Read this: Times Radio programme director Tim Levell

The radiated a program with broadcast bionics creators of The Bionic studio the smarter way to make radio hello, I'm Stuart Clarkson coming up in just a moment we'll chat to the man in charge of programming at times radio which just launched this week later by Martin is here to talk through the rear of the news from the radio industry over the last 7 days and David Lloyd's radio moments memories of Eva and Liberty radio in London radio One loses, its am transmissions in the 90s.

Its happy 45th Birthday to Radio Trent music was composed by the UK on DAB digital radio on the X radio app and vy smart speaker this is x radio know your time good morning.

Welcome to a new voice in British radio at 6, I'm Asma meer first ever x Radio breakfast.

Thank you for your company the top stories this morning the prime minister at the start this week with the big talking point then after all the buildup x radio has arrived on the air and delighted to say this week on the podcast.

We've got the program director at x radio Tim Lavelle hi Tim hello.

Hello.

How are you? I'm alright.

What's up? How are you? And how's it been his first couple of days? I'm a little bit tired, but I will sleep.

Well.

I don't know what I think it's too hot anyway.

I hit the pillow and I fall asleep so I had an anxiety dream about a week ago where you're likely Stewart I dreamt that I've got a sports day with Heidi the controller 5 lives and I told her all the launch plans and 4 x radio and then I was really enjoyed myself in the dream and then I woke up then and then it said I was quite pleased that but you know I'm

I'm really pleased with how it's gone.

I feel that day one really was as smooth as I hoped.

It would be I did wanted to feel in a technically and Wise polished wood straight away feel at home it feel like they were in reassuring territory.

We got quite a lot of emails actually with people saying that all the things that they said it seems very familiar and I was reading courage by that and as you know that's partly because we have had presenters who are generally likeable and you know people can relate to that's one thing I think the technical team what really hard to find out a lot of the bugs, but then also they won I suppose I was pleased because it wasn't just move it also had some content that was really stand out so we had obviously the prime minister and that was a terrific thing that came into the building was in the studio, but through the shows we had really good guests to write through to sort Phil Williams in the evening.

Margaret Atwood and Richard henriques there was there was some kind of great highlights and I was I was pleased with you know that how it came across and the support from our colleagues across the company here.

So you probably cover wrapped by the times on Monday and the front page of the times Tuesday so that's what I feel like you know cautiously happy about how it's gone so far.

So it's just saying that I suppose not only the bus from from the team and the listeners but also from your colleagues at the times you gonna be front-page everyday.

Is that the mission I think I'll be hard to achieve and it's about it's about when we create news and you know we want to have music get so we'll we'll have to get on the front page on the inside pages as often as we can but I'm realistic that actually never great start but I think in some respects a day to is probably harder than day one because they want adrenaline keeps going to keep us going and Day 2 is just is when is of you realise actually this is a

Play out we've got to make Great Lives radio and that so that's a lot of work by the Producers they work long hours and then have rung up and we need to make something that is sustainable and a lot of chat on social media and some of the reporting in press about people not be able to get the station on a smart speaker and getting times radio Malawi I thought when that first started kind of being covered.

This is the office is a bad news story for you actually work quite well, because it's got more people talking about you.

I think that you know we wanted it to be smooth technical so we don't you didn't want that but I think we had to embrace it.

That's the thing that's what you're saying and I agree with you.

We had to say it wasn't intended actually we did on the morning at an interview with the program director of time reading Malawi and that was just great and the other thing though is that it? It has as you suggested highlighted that it we are available on smart speakers and also Amazon at work really hard overnight they fix the problem.

So that's good in fact.

It only affected about 5% of Amazon listeners.

But one thing that I did take from this is how many people listen to the radio on smart speaker that was true and you know it's true, but it really does matter to people and it's not currently at time of speaking working on Google smart speaker as it's working.

It's working now completely on Amazon but it's a really valuable way of getting ready to people.

I think one of the best smart speaker as well people really like this because they got one they know they got one was I put people probably can't count how many DAB radios have got in the car and home if they got them you know a smart speaker and I think people like to listen to radio that really matters had a lot of emails about it and please we can make some progress on fixing it, but yeah, it's one of those people will get x radio.

