Manx Radio

[NegativeNeil]

21 hours ago, Stu Peters said:

James - part of the difficulty M.R. always faces is that

.... it’s shit and everyone knows it’s shit. Except for people over 80 years old, and the mediocre people paid to pump out shit who live in some sort of alternative reality bubble that ignores the fact that Manx Radio is totally shit in all respects. 

[dilligaf]

1 hour ago, NegativeNeil said:

.... it’s shit and everyone knows it’s shit. Except for people over 80 years old, and the mediocre people paid to pump out shit who live in some sort of alternative reality bubble that ignores the fact that Manx Radio is totally shit in all respects. 

Silly boy.

[Stu Peters]

NegativeNeil is a useless troll. Sometimes trolls are funny, but not Neil, he's not clever enough to be funny. Don't be like Neil.

[James Hampton]

22 hours ago, Stu Peters said:

James - part of the difficulty M.R. always faces is that whilst it has (so far) had the security of an annual government subvention, it is also increasingly expected to operate in the commercial world, to the point where I think the commercial income now needs to exceed the subvention. So it makes sense to me (and as ever I'm only posting in a personal capacity) to be a member of the CoC, which I think is more a traders association than a political lobby group. As far as I know 3FM and IOM Newspapers have been members for some time - not sure about Energy as Juan isn't keen on industry groups.

As to the independence of the media, I really, truly don't believe that any pressure is brought to bear on the local media to NOT report something (although I don't know about the former CM business, as it all seemed to go quiet prior to him standing down). But in all my 15 years at M.R. I've never been aware of a story being spiked or angled in anyone's favour. Even local hacks have a fierce sense of pride and honour - probably more than national journos - and would rail against any suggestions that they went easy on someone. The nearest I ever got was when a grumpy politician asked me not to let callers call him grumpy on air as it upset his wife. Nobody did so I wasn't compromised...

People think the media give too much exposure to IOMG press releases or news conferences or CoC comments - that's because they're there. They are the grist to the news mill. The same people complain if we give time to people like Bernard Moffatt or the unions. Thing is, the media doesn't make the news, we just report what other people are doing and saying and try to get an opposing point of view (difficult in a country that doesn't have an official opposition party). So if the National Association of One Armed Jugglers announced it was meeting in Douglas, chances are it would make the news, feature on Talking Heads and get Buster phoning in about jugglers he's known.

Roger - I think it's finally come to the point with the tech that it is able to provide something useful without requiring lots of new kit or any extra staff. I think it will really come into its own at election time so that people can actually see candidates sweat, or where Beth has lots of studio guests. Not much point on my show or Kinley's, but I'm on a diet just in case.

On a more sombre note, I've just seen on Facebook that long-time former presenter Suzy Richardson has died. She was a truly lovely woman and a great help to me when I started at the station as a freelancer in 2000. She was the person I trusted most to give me pronunciation advice on Manx place names (unlike some of the others back then). She'll be missed.

I fully agree Stu, MR has essentially the worst of both worlds - trying to be both commercial and publicly funded is a loose loose scenario really from the point of public perception, but that's government logic for you I guess. It would be a shame if it were forced to go fully commercial as the reality I would assume is that the basic format (a lot of presenter heavy content) is not commercially viable when compared to the likes of Energy and 3FM in the current market. I do think there is public service value in it though. Personally I'd love to see it go the way of subscriptions as is quite popular in the US - stations owned and controlled by the listeners, but I think that's unlikely unfortunately - it'd be out of government control then for one thing! I agree that as a station that needs to attract commercial revenue it makes sense for MR to be in the CoC, it's just the fact that my money is in that pot too that makes me feel slightly aggrieved I guess. If the BBC were to announce that they were funding unions or directors groups I think it would cause some questions - as noted it's the odd mix with MR that really muddies the waters. 

