16 January 2012

666 Radio - is it all just inanities?

| Madam Cholet
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I’ll get this out of the way early…I’m a listener to ABC Radio – namely our local 666. I listen to it in the car and in my office at work – it’s background noise and I tune in and out depending on what I’m doing at the time. I really appreciate the local angle. On most occasions I find the conversation interesting. It’s not always to my liking, either a bit daft or a bit out of my sphere of interest, but not too many of those occasions.

Of late though I have become aware of a noticeable reduction in quality. I know that this is mainly because of the national programming regime around this time of year, i.e. they cut to Brisbane for the morning and Sydney for the afternoon.

Recently however Canberra has been delivering some of those broadcasts and I have to say, the stand-in presenters, (usually program producers or other station staff who don’t have voices for radio), and the quality of the topics really seems to be scraping the bottom of the barrel.

This morning as I was driving in to work, the stand-in presenter was discussing favourite salads, and talking to a woman who had obviously written some kind of recipe book. We got to hear all about their favourite ingredients and the fact that the presenter didn’t think fruit had a place in salads, whilst the guest clearly did.

Then they moved on to dressings – and the value of making your own over buying in the supermarket.

Their twitter conversation was apparently going mad on it, but I was driving along wondering whether I had accidentally tuned into Radio Womens Weekly. It seems to be on-air the equivalent of Twittering!

Has anyone else become aware of this noticeable shift in the quality of broadcasting at 666?

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According to the attached (section 30), it appears that ABC journalists/reporters get six weeks paid leave per year – and radio presenters seem to fit the definition of journalist/reporter under section 11, which seems odd . . .

http://www.fwa.gov.au/consolidated_awards/ap/ap765752/asframe.html

Waiting For Godot said :

“Interesting discussions”? Like Phillip Adams babbling on endlessly about the situation in Turkmenistan at the same time Kevin Rudd was being knifed and Gillard being installed as PM?

I can do without that kind of irrelevant, esoteric nonsense.

You’d undoubtedly find Alan Jones much more enlightening.

Clear_waters said :

So it is now proved that you also dont make friends talking about salad.

LOL.

creative_canberran said :

Looks like someone at ABC may have been listening: http://www.seek.com.au/Job/abc-content-maker-producer-local-radio-666-abc-canberra/in/act-act/21493007

They don’t seem to pay that well so maybe that’s why the content is on the downward slide!

Ello Vera said :

… They mention a topic then immediately ask people to phone, text or email their input. Who cares?

Hmmm, sounds amazingly similar to RA…

Ello Vera said :

…I would much prefer to hear interesting people telling me stuff than to hear some radiographic reproduction of social media…

…except on RA we’re all v. interested to read the posts of other ‘non-interesting’ people…?!? Hahahaha!

People who want serious topics can tune to Radio National instead of 666. Speaking of Radio National … does anyone know just where the ABC’s high-handed eight to 12 week shutdown originated? I’ve been back at work since 3 January, and I worked till lunchtime Christmas Eve. The ABC staff, on the other hand, have been on hols variously since November and early December, and don’t go back until next week! ABC radio, other than a “national” version of local radio, has been on summer repeats since early December, and the TV shows like Insiders etc closed down in November. Taxpayers are paying your wages, lazy ABC employees! Don’t expect sympathy when the razers are next wielded!

I’d happily cash in a stack of radio stations in favour of ABC DiG music radio. Consistently good music (which admittedly makes the very, very, very occasional dud stand out like dogs’ balls) and very light on the station IDs and other distractions.

Desert island radio.

I’m not a big listener of ABC 666 in the mornings but I was tuned in on Monday and yes, I reached for the dial before the salad discussion cranked up. But Laud love us, we’re all gloriously different and I was confident there would be a selection of the listening public that would be hanging on every syllable and lettuce leaf.

Probably the sort of people who post their evening’s menu on Facebook and have their friends answer, ‘Mmmmm, yummy. Can I have some?!’

Ain’t my glass of tea but happy for others to indulge. Which is why we have channel selector switches and CDs when it’s all too horrendous to our own tastes.

well, we’ve heard from our experts. what do you the audience think? write in now to the-riotact dot com and follow the links. but first, here’s the news headlines…

colourful sydney racing identity1:31 pm 17 Jan 12

Ello Vera said :

I have switched to Radio National unless the cricket is on. It seems that every time I listen to 666 they are asking the listeners to give them content. Continually.

