Ken Bruce Quits BBC Radio 2

[nw1]

My R2 listening probably peaked in the 00s and 10s.

I still listen to it but more sporadically. I guess my view on current R2 is intermediate amongst those expressed here: I (not religiously, but regularly) listen to POTP (sometimes only one hour due to lunch or going out), Sounds of the 80s and Sara Cox. Sometimes also Rylan(d?) and the Sunday evening show (Rob Beckett?) though only until 6pm as one of the ILR local stations does a very good early/mid 80s show on Sunday evenings, playing some of the slightly-less-played chart hits from that era.

Often I'm at work in the morning so don't catch morning radio so much. I used to enjoy Ken Bruce but something strange happened during the early days of Covid: I listened to him in March 2020 and the started to psychologically associate the show with the horrific early days of Covid and lockdown, and so never went back. Silly, I know - but shows what psychology and association can do.

 

[AM9]

I still listen to Ken Bruce on GHR, mainly Popmaster, but to his credit, he has maintained the same quality on the new station despite the ad breaks. Of what's left on R2, I find Tony Blackburn as ebullient as he always was (I first listened to him in 1964 on 'Wonderful' Radio London) despite his advancing years, and find his Sot'60s programme pleasant to listen to despite the occasional dire '60s record that I despised in my youth. Johnny Walker is also good with his Sot'70s, - he also gets some interesting interviews on the show. Steve Wright is still a very accomplished presenter and even his slightly slushy Sunday Love Songs. Dermot O'Leary has a good style and fitting for a Saturday morning.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Isn't this all reflective of the normal passage of time? Those who were on R1 in their 30s progress to R2 in their 50s? Where it was once Jimmy Young and Ed Stewart, it was then Steve Wright and Simon Mayo, and now Zoe Ball and Scott Mills.

Not such a fan of Sounds of the 60s but appreciate the skill of Tony Blackburn esp on the Golden Hour. I like Sounds of the 70s, Gary Davies is a good replacement for various folks on hols. Saturday is perhaps the best day with TB, Dermot is good, Claudia W was a bit rubbish at first but has found her way, can't knock Gambo, think Rylan is a superb broadcaster and then you have Liza Tarbuck who's just mental.

Can't be doing with Zoe Ball (and the continuous promotion of Richie Anderson) and Vernon Kay can be a little cloying.... I believe he may be from Bolton but he hardly mentions it. It was sad to see Ken Bruce go but if GHR are throwing big money about and Ken fancies a last big payday at 72, it's hardly a surprise. TBH, I'd have kept Steve Wright and got rid of Jeremy Vine to allow Scott Mills in.

 

[A0]

Isn't this all reflective of the normal passage of time? Those who were on R1 in their 30s progress to R2 in their 50s? Where it was once Jimmy Young and Ed Stewart, it was then Steve Wright and Simon Mayo, and now Zoe Ball and Scott Mills.

The issue is though that Radio 2 is meant to serve 35+ with an average age of 50 - the BBC were told some years back *not* to let the average on Radio 2 fall below that, yet their latest signings seem to be doing just that.

The problem I have with Radio 2 now and the BBC more generally, is that on its popular music led services it overserves some genres, massively so. That's fine if you like soul, dance, RnB (by that I mean the modern definition of RnB not traditional Rythm and Blues) and things like Hip Hop or Dance. If you look at tomorow night as an example - Radio 1's got Radio 1 Dance Party, Radio 1 Future Dance and then Pete Tong. Radio 2's got Michelle Visage with Handbag Hits and then DJ Spoony with The Good Groove. Only at 11pm does Radio 2 do something different with Johnnie Walker's Rock Show.

And it's like that across the week - don't forget Radio 1 and 2 have national FM frequencies as well as DAB - the only commercial competitor which has that is Classic FM.