I think I got 7 smart speakers in my house and couple of more radios at the deal for supplying and obviously you probably won't want to give us any figures but in terms of the Online list your treasures for a while, but you have seen from day one how you've done in terms of audience is tuna.

Smart speakers on the app and online has that been better than you thought it might be I was pleased I was pleased I think the buzzer round x radio maintained itself going to DE1 we were trending on Twitter for a while for the right reasons as well before the Malawi thing and you know and I was I was I was seeing same numbers and they're looking good then looking good but you know it is different with outrage.

Are you it'll be a while before we know can how we doing and an online Disney only tells us something about about listening habits because it's different it's different from DAB radios for today to let the thing is room for the long run.

This is kind of a cliche isn't it? But we are in for the long run and we want to get listeners and keep this and I hope that people who sell bows on day one will come back on day two and a 3 because I like it as you know the schedule is very consistent Monday to Thursday it's different to get on a Friday

Agency and we will come to that schedule and then weekends it's different again, but I've tried to make the whole schedule as consistent as possible to the blocks of very structured and I want people to be able to navigate it in the head quite easily.

You know it's always breakfast included at a certain time but silly point but the late night is always it's 12:50.

It's the same thing we do the papers every night at 10:30 7-days a week.

So you've got that real of those navigation point for listeners have really useful and you were set up as I can a Challenger for Radio 4.

It's probably clear to most people not trying to be Radio 4.

It's very much live programmes with news and discussion rather than have built programming as Radio 4 does what is your target audience very happy people move from the times.

I wouldn't I wouldn't agree that we have the challenge of Radio 4 think we're a Challenger brand as in you know it's kind of like good had a bit of a disruption in in the

I think we want to just we want to get listen from a number of places and we're not trying to take on Radio 4 because they do different things and be there clearly you know I have a much more generous situation.

That's not meant to sound bitter.

That's just a statement of fact we're doing a different thing so that kind of the hallmarks of what it is.

I know you had stood on the podcast a couple of months ago, but it's 24 today.

It's news and current affairs conversation and it's done in a warm and a witty way, so those three things.

I don't think they're quite there anywhere else would also the expert lead and so that is that's really what we want and I think that one thing that matters to me is I am a real strong Believer that listeners in this up digital were they don't really want radio stations that give them the variety they make their variety by tuning on to go into stations television as well match the mood there in.

I think that I want them to have a very consistent sense before they turn on 2 x radio what is going to sound like and so I've got a set of values and Ethos the whole production team know and I'll subscribe to add all the presenters at but within that each has its own characteristic and character and that's based often on the character of the presenters if there is variety within the schedule.

I think it is that sent off in a live news discussing that kind of the big stories that matter to people but in this way that is that is more with more space more thoughtful intelligent.

That's a slightly unique proposition and that one of those things that and able to do that is the lack of phonons and coolers and and some people already have been saying that's a good thing.

I like not hearing from the great unwashed I like the birds but the flip side of that is how do you hear from voices around the UK how to represent the whole country if you don't have listeners on her.

Yes, so we buy like we're not going.

That's true.

We said that previously but I do want listeners on here and that's one of things actually over the next few days that we just want to kind of just get to do a bit more on and I think they're just launching station is a lot to write and actually so I've just before I can download listen to Matt Chorley and he's he's really good I can read out texts and comments from listeners emails on breakfast yesterday, but actually I do want to have listeners on are particularly in the garden and expertise to contribute to the subject if we talking about let's see how are children going to adjust to go back to school after these months in lockdown.

I would love to have a a parent talk about what that's been like for them.

What they have you know the home office that he was not what it maybe it has been like maybe a teacher is experienced and that is about the three main ways you can get in touch a text to email and about getting people to contact us and then we will call them and

Get them on the radio.

That's really I do want that sense of being connected to listeners and hearing this is on on the station.

That is one of the ways that will get rid the country of your Mrs asked questions at the same time and deal with both on one of one of these can how to evolve listeners and we do want not just to have their interaction is actually get them on the on the output with the expertise and contributing value II by just how do we get around the UK and this is part of that but also we got to the time has got a network as well as right round the UK but we will also obviously when there are stories that are relevant.

