The official 'Ask Aled' thread (Part Eight)

[neebs]

Radio 2 manage to play Oliver's Army without offending anyone. Is it because the song references "white n*ggers" instead of black ones?

And what is offensive about the Walking The Plank joke anyway?

[chrysostom]

i'm not quite with it right now - and can't remember the walking the plank joke.

but i really hope the punchline is about luncheon meat into happy time and begins with 'porking the...

[Aled]

Aled, what you have written and your insight into how policy has evolved and presumably will evolve is exactly what I had hoped to hear. You worried me before!

Thanks for taking the time to wade through all this, its generous in the extreme. You must feel attacked from time to time - I hope you "know" me well enough by now to know that its never going to be personal, I wouldn't want you to think that. But you are (for most of us) the only accessible source of inside information regarding the BBC, and I think we all value the BBC, what it does and what it represents, enough to have strong opinions on how its managed. I imagine you feel the same way. Ta.

Thanks Yudster. I appreciate it

[Aled]

aled why is that crap knan wave the flag still on the play list?
please make it go away

We have a bunch of songs that performed so well when they were on playlist that we play them for a while every now and then after they come off the list.

This song is one of them!

[Aled]

Fast forward 9 years and the 'N' word is one of the 4 most sinful words for the BBC and you will not hear it on Radio 1 without permission from the highest level.

Interesting stuff. Hypothetically, if there was a cover version (by a credible artist) of Oliver's Army by Elvis Costello, which uses that word in a slightly different context, would it get airplay?

I couldn't comment on specifics because it wouldn't be me making that call so I might get it wrong. The important word is context though.

I post on here regarding the breakfast show on BBC Radio 1 which is the breakfast show the BBC provides for young people. There is no other. No Radio Half, we're it. So we have to be the most careful.

Other parts of the BBC can do much more when it's in context. e.g. the uncensored version of Cee-Lo's Forget You (F**k You) was played on Grimmy's show. So if they had a good reason why it should be played then permission would be given.

[Aled]

no. just like if the c word was used in an innocent context, it wouldn't change anything.

once a word is deemed offensive, it's crossed a bridge that is nigh on impossible to go back on.

i'd like to make the word 'panties' deemed offensive.

If I ever become important enough - I'll ban 'panties' on the BBC for you.

[Aled]

and why dont you stop being a complete tit askin dick head questions!
for the record i dont like you your a tool! duckie is cool

This person makes even me seem sane.

On a more serious note aled
With christmas round the corner. (i work at morrisons. they are on the shelves now. god help us) is there any special treats or ob's planned for christmas. Like the chris moyles lights switch on in a town/city or a night with the chris moyles show maybe???

There are two big projects planned. One when we come back from holidays in November and another that was pencilled in for next week. We've now decided to move next week's special project but we haven't decided yet where it's going to go. It might be closer to Christmas, or perhaps after our return in January.

if i could pitch a idea too you. maybe instead of doing a night with chris moyles careoke nights. How about say you do Rob d.j's Monday Night pub quiz night. I seem to remember it worked quite well when you kind of did it on a ooutside broadcast sometime, (i think it was a saturday show in 08 or 09) and i imagine it would work well if you gave the tickets away in 4's like you have done, you can take that as a team, and say yourself, rachael. (as she wants last night out with you all) rob d.j himself, or even celebrities/friends of the show. (i.e jake humphry doing 10 f1 questions, lorro doing 10 football questions, diana vickers doing 10 music questions for example) and you could maybe have 50 or so questions. and hand out a prize to the winning team. I would find it a laugh and a entertaining evening.)

It's noted. I'll pass it on to the team

Ultimately things like this are also down to Radio 1. Is this the kind of event they want right now? At the moment it's no. But perhaps we could sneak a quick one in before our Christmas break. (btw the Christmas dates aren't very good to us this year - but I'll keep my eyes open for an opportunity!)

[MK Chris]

On a slightly related note, Aled, how come the same rules don't seem to apply to radio and TV as regards the watershed and swearing? Why would something played at say 10 or 11pm still need special permission (if I have interpreted you correctly) even though after 9pm on TV, there seems to be no problem with language?

[DevilsDuck]

Aled.....I have been listening to one of the old podcasts when you first had Steve and his table of pain on. Carrie said that it was how she imagined child birth to feel......any chance you can find out which is worse? Thanks DD

Next time I speak to her - I'll ask!

thanks

When you go to lunch today.....

[bmstinton93]

Aled, are we ever going to get any audio or footage from the Folkface world tour? It doesn't seem to have been talked about that much on air really and I want to see it. I'm personally holding out hope for a live feature length DVD a bit like the U2 360 tour but bigger and better!

[Aled]

On a slightly related note, Aled, how come the same rules don't seem to apply to radio and TV as regards the watershed and swearing? Why would something played at say 10 or 11pm still need special permission (if I have interpreted you correctly) even though after 9pm on TV, there seems to be no problem with language?