Not such a fan of Sounds of the 60s but appreciate the skill of Tony Blackburn esp on the Golden Hour. I like Sounds of the 70s, Gary Davies is a good replacement for various folks on hols. Saturday is perhaps the best day with TB, Dermot is good, Claudia W was a bit rubbish at first but has found her way, can't knock Gambo, think Rylan is a superb broadcaster and then you have Liza Tarbuck who's just mental.

Bit in bold - I believe Specsavers are doing an offer on hearing checks at the moment.......

Can't be doing with Zoe Ball (and the continuous promotion of Richie Anderson) and Vernon Kay can be a little cloying.... I believe he may be from Bolton but he hardly mentions it. It was sad to see Ken Bruce go but if GHR are throwing big money about and Ken fancies a last big payday at 72, it's hardly a surprise. TBH, I'd have kept Steve Wright and got rid of Jeremy Vine to allow Scott Mills in.

Bit in bold - not possible. Radio 2 does have a requirement for a speech / current affairs based show in its daytime line up. So whilst I agree with getting rid of Jeremy Vine - who should never have been put in that slot to begin with - Scott Mills could not have been the replacement. Personally in 2002 when JY was forced to step down I'd have given the lunchtime slot to John Inverdale. Currently, I'd prefer Paddy O'Connell to get it. Vine is excreable and I find it amazing that the BBC cut short Ken Bruce's contract because they felt him staying on air was promoting his new show, yet Vine is on Channel 5 TV every morning between 9.15 and 11.15.......

 

[gswindale]

Apparently Steve Wright is taking over Pick of the Pops, with Paul Gambacinni moving to a new show https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-66466254

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The issue is though that Radio 2 is meant to serve 35+ with an average age of 50 - the BBC were told some years back *not* to let the average on Radio 2 fall below that, yet their latest signings seem to be doing just that.

The problem I have with Radio 2 now and the BBC more generally, is that on its popular music led services it overserves some genres, massively so. That's fine if you like soul, dance, RnB (by that I mean the modern definition of RnB not traditional Rythm and Blues) and things like Hip Hop or Dance. If you look at tomorow night as an example - Radio 1's got Radio 1 Dance Party, Radio 1 Future Dance and then Pete Tong. Radio 2's got Michelle Visage with Handbag Hits and then DJ Spoony with The Good Groove. Only at 11pm does Radio 2 do something different with Johnnie Walker's Rock Show.

And it's like that across the week - don't forget Radio 1 and 2 have national FM frequencies as well as DAB - the only commercial competitor which has that is Classic FM.



Bit in bold - I believe Specsavers are doing an offer on hearing checks at the moment.......



Bit in bold - not possible. Radio 2 does have a requirement for a speech / current affairs based show in its daytime line up. So whilst I agree with getting rid of Jeremy Vine - who should never have been put in that slot to begin with - Scott Mills could not have been the replacement. Personally in 2002 when JY was forced to step down I'd have given the lunchtime slot to John Inverdale. Currently, I'd prefer Paddy O'Connell to get it. Vine is excreable and I find it amazing that the BBC cut short Ken Bruce's contract because they felt him staying on air was promoting his new show, yet Vine is on Channel 5 TV every morning between 9.15 and 11.15.......

The bits in bold...

If when listening to Rylan, you can't hear the chemistry between himself and Sally Boazman (or Lottie), or the warmth towards him from those calling in, then I'd suggest that it's not me who has auditory issues! At the end of the day, he may not appeal to you but he clearly has the respect of his colleagues and from listeners.

The BBC service license dictates certain levels of content, whether that be news, new music etc, there is no specific requirement for a current affairs show (and is it really that anyway - a bunch of folks ringing in and a bloke talking about his garden in the Rhondda?) - arguably something that is already catered for on R5

 

[dosxuk]

there is no specific requirement for a current affairs show

From the current Radio 2 Service Licence

In addition to its regular news bulletins, Radio 2 should broadcast each weekday an accessible current affairs programme in daytime covering topics such as consumer affairs, finance, the family, education, health and disability, and offering listeners the opportunity to respond by phone or online.