They mention a topic then immediately ask people to phone, text or email their input. Who cares? I would much prefer to hear interesting people telling me stuff than to hear some radiographic reproduction of social media.

Same here, although I would have to add ‘/football’ after cricket and ‘ABC News Radio’ after radio national.

Ello Vera said :

I have switched to Radio National unless the cricket is on. It seems that every time I listen to 666 they are asking the listeners to give them content. Continually.

They mention a topic then immediately ask people to phone, text or email their input. Who cares? I would much prefer to hear interesting people telling me stuff than to hear some radiographic reproduction of social media.

+1

I have switched to Radio National unless the cricket is on. It seems that every time I listen to 666 they are asking the listeners to give them content. Continually.

They mention a topic then immediately ask people to phone, text or email their input. Who cares? I would much prefer to hear interesting people telling me stuff than to hear some radiographic reproduction of social media.

I’ve given up on 666 and have been listening to Jorain (not sure how you spell his name) Gardner on 2CC. At least he get’s fired up & talks about local stuff

well, i like it.

fond of louise maher’s 365 degrees of separation, though otherwise the music mix on 666 is pretty abysmal. but the relevance of being local is usually good – the opportunity to hear the local mlas going at each others’ throats is fun and when the world goes to hell in a handbasket, they’re always brilliant at playing a genuine community service role. plus, it’s my abc and i’ll damn well listen to it – or radio national when it isn’t too turgid…

First, ABC Local Radio is not.

Ross Solly does some good work, often in interviews after 8.30 am. The 6.15 am attempts at new drivel records with Dan Craig are pathetic, why not get straight on to what’s in the papers.

The summer replacements obviously do their best and at least they are locals. Why not give them regular slots on Saturday and Sunday mornings in place of the unctuous Greg Baylis and um, ah Ian err McNamara? I switch over to ABC FM News on those days.

At 9 am I sometimes listen to Ray Hadley to see what’s happening in that world – it often annoys me as much as 666 does, so that balances things out. Humph.

murraythecat9:49 am 17 Jan 12

And ALL of that, even the most inane prattle, sounds like intelligent discussion compared to Mark Parton.

Tennis should at least be on an FM station, so they can broadcast it in stereo and create the proper head-turning effect.

arescarti42 said :

That said Radio National have some pretty excellent programs on Saturday (e.g. Law and Health reports) and playback of programs from other networks (e.g. Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands, BBC, NPR) which I really love.

I only wish they’d do more of that during the week.

Since some gargantubrain at the ABC has decided that Radio National needs still more news and discussion (“When too much news is never enough!”), despite the ABC running News 24 TV and Newsradio, you may get your wish. Looks like they have exterminated the music programmes on RN, as of 23/1/2012.

gazket said :

why doesn’t the government sell the ABC and save us some money. The whole network is just dribble

The availability of radio stations without ads is totally worth the money the government puts into the ABC. Nothing I hate more then a short car trip with someone who listens to a commercial station, where you just happen to hear nothing but an ad break for the entire trip.

colourful sydney racing identity9:29 am 17 Jan 12

Oh dear god, tennis on the radio? What next poker?

DermottBanana8:54 am 17 Jan 12

When the tennis coverage starts on 666, you’ll pine for such inanities.
Seriously, tennis? On the radio??

Waiting For Godot said :

Merle said :

I thought that was what 666 was for – people who LIKE inane witterings about gardening and salad and the best kind of seed for birdfeeders. Listen to Radio National if you want to hear interesting discussions.

“Interesting discussions”? Like Phillip Adams babbling on endlessly about the situation in Turkmenistan at the same time Kevin Rudd was being knifed and Gillard being installed as PM?

I can do without that kind of irrelevant, esoteric nonsense.

That said Radio National have some pretty excellent programs on Saturday (e.g. Law and Health reports) and playback of programs from other networks (e.g. Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands, BBC, NPR) which I really love.

I only wish they’d do more of that during the week.

gazket said :

why doesn’t the government sell the ABC and save us some money. The whole network is just dribble

Chanelling today’s Daily Telegraph, eh? That will rot your brain even faster than 666 will!