I don't know I'm sorry. Ultimately it's down to the channel head- which for us is Andy Parfitt

[Aled]

Aled, are we ever going to get any audio or footage from the Folkface world tour? It doesn't seem to have been talked about that much on air really and I want to see it. I'm personally holding out hope for a live feature length DVD a bit like the U2 360 tour but bigger and better!

We don't talk about it much because it's not a BBC project. The show, Radio 1, the BBC and all it's rules, health and safety precautions etc are nothing to do with what Dom and Dave are doing so we can't talk about it on the show as if it is.

[neebs]

If I ever become important enough - I'll ban 'panties' on the BBC.

That's quality that is....

You may want to ask the ladies their opinion first tho....

[biggspuds]

no. just like if the c word was used in an innocent context, it wouldn't change anything.

once a word is deemed offensive, it's crossed a bridge that is nigh on impossible to go back on.

i'd like to make the word 'panties' deemed offensive.

If I ever become important enough - I'll ban 'panties' on the BBC for you.

Aled when not if..

[tizer]

Hello Aled, i would just like to say i think we need the old Aled back as over the last few days you seem to be turning into a new Rachel with the "time for song" lines. Which i know isnt a bad thing,but i miss the old "fun" you.

[Aled]

Hello Aled, i would just like to say i think we need the old Aled back as over the last few days you seem to be turning into a new Rachel with the "time for song" lines. Which i know isnt a bad thing,but i miss the old "fun" you.

Haha, I only say it when Chris looks to me to say it - as a feature on the show.

If I need to get a message to Chris I'll do it off-air. So don't worry. I'm not becoming Rachel!

[Yudster]

Well to be fair you could do worse!

[bmstinton93]

Aled, if you got approached to go on Strictly Come Dancing (Or Dancing on Ice) would you go on?

[tizer]

Hello Aled, i would just like to say i think we need the old Aled back as over the last few days you seem to be turning into a new Rachel with the "time for song" lines. Which i know isnt a bad thing,but i miss the old "fun" you.

Haha, I only say it when Chris looks to me to say it - as a feature on the show.

If I need to get a message to Chris I'll do it off-air. So don't worry. I'm not becoming Rachel!

Thank you for your reply and the reassurance Aled, keep up the good work on the show, and above your contribution to this site.

[shamrock student]

Hey Aled just a suggestion that came to mind. With the live streaming I think most people have a good idea of what happens during the show, but would there ever be a chance of putting together a youtube video of what happens with the team before and after the show. So for instance we see the prep that goes into the news and sport and see what exactly goes on behind the scenes between 5am-630am to get the show on the air and even how the post show meetings happen. (Chris rolling in at 6:32 is an optional extra ) If Doms grass cutting video could get over 600k views, I'm sure any video could do just as well!

Going back to the Christmas stuff, I thought Secret Santa a couple of years back was a very good feature.

[Aled]

Aled, if you got approached to go on Strictly Come Dancing (Or Dancing on Ice) would you go on?

YEAH! Of course!

[Yudster]

Ok - I have to say first that I didn't hear Dizzee Rascal this morning, but I've been talking to people who did. Doesn't sound to me like it was taken all that seriously.......what's your take on it?

[catherine]

I agree it wasn't taken seriously infact it was seriously played down and brushed under the carpet and if I was listening with my child I would complain, fan of the show or not.

Was Dizzee Rascal not briefed before the show because he has been a guest previously? If so do you think this policy should be changed seeing as we are now approaching the christmas promotion interviews? Also do you think, looking back, members of the team should have done more at the time when Dizzee Rascal said what he did? I know you can't be blamed for what guests say on the show but for someone to stand up and object to what has just been said and apologise seriously would get alot more respect then trying to joke about it and say later 'It's just Dizzee Rascal being Dizzee Rascal.'

[MK Chris]

To add to what's been said Aled, do you think that guests who make those sort of comments (particularly when it's clearly deliberate and Dizzee Rascal - whether or not he was briefed - I'm pretty sure would have known that it is inappropriate to make those remarks on breakfast radio) should be reprimanded on air, or even taken off air? Chris' response seemed to be more concerned with people eating their breakfast than people listening with kids, which was the wrong way to take it in my opinion.

Given that in Ofcom's response to Chris' accidental "*" way back when to the caller on Carpark Catchphrase, they took into account the fact that he was clearly upset and extremely apologetic straight afterwards, if (as I think it's safe to assume) there are complaints to Ofcom, do you think they will view the team's response as appropriate to the situation?

[bmstinton93]

Aled, what did you seriously think of Dizzee's comment earlier? Is he gonna be allowed on again or not? Did he get spoken to about it after or anything. Personally, I do like him and don't think it was completely bad even though he should have apologised but at the time i just don't think he realised it could be percieved as bad.