We will hear people in those places.

I mean this is a kind of a MainStay of broadcasting so Leicester last night.

The lockdown was brought back for 2 weeks straight away at 9:45.

I think on Phil's show he had a pub landlord talking about it Carol show had someone we had hairdressers on this morning, so it's hearing from people.

It's about that produces being able to get people on here who are from places in the news.

Another question I had read it was about when something happens in Carlisle or whole or Truro where it maybe you know as well as I do if you were five live there be a replay you could just put the favour up and suddenly you've got a correspondent on the air.

That's a bit harder for you at times radio true but you know from my time to Five Live I also know that when you respond to breaking news.

It takes a while to get in place and actually the skill is getting people up who are there to a close on the phone getting them on their quite quickly and we will continue to do that and I think we find people who in that space, but there's no doubt as well the times would apply to places like that and that's the way we had such an amazing like the relationship with with our colleagues at the time the Sunday Times and you know the support and the Goodwill from across the building here and UK and The Newsroom has been amazing and they will be wanting to contribute to x radio.

Both know real people as we had to call it a real people but also the authority to journalists reporters who will get a contribute to this newspaper reporters are brilliant digging out stories and digging out what they know what's really going on and actually having first access to those newspaper the Times and Sunday Times really great contributions.

They really well.

Yeah, we've had to remove the correspondence from the Telegraph the Guardian out of your contacts, but at least answer the question about using times correspondence and people like that.

Are they getting any training for do radio stuff for the getting any equipment and they're getting an extra pay or is it part of hedgehog now? So you know this is the time for us.

What the time is the Sunday Times does now.

So they got the operation this digital are now.

There's a radio part of all of that we were quite hard with.

To eat if you're interested, I know you'll be using report it as an app on their phones which is a kind of an ip-based episodes are there in a decent quality and we have worked to be giving them some broadcast tips on how to make the contributions as as meaning for brought as possible having said that you know a lot of time are regulars on on Broadcast outlet, as it is already you know they are offering their expertise.

So they can be used to broadcast and it need those that haven't been I mean honestly I've been amazed by how good they been hand polished now interesting they are and so it's actually been that's been one of the things of the last of the four weeks.

We've been piloting and doing test runs, but I don't think I'd better than I'd hoped for the sounds I had lowered but it's gone really well, and I'm really pleased by how well that's gonna think there's sounding sounding really terrific and

The support we have been amazing and you know I think they've made a really good contribution to x you're ready and because I was like all the technical stuff as well.

Obviously your studio looks fantastic.

Looks really good on a technical note I spotted in some pictures that I think the main presenter chair in the studio.

They got a Little Mix adesso.

They got paid as that they control as well as having a gallery is that working with speech presenters also having faders to do so actually that is that's part of the set-up in The Student was already there.

You probably know this but still registered it on the 14th for the news Building and then that's that we know that and said it was set up for that and so we have kept that there are the presenters on Tuesday nose faded themselves.

They use 9103 microphones.

I thought you might be wanted one that detail yeah, and yeah.

We've had it from tool radio and picked up.in.

Actually, this is a technical point interesting point we kept the same desk but because of social distancing so we can only have we have to meet between presenters, so when is double headed show we have to actually build an extra can a blip on the edge of the desk so that the second presenter can is far enough away from the first presenter with social distancing we can't get in studio so at the moment.

We should have that's how that is at the moment and then it will see how it goes and will also see what happens if social distancing we met then the tweek tweak the set-up in the next few months as well as we know.

How lockdown is changing and we know about the on their team as not been said and written about them in terms of the offer team.

You've pulled people from the BBC and the bits of commercial radio and people are already working in wireless as well.

So what sort of size production team have been working on programs clearly.

They're not as big as perhaps the teams on the Today programme of p.m.

Or 5.

That's right from LBC from the BBC from other places so it's drawn to a range of places.

I think it's clear that we won't have a production team the size of some other radio stations that the first give a sense of sight but also it's not just about size.

