gravy train - everybody on the front lines is expected to do more than ever before and resources (as in many organisations) are stretched pretty thin.

[Uhtred]

I trust Manx Radio a damn sight more than I trust Howard Quayle, his shady government and the lick-spittles in Tynwald.

[gettafa]

1 hour ago, Stu Peters said:

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but there were just as many people (if not more) producing Mandate content 'in my day' as there are now - the difference is that instead of a single host/presenter the newsroom staff pretty much all get a chance to present when they're considered ready. I think that's probably a good thing.

Don't know why you think it's more of a gravy train - everybody on the front lines is expected to do more than ever before and resources (as in many organisations) are stretched pretty thin.

Is there an organigram for then and one for now? 

[woolley]

4 hours ago, GreyWolf said:

I can take or leave manx radio, some things they do very well and some of it is complete rubbish to me but I still believe it has a place,  my worry is political interference will come as the government don’t like criticism or healthy debate on certain programmes it runs.

I am sure there are savings than can be made at management level or reverting to a jukebox station from early evening maybe? our government always seems to go for the easy targets when it should be looking inwardly at our bloated civil service. How about they absolutely demand bbc pays something toward its running cost and top slice 24 mhks down to 20 with 4 mlcs to go now that would more than make up the shortfall and we certainly wouldn’t miss some of them now would we.

And that would be just the start. I'd love to organise a "who does what" work evaluation study across the IOM public sector. I don't think there has ever been such an external audit by an objective external body and, I fear, nor will there ever be.

[Stu Peters]

Isn't an organigram what Jane Fonda used in Barbarella?

Either way, I don't know. I expect there's a 10 year old internal phone list at home somewhere, which I could compare to the current version. I suspect it will be much the same.

[P.K.]

2 hours ago, woolley said:

And that would be just the start. I'd love to organise a "who does what" work evaluation study across the IOM public sector. I don't think there has ever been such an external audit by an objective external body and, I fear, nor will there ever 

The problem is, as it always is, the stakeholders have to buy into the results before the review takes place.

That's why it will never happen.

The CS/PS are the largest employer and therefore the largest political lobby on the island.

Which is why the CS/PS dictate to Tynwald how things will be and not, which is how it should be, the other way around.

Because those on the Tynwald gravy train want it to stay that way. Altruism rules ok. As long as they can go on Commonwealth jollies and get dressed up and ponce about like a bunch of Little Lord Fauntleroys they're happy to be told what to do to maintain the status quo.

Self-centred prats....

[Kopek]

The answer is obvious.... ask 3FM and Energy if they are willing to provide a Public Broadcaster service, that is, alert us to an imminent nuclear attack!!! If so, get rid of MR and its cost to the tax payer , the majority of whom probably do not listen to MR?

More seriously, ask 3FM and Energy if could they work out between their selves that one should move to an over 60s audience type of prog, provide an in depth news service and do this without Govt subsidy. Tis would increase their advertising revenue, not necessarily by the full amount of MRs revenue but more than they have at present. Then close down MR.

[dilligaf]

4 hours ago, Kopek said:

The answer is obvious.... ask 3FM and Energy if they are willing to provide a Public Broadcaster service, that is, alert us to an imminent nuclear attack!!! If so, get rid of MR and its cost to the tax payer , the majority of whom probably do not listen to MR?

More seriously, ask 3FM and Energy if could they work out between their selves that one should move to an over 60s audience type of prog, provide an in depth news service and do this without Govt subsidy. Tis would increase their advertising revenue, not necessarily by the full amount of MRs revenue but more than they have at present. Then close down MR.

You are joking, yeah ?

Just for one moment think about what you are saying and proposing.