I note with interest that Channel 4 may restart "Talk Radio UK" if it wins the second DAB multiplex. This got me thinking just how bad "talk" "radio" is in this country compared to the USA.

I can listen to Rush Limburgh, Coast to Coast AM, even the likes of Alex Jones till it falls out of my ears, but Jon Gaunt on Talksport (coincidentally in JK's old slot) is just absolutely dreadful as a broadcaster (just there because his column in The Sun states "talkSPORT") as he has nothing interesting to say except for hysterical ranting and raving, aiming at the lowest common denominator of an audience.

James Whale aside, why can't we do USA style radio in this country?

I actually don't rate James Whale either. The best broadcaster I ever heard on Talk sport was James H Reeve, but who was sacked due to a stalking conviction. Tommy Boyd wasn't bad, a bit of a wishy washy Liberal type, and Mike Dickin's grumpy old man act made me laugh sometimes ( died in a car accident last year). I can't abide Mike Parry, love Hawksbee and Jacobs.

Still like James Whale - his show used to be a bit too off the wall and juvenile, but seems to be a bit more serious these days.
I am lucky to get Tommy Boyd down here on Radio Sussex in the afternoons. Makes me cringe sometimes with his condescending and sarcastic manner towards callers, but still good listening, even though he gets quite a few old grannies.
I've found Ian Collins is quite good on talksport doing the graveyard shift, but cant really stand Mike Mendoza and the American exchange DJ he has on - they just seem to have a bit too much tunnel vision and always gang up on and cut off anyone who doesn't share their views.

I have a soft spot for Whale as he was one of the few to dare to stand up for me and I regard him as a friend - he was also one of the first original British guys in the area.

Loved Tommy Boyd when we worked together - give him my regards Foz...

I have always rated James Whale highly since I started listening to him on local radio over twenty years ago. He was a real pioneer of the talk radio format in those days.

Tommy Boyd is the greatest broadcaster in this genre, in my opinion. There is genuine intelligence and panache in his style. A media rarity in this day and age sadly.

As for Jon Gaunt, I couldn't agree with steveimp more. The very worst in tabloid journalism brought to life in the spoken word. Grizzly stuff. I have never managed to listen to him for more than three minutes without having to switch off for fear of having to throw my radio out of the window.

Anthony wrote:

As for Jon Gaunt, I couldn't agree with steveimp more. The very worst in tabloid journalism brought to life in the spoken word. Grizzly stuff. I have never managed to listen to him for more than three minutes without having to switch off for fear of having to throw my radio out of the window.

Gaunt's argument today was that because no one was calling in about his "discussion" he must be in the right. His style is cowardly and totally totally dreadful.

JK, I can't remember all those years back but with your show on the old Talk Radio was it a phone-in one?

Yes indeed; phones and interviews and lots of me - called the Waffle-logue!

I was not able to listen to your Talk Radio show often, JK, due to work committments. Once in a while, I listened while lazing in bed on a day off (yes, I know what time you were on- lazy so and so, me!) and it was always thoroughly enjoyable.

The same can most certainly not be said for the same slot now.

The speech radio industry in Britain is grossly under- developed.

Talk Radio had 2.8 million listeners compared to a far lesser number talkSPORT has, but the reason talkSPORT makes money and Talk Radio did not was because talkSPORT appeals to the ABC1 demographic, which are attractive to advertisers, as they are younger men with money to spend.

I think Talk Radio was ahead of its time in many respects, and may work better in its original format if it was tried again now. However, its crucial mistake was that it tried being all things to all people. Having Lorraine Kelly doing what was in reality a woman

Marcus wrote:
[quote]
It really is time speech radio was given the chance to make it

I haven't missed the point of Gaunty, Marcus. I can accept the research about Tommy Boyd. People who don't like him would be drawn into him through his skilful style of broadcasting. As for Gaunt, as I said, I don't like him and I cannot listen beyond three minutes.

The people who do listen are the ones buying into the rubbish of the gutter press. Salacious stories; the cost of asylum seekers; the type of destructive bile dished out as it was to JK, by desperados willing to sell their lies etc.

As steveimp said, the lowest common denominator.

You can't use Boyd and Gaunt in the same argument.

Well, I disagree. I reckon a lot of Gaunty's listeners listen because they DO'T like him and like not liking him- same as Boyd.

Yes, I accept Gaunty gets a lot of callers who reinforce his prejudices but the audience figures don't lie and there's more to it than lowest common denominator.

My own uncle is an example of this. He listens to Gaunty on his walkman during long walks most mornings, and disgarees with pretty much everything he says, yet likes the fact he can't stand him and keeps going back for more!

As for Boyd and his "reasoned arguments", I've heard him bully callers MANY times, particularly when they sound less educated than himself, and even cut them off before slagging them off. Maybe not on his cuddly little BBC local station where he works now, but in the old days this was certainly the case. So no, I don't think there is a massive difference between them in that sense.

Oh yes, I agree Boyd would bully callers. One of his trademarks was to introduce the most ludicrous of arguments, and then sucker the listeners in to calling him.

He would only destroy the ones who displayed an attitude suggesting they thought they were cleverer than him and could take him on. It was all part of his act and highly entertaining. The rare ones who could equal him would be kept on air for ages.

Miles away from Gaunt's unintellectual ranting. Still, far be it from me to say other people's tastes are inferior to mine. Those who don't like Gaunt can switch off, and I do!

JK

no one seems to have mentioned George Galloway. Partisan, one-sided but at least it is intelligent and thought through.

He offered Gaunt out for 3 rounds in the ring, all for charity, which makes him ok in my book