New radio station

[cinelli]

A new radio station, Times Radio, started last week. You can hear it on DAB and online. I read that it hopes to be a competitor for Radio 4 but my first thoughts are that it is closer to LBC. A number of familiar names present the programmes including Mariella Frostrup, Stig Abel, John Pienaar and Phil Williams. Any number of Times and Sunday Times journalists are available for informed comment. What makes this commercial station unique, I think, is that is has no adverts.

Cinelli

[Mike4]

A new radio station, Times Radio, started last week. You can hear it on DAB and online. I read that it hopes to be a competitor for Radio 4 but my first thoughts are that it is closer to LBC. A number of familiar names present the programmes including Mariella Frostrup, Stig Abel, John Pienaar and Phil Williams. Any number of Times and Sunday Times journalists are available for informed comment. What makes this commercial station unique, I think, is that is has no adverts.

Cinelli

Ok I'll ask the numpty question. How will it make any money without advertising?

[kempiejon]

To flog more Times and Sunday Times subscriptions, like the Grand Ole Opry though wasn't that was a show rather than the whole station?

[Redmires]

The problem with these familiar names taking the shilling is that suddenly they become a non-entity. Take Eddie Mair, who was my all time favourite broadcaster. He has all but disappeared (outside London at any rate). Such a pity. I can't see Times Radio lasting long without adverts, being subsidised by Murdoch's other concerns. Newspaper sales and revenues are falling rapidly and that rate will only increase. I'll give it a listen, though it will be interesting to see if it retains any sense of balance (not one of Murdoch's strong points

[MaraMan]

I have been listening from the start and think its pretty good. It's certainly a change from the Today program on Radio 4, which has become tired and boring.

MM

[bungeejumper]

I just took a look at the website, and I reckon the schedule could do with a bit of sharpening up. Or, ideally, a lot.

6 am to 10 am with Aasmah Mir (who she?); 10 am to 1 pm with Matt Chorley; 1 pm to 4 pm with Mariella Frostrup (who drives me nuts, but that's just me); 4 pm to 7 pm with John Pienaar; 7 pm to 10 pm with somebody called Phil Williams. So what sorts of things will they be discussing during their extended slots? No idea. Will they be doing interviews, and what sort? No idea. Will there be news reports on the hour? No idea.

So would I be likely to tune in to a three-hour slot on the off-chance that they might be tackling something I'm interested in? Or is it intended to be wallpaper radio, sold by the yard like a pop station?

BJ