1Xtra

[Martin Wheatley]

Stuart wrote

 >It's started - the bumping of the Peel show to a late night slot
 >again, as I discovered when I turned on last night and got some awful
 >sub-Craig David/Puff Daddy nonsense.

I think what they BBC are thinking is that when their terrestrial
digital tv service is launched this will cause a lot more people
to have access to the digital radio channels too.  Indeed if
the boxes are cheap enough it may be practical to buy one as a
dedicated radio receiver.  With this in mind they are trying to raise
the awareness of 1Xtra although I don't think that amateur dj on
Thursday is going to help much

There is an evening reorganisation on the way which we have crumbs of
info about at the moment.   What we do know is that Peel is staying in his
10PM slot for the 3 days but with the Peel Acres prog switching to Tuesday
with the Wed and Thurs shows from London.   He is likely to have a different
sort of lead in as the Evening Show is going for something as yet
unannounced with a wider musical range'.   Not that Lamacq could have a
much narrower range than at the moment - only American pseudo-punks/nu-metal
and AOR Britpop stadium bands need apply - you can count the number of 
sessions
by new British bands this year on the fingers of one hand! The program in the
past has always covered the more commercial end of the UK indie scene
but it seems to have lost its way completely now
Having said that the temptation to move Peel to midnight must be large for
a scheduler and Peel doesn't seem to mind now if they let him do it
from home so I wouldn't be surprised if its in the wind eventually
Nice though the Peel Acres and Maida Vale shows may be the consequent
reduction in the numbers of traditional style sessions does remove a very
large card from the hands of the programmes defenders.  I doubt the a & r men
listen to his show in the way they used to.  Its all becoming a bit cosy and
self indulgent.  I am not optimistic!

martinw