It's about having people who got ideas and creativity and I and intelligent who really could think about some great guest to actually and you can run longer.

I put a lot of effort into making the line quality good to use a mixture of ipdtl and FaceTime audio and we can you zoom and was reported as I mentioned that that helps it technically sound decent in every got then someone in line.

I think the guests then can run longer and that makes it more compelling so will be still trying to get to order in to bring it to life and a range of treatments.

You will have heard you say one week.

Jones Out Live maternity ward in Newcastle that was really good at the party but getting around the country with very short and obituaries of people who died because of coronavirus in a nice and produced all packages will try and have those sort of touches the other thing is the present as well.

I'm the listeners.

They like the space.

We got Michael Portillo's show on a Friday and I love that show from what I've heard of the pilots because he just brings all his expertise and and and and and and all his learning and everything is done his life to be allowed his long conversations to unfold but in terms of production.

You know we've got it's not as big as other places.

I've worked but we've got some great people.

It's a mix of staff people and freelancers and we'll sort of maybe scale up and down a little bit.

What sort of but have an assessment of a buy large, but somehow it works and I've got three editors underneath me and morning and afternoon editor and then a weekend editor and each show has a producer or executive producer.

And one or two three piece of anyone how big is a couple of days and sprinkled in so it's sort of varies around the schedule some shows need more than others sunshine set up more then, don't use many I'm really pleased with the Caribbean we got on board they've just been a pleasure to work with and they were extremely hard and I hope they want to continue staying at times radio right well, so long and we have various questions coming from some of our sins as well at your boss actually official wants to know when when does he sleep when does Tim sleep seems like you've been working well written about the suggestion that actually a lot of the industry's assuming.

You're not bothered about Rachel numbers to convert into advertises the plan isn't to take spot ads actually converting the listeners that you do.

2 subscribers paying for the Times is that the mission is that your target that you can set as a programmer, so it's a two-fold commercial model is based on two different aspects the first is about if we can increase their subscriptions to the Times and Sunday Times and will bring the value back into the business and the second thing though is that we are a commercial registration you won't have ad breaks but the shows are available to be sponsored.

So there's two revenue streams there, but we look forward to seeing how it progresses.

It's the Carrots the weeks and months and years to come but the most important bit rather than they wanted to expose.

I think that's right.

I think we know it's a relationship between the present and the listener and the best radio shows up where presenters have been doing it for years and they've got like amazing connection and that's what we're looking for nice to speak to him.

Thank you for that and take a look with it as you move ahead.

Thank you very much the radiated a program with broadcast bionics creators of The Bionic studio listening watching react.

Learning from every spoken word Kolo sweet and SMS to a mix and lock and understand your content the bionic studio transform everything about radio except the way you may place is the radio Today programme that was Tim Lovell program director at times radio and now founder and editor of radius Novo Martin is here.

Not at the start of the podcast this week.

Just to mix things up a bit you like to change things around don't you so that was all interesting listening to me said some fascinating stuff.

What do you make of x raid how it's gone at first few days? That's that's a very big question.

I could probably talk for a while about it, but just touching on what team was saying there.

He certainly sounds like he's talking about so that's the main thing and I think the station sounds good.

I've only heard the first few hours as most radio people do when a radio station launches the listen on the first day.

Give the critical opinion and then don't you in again, so yep, that's me, but I think it's OK that is good.

I felt highlights of it as well interesting that the said there's going to be no phone, but they're going to do now.

It's so going to get people's details and then give him a call back and then put them on there, so he will still have people on on the air on the phones and on their apps and things like that interesting also did he said there's probably going to be no more extra money for for the Times journalists are expected to contribute to another slice of Media to the job role, so they'll do radio on the side and it's just part of your job now.

Yeah, and I thought it was interesting as well looking at some of the online comments on Monday and what people thought of it some people say it was a bit like five live in the Channel 89 Sinner Julian Warrick error.

Very newsy lots of analysis and in-depth discussion and stuff and his team were saying I guess.