Good call johnboy.
The nonsense this morning about “how many frogs did you here” was about the limit. I am now going to listen/watch the ABC 2 morning show with presenter V I Trioli.

benett said :

Though I’m sorry to say that each time I have tuned into 666 ABC Canberra I have cringed. Crapping on about digital radio and how good it is *god help me* at every opportunity

Actually there is one good thing about digital radio – ABC Jazz (two if you count SBS Chill). No announcers…

Clear_waters said :

So it is now proved that you also dont make friends talking about salad.

Bwahaha. Gold!

why doesn’t the government sell the ABC and save us some money. The whole network is just dribble

Clear_waters10:20 pm 16 Jan 12

So it is now proved that you also dont make friends talking about salad.

Hi madamcholet,

I agree. It’s rubbish. Morning show = rubbish. The whole day = rubbish. Anybody would think Canberra is full of 55 year old women who sit at home all day in Red Hill, pruning their rose garden and baking scones with jam.

Oh dear, how wrong the 666 ABC team are. And how boring are they? My god ….It’s pitiful.

The regular ‘line-up’ are the ultimate bunch of wowsers that definitely appear to have less than the slightest idea about anything remotely interesting. What’s worse, either the presenters themselves or their 666 ABC management seem to want to increase (not maintain) the status quo.

I want to tune into 666 ABC Canberra throughout the day whilst I am driving, and their is not much else. Radio National, JJJ, 2UE, 2GB with Ray Hadley and the mouths etc. Though I’m sorry to say that each time I have tuned into 666 ABC Canberra I have cringed. Crapping on about digital radio and how good it is *god help me* at every opportunity and 30 minute in-depth conversations about sock weaving, jam making and frickin’ KILLING ONE’S SELF!!!!!!!!

It’s the most dull, depressing, boring and un-imaginative and non-talented heap of turnip cooking crap I’ve ever come across.

Summary of presenters:

Ross Solly = Marginally funny at the best of times.
Jo Laverty (Ross Solly’s substitute) = About the same as a Canberra Grammar year 9 student)
Alex Sloan = Old fogy and extremely outdated and bloody boring
Genevieve Jacobs = Seems like an insular ex-primary school teach from Red Hill who loves finger painting, the history of Burley Griffin’s winter umbrella and gum tree’s – yay!
Louise Maher – Hasn’t been south of Parkes Way or north of the Barton Highway/Northbourne Ave and loves a good tale about gum nut poachers. Indulging in pointless conversations about line-markings on roads and whether they should be dashed or dotted, reading many books, and appreciating ‘artists’ like Guy Sebastian.

Yep ………..

As someone who moved to Canberra a bit over 2 years ago 666 is way better than 702 was when I left it – 702 just had wet men – Richard Glover tells the same joke over and over for the period of a week and then when its finished writes it up as a column for the Saturday Herald – I can cope with reading it once – not the painful repetition. And at that stage 702 had the world’s worst presenter in Deb Cameron who apparently has been boned (she used to end her segment with ‘hooroo – need I say more).
No Ross Solly is way better than Adam Spencer, Louise Maher and Alex Sloane are also great. Genevieve is an annoying combination of being completely naff as well as highly pretentious but I can avoid her.
Canberrans are well served by their local ABC – yes Jo and Ginger are nothing special but Sydney is probably facing a far worse fate.

Wife and I were driving in separate cars today while the salad lady was on.

When we both arrived home, we had a wonderful discussion about our favourite salads. Sad, but very true…..

I loved Louise Maher during 666Breakfast – played great music. Pity she can’t work 24/7! No, really, I do miss Ross in the mornings, but am so sick of these local radio presenters over the summer. Agree that some of the Canberra standin broadcasters (aka producers) do not have the voice for radio. Jo Laverty? Ginger Gorman? Bring back our regulars! What was that awful song that Jo played this morning about a wedding ring… aaagghhh

creative_canberran7:48 pm 16 Jan 12

johnboy said :

Bugger all resources? They’re better resourced than any other facility in town with the possible exception of the Canberra Times.

No researchers, talent and production roles often merged. Take out the bread and butter TV news content and I’m guessing there’s not much left over.

I’m only going on whispers from the inside though.

Martlark said :

I only listen to 666 for local news, but last few years what we have been getting is mediocre music, and inane prattle. Each time the weather guy comes on to babble about the weather is the TV cross promotion at about 5:30pm I wake up and turn it off. For a local radio station it often does not have much of local interest. It truly is shocking that the most amount of local news happens between 8:30am and 9pm and the rest of the day is fluff.

