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By David
#177217
http://news.independent.co.uk/media/sto ... ory=638647

Radio 1 DJs face a summer inside as budget is slashed
By Ian Burrell, Media Editor
16 May 2005


BBC Radio 1, once the most popular radio station in Britain, has been told to implement a brutal round of cost-cutting in which it will have to slash its budgets by 15 per cent.

The cuts, part of the BBC director general Mark Thompson's sweeping programme of reforms, will mean that the radio station will have to axe some of its most expensive contracts and will threaten its involvement in covering major music events. The station has been told to find savings of more than £2.25m a year.

Long-standing Radio 1 features such as The Chart Show, a Sunday institution since 1967, could be dropped. The station will also be under pressure to reduce its financial commitment to a roster of major music events that includes coverage of the Glastonbury and Reading festivals and the Radio 1 Big Weekend, which was staged successfully in Sunderland this month.

The Radio 1 controller, Andy Parfitt, has agreed to make the cuts, which come at a time when the station has found a renewed confidence after a long period of decline. "We are going to make 15 per cent efficiencies," Mr Parfitt says in an interview published today in The Independent's Media Weekly. "It's the way of the world that not only do we have to re-energise our strategy and reinforce, but also it's a time of internal change at the radio station as we deliver our efficiencies for the future of the BBC."

Mr Parfitt will be anxious to keep job losses to a minimum among his 92-strong staff. He will also try to hold together a carefully revised presenting schedule that includes such names as Chris Moyles, Scott Mills, Jo Whiley, Sara Cox and Vernon Kay, and which is delivering a growing audience.

The controller said: "It means we have to look closely at the way we staff the radio station and whether we have the right sorts of jobs, and look at our expensive contracts and ask ourselves some tough questions about the value we get from them.

"It's a tough financial time, and at the same time I'm absolutely determined that we are going to improve quality for our listeners."

Last week, Radio 1 won five of the top prizes at the prestigious Sony radio awards, more than any other station.

The Radio 1 Chart Show, once presented by such well-known names as Tommy Vance and Paul Gambaccini, has had a troubled recent history. Mr Parfitt has replaced the young presenter Wes Butters with the pairing of JK and Joel, whom he recruited from a Manchester commercial station, Key 103. He will be anxious not to lose JK and Joel, but radio industry observers have questioned the relevance of the retail-based Chart Show in an era when savvy young listeners increasingly obtain their music by downloading.

The BBC's former head of music and entertainment Trevor Dann said months ago that "the charts are dead. Move on." Radio 1 buys a licence to broadcast the official charts from the Official UK Charts Company, which was set up by the British Phonographic Industry and music retailers. The BBC also pays for the charts to be broadcast on BBC1's Top of the Pops.

The cuts at Radio 1 are part of plans to make savings of £355m across the BBC with about 4,000 jobs set to go. Some staff are expected to stage walkouts this month in protest at the scale of the job losses.
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By Andy Bkr
#177219
agree that its probablt time to lose the chart show and id get rid of vernon and sara cox to save money i don't think they will be missed much
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By Mk.
#177220
Just read the news myself. Bit worrying I have to admit. I imagine the breakfast show's relatively large budget will suffer somewhat. I'll be gutted if it affects Glastonbury coverage, which Radio 1 has always done so well.
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By Gaspode_The_Wonder_Dog
#177231
Glastonbury has started to go downhill though.

just sack sara cox and play all music on her show.
By Jono
#177249
Well if they didn't waste there time doing Radio 1 Big Weekend jingles, getting the stars to do clips, and all these "great concerts" they bang on about for months it wouldn't be so bad.

Couldn't have come at a worse time, when Moyles seems to be going downhill some what.
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By Quincy
#177254
they should just have a skeleton staff of 10. they all take it in turns to present and then do other boring stuff. only permitted 5 hours of sleep in a 24hr period per person. they should make up their own music and songs so they dont have to pay royalties. all who work their have to bring in their own packed lunch and the canteen shut down. no heating or light just a box of matches for 10p will cover both of them.
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By MK Chris
#177261
Your offer for the position of Radio 1 Controller must be in the post as we speak...
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By Uglybob
#177263
spending money on free concerts like one big sunday is kind of stupid. thats throwing money away
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By Gaspode_The_Wonder_Dog
#177269
yeah but i think its some of the best stuff radio 1 do.
By Jono
#177275
But crap radio in the run up to it.
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By Quincy
#177281
nothings as good as it used to be
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By DC
#177299
Dont worry about the DJ's, they will still get backhanders off record companies to promote crap like the Kaiser Cheifs. I can't help feel sorry for good bands that are trying to make it, everytime I hear them. Sample from their performance from "one big weekend" *shudders*, "Oh my god i can't belive it, I've never made a record this crap before". Yep they just got hyped up, the best part of that weekend was the sets from Judge Jules & Dave Pearce.
Although I do rate the foo fighters, they are top I have to admit. Probably the best band act. Thet called the chemical brothers dance music? All they did was make a noise for half an hour, with weird electronic sounds that sounded like feedback...
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By Quincy
#177301
would anyone say Jamiroquai are r 'n' b?
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By DC
#177305
J/K's stuff is classed as "Funk" as far as I know.
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By DemonHorse
#177306
downcount wrote:Dont worry about the DJ's, they will still get backhanders off record companies to promote crap like the Kaiser Cheifs. I can't help feel sorry for good bands that are trying to make it, everytime I hear them. Sample from their performance from "one big weekend" *shudders*, "Oh my god i can't belive it, I've never made a record this crap before". Yep they just got hyped up, the best part of that weekend was the sets from Judge Jules & Dave Pearce.
Although I do rate the foo fighters, they are top I have to admit. Probably the best band act. Thet called the chemical brothers dance music? All they did was make a noise for half an hour, with weird electronic sounds that sounded like feedback...


Kaiser Chiefs are great, but thats just a bad example, there is some utter dross that's been promoted and got to number 1.
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By DC
#177307
Kaisers are not my stuff, I guess they got a good review a 1 big weekend because of the hype & atmosphere. But if I like a rock song it has to be heavy and have a good amount of passion, perfect example Puddle Of Mud - Blurry.
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By DemonHorse
#177308
Nah I'd heard every day I love you less and less before radio 1 even played Oh My God, and then decided on the strength of that song as well that I liked their style... thanks for the reminder about puddle of mudd though *reminisces about the days of Mark and Lard debating whether you can have a 'puddle' of mud or whether it'd just be muddy water* I'm digging out their album again as I type.
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By Lucie
#177309
downcount wrote:Kaisers are not my stuff, I guess they got a good review a 1 big weekend because of the hype & atmosphere. But if I like a rock song it has to be heavy and have a good amount of passion, perfect example Puddle Of Mud - Blurry.


That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read. Well obviously not the most ridiculous, but it was rather amusing. 8)
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By Gaspode_The_Wonder_Dog
#177323
Mk. wrote:
Gaspode_The_Wonder_Dog wrote:Glastonbury has started to go downhill though.


Image


i have never been a fan of festivals anyway but Paul McCartney and Kylie Minogue? f*ck off.
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By Uglybob
#177333
a rock song to be heavy and you give the example of puddle of mudd, ahh thats ironic, dont you think
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By DC
#177351
OK then... Black Sabbath, I meant to say better than the Kaisers not heavier *sorry*. That screaming that comes from then in "everyday i love you less and less", did they forget the lyrics...? As i said, the foo fighters were the BEST band on that weekend, no question

OK thanks, good to know. Does anyone have the cat[…]