Audio packages and features and more kind of stuff done out in the field to come as they get settled into it all and I think I've heard the term digital subscription more time some people might find comfortable that seems to be obviously we knew that was why they were setting up all the other presenters are certainly trained in those two words digital subscription by now yeah it from a new point of view as well.

I think on the first day.

I don't know this is now changed but they were reading some of the news bulletins from The Newsroom which I don't know whether is on a different floor wireless newspaper bulletins for Virgin and talkSPORT radio swell, so I don't know whether it was just a logistical thing of save going all the way down to the 14th floor and back up again.

I just don't worry them from The Newsroom from a different place was a bit of Hub in the background at times which can make for an interesting listen.

It was like going to the travel centre in the old days and here and all the background noise and then I heard.

On Monday night, where obviously haven't gone for the day and it was just a bit Echo in The Newsroom so I think they might be selling the news readers into the studio now which is a bit of a safer bet sound quality wise in my view and I'm good I said it feels like it feels like the scholars who got plastic and Radio 3 and then you've got scholar and kind of come as you are and then you get LBC in five live then you've now got x radio adding a third option to the genre which I think it sounds good do good because writing their fancy new studios in high-profile presenters the rest of the industry since we contract in ever more cuts coming up power without the presenters now on can of wine down ready for their final days at the acquired stations.

Greatest Hits radio station has got new imaging on from this week a lot of them dropping some of the current and recent tracks and moving towards more of her and all these greatest hits playlist were also hearing of contraction in the radio industry possible local radio cuts being announced this week.

Obviously the BBC's got savings targets BBC News and it's plans earlier this year before the lockdown all started and Nations and regions could be next week here to BBC local radio.

I think the across-the-board your global communicor he said power.

I think it's going to be job, but people are on furlough at the moment some people have been at let go already.

I think there's more to come.

It's not good and what can we do? You know radio is going through the pandemic with everybody else so we just hope everybody who is affected is he's ok and we are.

We are getting our page up and running our available page, so that should be appearing very soon, but yeah, I think it changes the things that we know that's coming and sadly a lot of local radio stations will cease to exist in a few months time because of it radio today.co.uk available you can tell us that you're looking for and we'll post the details on there then but he's looking for people with radio skills and that might not just be people at radio stations can go on and find you and see your demo on your CV and that kind of thing so will pay you for free if you're affected by some of these changes that going on in the radio industry and from local radio buddy.

We mentioned it on the podcast last week BBC local radio new standardized formats look like the heads of stay positive Lee throughout the rest of this financial year and as a result that we've been hearing from you lots of presents getting in touch with those people have been on there for 20 or more.

Who suddenly I found that they don't have a show every week if you're on the weekend schedule because they've been replaced by these new blocks of flower shows another been some petitions about individual presenters around the country as well whether they will achieve much.

I don't know this petition to everything at the minute to live with radio and we mentioned last week and on the radio it they don't usually do much of a job at it.

Just shows how passionate people are about these things some of the news this week Paul Rodgers is leaving 6 music in the summer.

I guess we assume.

He hasn't got the job as head of 6 minutes.

You've been reading the station for what about 12 years effectively through various roles and their advertising for new head of station, but the fatties and I'm guessing means he's had a lot going for it or you haven't been selected unless.

He's leaving his head of six music roll and being announced as the new head of six music that one work wanted know that.

And on the other side of that coming in as well the new station heads BBC Network radio is Ahmed Hussain 1330 member is himself involved in running the 30 under 30 program now.

He was a head of prison radio still is head of national prison radio but he's starting at the BBC Asian Network on the 1st of August as the new head of station there, so we've had Radio 1 and 2 at Asian Network which is where to find out about six music and 1Xtra now which will hopefully be very and talking of the real world Radio Academy 30 under 30.

It's been launched this week applications.

I think need to be in by the end of July so if you're under 30 and want to put yourself forward or you in your team is under 30 and you think they're a massive rising star doing some very good things that deserves some recognition that you'll find all the details of radio today.co.uk I noticed James cridland was having fun with.

Showbox trying to find x radio it just wasn't working for another know you got one of those is yours any better.

Let me try.

Ok Google play x radio not working on at sorting that out with Google I think the Apple wants work and the Amazon one ones work as well now, but I'll get there with the technology.