*You* think it’s tedious! – imagine working as a producer at the ABC: you get to work each morning, and think to yourself, “hey-ho, I need to come up with yet another day of inane crap to follow-on from the 2,619 days of inane crap I have previously had the joy of creating.;…”

Of course, the good thing about our tedious old 666 is that it’s so much better than virtually everything else on the radio.

creative_canberran7:06 pm 16 Jan 12

When I listen to 666, it’s always for AM or PM. As soon as either finishes and it returns to local content, the difference is night and day. You can hardly believe it’s the same broadcaster.

Let’s be honest though, are any AM broadcasters in Canberra any better? Indeed is 666 any worse than the others? At the end of the day ABC Canberra has bugger all resources so they do their best.

Bugger all resources? They’re better resourced than any other facility in town with the possible exception of the Canberra Times.

I think conversations about best salad and other lovely little anecdotes is perfect for this time of year. Just like being at a friend’s house for morning tea. Would you rather the program be broadcast from Sydney like it was when John Faign was doing mornings?

Waiting For Godot5:09 pm 16 Jan 12

Merle said :

I thought that was what 666 was for – people who LIKE inane witterings about gardening and salad and the best kind of seed for birdfeeders. Listen to Radio National if you want to hear interesting discussions.

“Interesting discussions”? Like Phillip Adams babbling on endlessly about the situation in Turkmenistan at the same time Kevin Rudd was being knifed and Gillard being installed as PM?

I can do without that kind of irrelevant, esoteric nonsense.

I only listen to 666 for local news, but last few years what we have been getting is mediocre music, and inane prattle. Each time the weather guy comes on to babble about the weather is the TV cross promotion at about 5:30pm I wake up and turn it off. For a local radio station it often does not have much of local interest. It truly is shocking that the most amount of local news happens between 8:30am and 9pm and the rest of the day is fluff.

The quality drops through the floor at this time of year. With any luck it’ll come good by February.

miz said :

Sorry that’s ABC 702 Sydney

The good thing about having the radio on the iphone is I can listen to ABC Darwin if I want. All for the same megabits (is that correct?) as listening to 666.

Listening to Ginger tell me all the way home what is coming up gets a little tedious though. Just get to it Ginger, I’m off the bike and in to the shower and a beer by the time what’s coming up actually comes up!

And, what’s so bloody interesting about the question ‘what’s the coldest you’ve ever been? Just because we broke a January low temp record. I mean, do we really need the deep freeze worker from Woolies tell us about the time they just ducked into the freezer without putting on that big green suit?

I thought that was what 666 was for – people who LIKE inane witterings about gardening and salad and the best kind of seed for birdfeeders. Listen to Radio National if you want to hear interesting discussions.

Sorry that’s ABC 702 Sydney – podcast link here

http://www.abc.net.au/sydney/features/podcasttgifsydney.xml

Best ABC Radio of the week (during normal programming periods) is Richard Glover’s Thank God It’s Friday (TGIF) between 5 and 6pm. Usually Richard (a Canberran) has three comedic guests eg Anthony Ackroyd, one of the Chaser boys, Jean Kitson etc, to dissect the news of the week in interesting ways.

If I am lucky I can catch the last half of TGIF via the web after I get home. If I have driven to work that day for some reason, I put up with a bit of scratchy sound to get it on the car radio (I can pick up 702 pretty well). It is also podcast, but I wish the local ABC would syndicate it.

Talk radio is an appalling thing. I haven’t listened to any for about 5 years.

Why would you bother when you can listen to music?

I remember a few years ago they had Alan Brough standing in on a national basis. He was obviously not experienced at that stage on radio, and I recall a great attempt at an interview where the guest was not audible but no one realised for the whole interview – so funny, but mistakes aside he still managed to have interesting topics and guests. Seems these days they don’t bother trying to even be interesting.

But maybe I’m being a bit harsh and salad is all there is to talk about in January. For the record I do like salad and I do like a bit of fruit in my salad.

I like my inaneBC. Otherwise I’d have no reason to roll over and hit the snooze bar a few times each morning…

Thoroughly Smashed2:58 pm 16 Jan 12

Inanity? Is Ross Solly back?

The only way to become an experience broadcaster is through being an inexperienced one.

The ABC career system appears to mean this time of year is one of painful learning curves for all involved.

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