The only point I would have to disagree on is that the CoC is clearly not simply a traders association in the sense that you meant. Take a quick peek at their most recent strategy and objectives publication on the website - lobbying government basically makes up two of their big five objectives if you translate the jargon. The rest appears to be how to make more money to do that :-) I don't have a problem with that, they're perfectly entitled to their opinion on what's best for the island, perfectly entitled to lobby for that and I fully understand the difficult MR has in presenting a variety of views. To be fair the CoC vision of how the Island should be is probably what the majority want as they seem happy enough to vote in governments who agree. As already noted I'm probably just being a bit old fashioned thinking that public funded broadcasters should at least try to be seen to be neutral, even if the lobby group / political direction in question is the apparent mantra of the nation. 

I wouldn't question your word that you've never been lent on to NOT report something, but by the same turn I don't recall anyone going for the jugular on some of the larger advertisers who may also happen to be holding positions of national importance / economic control. Having said that it's a pretty rare occurrence with the mainstream UK media, or in fact any media, so that's not really a Manx specific observation and certainly not a criticism of MR presenters. 

[NegativeNeil]

7 hours ago, Stu Peters said:

NegativeNeil is a useless troll. Sometimes trolls are funny, but not Neil, he's not clever enough to be funny. Don't be like Neil.

You don’t like anyone telling the truth about your embarrassingly shit radio station. Something that shit could only exist in the IOM. Propped up by the taxpayer so that no matter how completely shit it is it can still cover the bills. 

[Augustus]

http://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/government-accused-of-tearing-up-fisheries-deal/

Changes announced by DEFA, which come into effect on 8th January, include the stipulation that all vessels licensed to fish for king scallops in Manx waters, irrespective of their port of origin, must report into a Manx port each day it fishes.

Curious to know what kind of sub-literate we pay at Manx Radio to write this sort of stuff?

[WTF]

1 hour ago, Augustus said:

http://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/government-accused-of-tearing-up-fisheries-deal/

 

Curious to know what kind of sub-literate we pay at Manx Radio to write this sort of stuff?

Ewan Gawne??  who just so happens to be Phil Gawne's offspring.  i'm surprised  DEFA  aren't subsidising MR.

[gettafa]

Phil  Gawne all over Manx Radio just now. News review of 2017.

Expect to hear a lot more of this guy.

[TheTeapot]

MLC election soon isn't there? You all know its gonna happen.

[thesultanofsheight]

2 minutes ago, TheTeapot said:

MLC election soon isn't there? You all know its gonna happen.

Yes it will be a done deal by the Manx Mafia to get the even more useless Gawne back in. 

[Declan]

Sadly, there’s no way Gawne will stand. If there’s a way back in for him before the next election it’s if Skelly goes upstairs and he wins the by-election in Rushen. 

[GreyWolf]

Gawne will never win a bye election in rushen again in my opinion and I think both watterson and Skelly need to jump upstairs if they want to stay in politics before next election,  jack carter won’t like this but i reckon if scampi Hampton starts his campaign early he will be a shoe in, also kemp wasn’t that far behind add one or two decent newbies and old guard will be toast.

[dilligaf]

2 hours ago, GreyWolf said:

Gawne will never win a bye election in rushen again in my opinion and I think both watterson and Skelly need to jump upstairs if they want to stay in politics before next election,  jack carter won’t like this but i reckon if scampi Hampton starts his campaign early he will be a shoe in, also kemp wasn’t that far behind add one or two decent newbies and old guard will be toast.

Is that a joke ? Hampton and Kemp. Do we not have enough idiots already ? Well not idiots as such, but people not capable of running an egg and spoon race, let alone a Government.

[dilligaf]

2 hours ago, Declan said:

Sadly, there’s no way Gawne will stand. If there’s a way back in for him before the next election it’s if Skelly goes upstairs and he wins the by-election in Rushen. 

I'm not sure he would want to, but if he does, I hope he gets in. 

[gettafa]

1 hour ago, dilligaf said:

I'm not sure he would want to,

Bollocks. How can you say that.

More like he has been wide-eyed awake every night since the election wondering how the hell he didn't walk back in. Every political headline (such as Howard as Chief Minister) will be like a knife through his heart.

And every time his more-or-less replacement Jason Moorhouse makes the headlines that knife will be red hot (I suppose that particular bit can all be blamed on giving 6-year-olds the vote).

 

Edited December 31, 2017 by gettafa