And

Conditions
Radio 2 should:
 Broadcast at least 16 hours of news and current affairs programming each week, including regular news bulletins

 

[317 forever]

Even after all these years I still think Tony Blackburn is the best Radio 2 presenter.

He's the only one I listen to regularly. I like Gary Davies but am generally not keen on that much Radio 2 music anymore.

 

[nw1]

Isn't this all reflective of the normal passage of time? Those who were on R1 in their 30s progress to R2 in their 50s? Where it was once Jimmy Young and Ed Stewart, it was then Steve Wright and Simon Mayo, and now Zoe Ball and Scott Mills.

Not such a fan of Sounds of the 60s but appreciate the skill of Tony Blackburn esp on the Golden Hour. I like Sounds of the 70s, Gary Davies is a good replacement for various folks on hols. Saturday is perhaps the best day with TB, Dermot is good, Claudia W was a bit rubbish at first but has found her way, can't knock Gambo, think Rylan is a superb broadcaster and then you have Liza Tarbuck who's just mental.

Been a while since I've listened on Saturday mornings pre-POTP but when I last listened (pre-Covid) it was Graham Norton, or Alan Carr and Melanie Sykes during the summer (and some time before that, Jonathan Ross). Sounds like that's changed.

 

[skyhigh]

Been a while since I've listened on Saturday mornings pre-POTP but when I last listened (pre-Covid) it was Graham Norton, or Alan Carr and Melanie Sykes during the summer (and some time before that, Jonathan Ross). Sounds like that's changed.

It changed quite a while ago. December 2020 according to Wikipedia!

 

[nw1]

Been listening to R2 a bit more than normal of late, partly due to certain shows on other stations finishing recently.

The one thing that strikes you is that there is very little "classic rock", or genres such as punk, new wave and so on - or disco for that matter. Even 80s pop is becoming scarcer than it was.

While R2 still holds some appeal for me (it's good for 90s dance, which I also like) I would say that I feel like I am at the very top end of its target generation.

I would hazard a guess that the target demographic is about 25-55, so it's not just a case of "moving with the times" as when I first listened to R2 in 2001, I'd have guesstimated it to be around 35-65 so it suggests the target demographic has come down in an absolute sense.

In 2001 there was a focus on older music, older than I can remember in many cases, perhaps with an AOR slant - mixed with a few new releases, mostly AOR. It then went through a general "late 20th century pop and rock" phase around the late 00s and early 10s, but a lot of classic late 20th-century music seems to have been dropped recently. R2 always used to have interesting documentary type shows in the evening about various pop and rock artists but doesn't seem to do those now.

Even BBC local radio, always traditionally targeted at the older demographic, seems to be gravitating more towards current music and losing the classics - including, sadly, one or two evening shows I really quite liked. The local radio show in the early evening, in particular - generally a mix of music and sport - seems to have literally no music older than about 20 years.

So it feels like R2 has moved forward about 30 years in its music selection in the last 20 years, if you see what I mean.

I know I sound like I'm getting old, which I admit I am (!), but I think there's more to it than that. BBC radio seems to be moving away from classic pop and rock music as a whole - perhaps because commercial radio, which I also listen to, has it covered already? Certainly the best matches for my own tastes seem now to be in the world of commercial radio, you've just got to put up with the adverts...

 

[Jamiescott1]

Been listening to R2 a bit more than normal of late, partly due to certain shows on other stations finishing recently.

The one thing that strikes you is that there is very little "classic rock", or genres such as punk, new wave and so on - or disco for that matter. Even 80s pop is becoming scarcer than it was.

While R2 still holds some appeal for me (it's good for 90s dance, which I also like) I would say that I feel like I am at the very top end of its target generation.

I would hazard a guess that the target demographic is about 25-55, so it's not just a case of "moving with the times" as when I first listened to R2 in 2001, I'd have guesstimated it to be around 35-65 so it suggests the target demographic has come down in an absolute sense.