It's coming on Arnold Schwarzenegger on the screen.

OK Google stop touching a couple of weeks because it's round table week next week on the podcast ok, Stewart bye.

Bye.

See you later.

Just before David Lloyd though.

It's time to give a quick mention to our lovely friends at clean.

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It's a great way to get guests on to your show or podcast from home in better quality zoom and Skype and things like that.

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When You Say Nothing At All when he said his name is Jimmy Choo because I'm a very first person.

I just put the phone down.

I thought it was taking the mickey and he called me back so many lovely events, but it's got to be 2012 when I had the absolute honour of carrying the Olympic torch and then there's afternoons on Angie I can remember one afternoon Rod Stewart past and he came in when I arrange when leaving magic have a 12 and a half years to join smooth in the autumn radio station music has most often they quietly targeted at women than men but this week 24 years ago Lynne Franks the pr.

Guru was behind a talk and music station primarily targeted at women it was in London on a.m.

Listen to any website always knows better and even 963 am strange time in the morning for me to be here a strange day anyway.

Maybe if the weather of the impact of Carry On films or unnatural modesty whatever it is.

It seems that the Brits aren't too keen on naturism wandering around in your birthday suit as a natural is natural to most of us wearing a sackcloth and Ashes one man who would like to see many is Thomas Lundy who recently took part in the international naturalist federation youth rally in Holland in the meantime Thomas's London thank you very much for coming in the morning and good luck got a great Body by the way the 963 this week in 1996 Chris Burns was opened right now.

Cos she's running BBC local radio at Vivo she said it's very important that we don't sound like we've had a human body parts the station became Halfords Liberty radio a year later.

6 years left radio on for the first time that on one screen broke and he's never forgive me for it from 1956 and singing the blues playing pretend DJ Johnnie Walker Levy Radio 1 for the first time in 1976 radio headset revealing is an even without saying a word you can hear in the town of his voice there and who has resigned on a matter of principle about to move to the States and wondering whether it's all going to work out about stage ready one was huge.

Even though it was on a.m.

Still beating many commercial stations who are on a.m.

And FM but this weekend 1994 those am frequencies closed at Last.fm 59 between 53 and 10 am after 27 years never forget the station you grow up with no the one you first worked for and for me.

They were the same station it launched 45 years ago this week.

Music volume three and 6 every day for 301 96.2 VHF stereo Nottingham to realise the music policy impact of programming policy doesn't very all that much from one point of the day to another we are radio station.

We're not a series of separate programs happening about the same wavelength people certainly through the day tend to do the same kind of things did Jenson comes out of 3 tens to play music which is slightly faster than we play between 9 a.m.

And 3 p.m.

At the

Play the playlist this is still the same.

We do you use a telephone participation program.

That is the only use of telephone.

We have during our day we decided not to use telephone participation coming at all during the daytime schedule Inc partly because BBC radio Nottingham music to the temperature in very heavily and partly because we wanted to give a good value when we do music we do music and when we talk we talk that we don't mix the two things at all.

So what we never.

Do is is during the day stop start stop start stop start program controller Bob Schneider reflecting on the first week of Trent this week in 1975 so with the start of this on the BBC light programme 61 years ago move into its famous wavelengths 69 years ago 5 years ago.

Your car is a nice one summer's night windows down syndrome open the end of needle time limits on UK radio 30 years ago making his final appearance as host of any questions one year ago Radio 4 is a jewel in the BBC's plan and is one of many and that's because all of its flaws the BBC remains a pianist public service broadcaster and the Pilkington report published this week 58 years ago it recommended the BBC should try out BBC local radio the government agreed also said there was little evidence of commercial radio the report said as complicated as we press interested in you need another regulator and there's no bother.

Have you heard about the television which is yesterday?

You never heard of him.

Lucky man this week's for the moment.

Thank you David Andrew Martin and my main guests this week Tim lafell.

The programmer at times radio next time on the radio today.

It's a round table for July 2020 will be in the hosts chair with a selection of guests to chat about radio stuff no doubt x radio will be on the agenda for discussion there as well so join us next week.