In 2001 there was a focus on older music, older than I can remember in many cases, perhaps with an AOR slant - mixed with a few new releases, mostly AOR. It then went through a general "late 20th century pop and rock" phase around the late 00s and early 10s, but a lot of classic late 20th-century music seems to have been dropped recently. R2 always used to have interesting documentary type shows in the evening about various pop and rock artists but doesn't seem to do those now.

Even BBC local radio, always traditionally targeted at the older demographic, seems to be gravitating more towards current music and losing the classics - including, sadly, one or two evening shows I really quite liked. The local radio show in the early evening, in particular - generally a mix of music and sport - seems to have literally no music older than about 20 years.

So it feels like R2 has moved forward about 30 years in its music selection in the last 20 years, if you see what I mean.

I know I sound like I'm getting old, which I admit I am (!), but I think there's more to it than that. BBC radio seems to be moving away from classic pop and rock music as a whole - perhaps because commercial radio, which I also listen to, has it covered already? Certainly the best matches for my own tastes seem now to be in the world of commercial radio, you've just got to put up with the adverts...

As a lover of 90s dance I do partly agree. Disco is quite well represented by spoony and Trevor Nelson but there is very little guitar based music

 

[johnnychips]

Paul Gambaccini is being moved from Pick of the Pops on Saturday afternoon. He has/had an annoying habit of giving away what the records would be at the start of the hour, rather than letting it be a pleasant surprise; however, he is being replaced by Steve Wright…

 

[Ashley Hill]

Paul Gambaccini is being moved from Pick of the Pops on Saturday afternoon. He has/had an annoying habit of giving away what the records would be at the start of the hour, rather than letting it be a pleasant surprise; however, he is being replaced by Steve Wright…

Shame.

 

[GusB]

Paul Gambaccini is being moved from Pick of the Pops on Saturday afternoon. He has/had an annoying habit of giving away what the records would be at the start of the hour, rather than letting it be a pleasant surprise; however, he is being replaced by Steve Wright…

I'll have to find something else to listen to. I can't abide Steve Wright.

 

[AM9]

I'll have to find something else to listen to. I can't abide Steve Wright.

In recent years I've appreciated Gambaccini'presentation of the show. He's knowledgeably of chart music through the period - from the '50s through to the (almost) present, And he picked the programme up after theBBC's faux par removing Tony Blackburn.
I also like Steve Wright, both in his Sunday Lovesongs show, and how he presented his weekday afternoon show for years until last year.
My main concern is the BBC's determination to abandon most pre 1990 music as it strives to grab younger audiences. This will only serve to drive out their long-standing DJs that have formed the cbasis if informed music presentation. I've not heard anything about R6 but maybe the will become the repository of '50s-'80s music.

 

[The Ham]

In recent years I've appreciated Gambaccini'presentation of the show. He's knowledgeably of chart music through the period - from the '50s through to the (almost) present, And he picked the programme up after theBBC's faux par removing Tony Blackburn.
I also like Steve Wright, both in his Sunday Lovesongs show, and how he presented his weekday afternoon show for years until last year.
My main concern is the BBC's determination to abandon most pre 1990 music as it strives to grab younger audiences. This will only serve to drive out their long-standing DJs that have formed the cbasis if informed music presentation. I've not heard anything about R6 but maybe the will become the repository of '50s-'80s music.

Whilst 60's and 70's music has clearly been reduced, there's still quite a significant presence of 80's music.

That's not a great surprise, given that in 2003 being 60's and 70's music , would the transfer forwards to being 80's and 90's in 2023.

Whilst I suspect that there was a bit more 50's music in 2003 Vs 70's music in 2023 and likewise a sight shift towards more the 90's than the 70's I'm not entirely sure the shift is quite so significant as some think.

 

[nw1]

Whilst 60's and 70's music has clearly been reduced, there's still quite a significant presence of 80's music.

That's not a great surprise, given that in 2003 being 60's and 70's music , would the transfer forwards to being 80's and 90's in 2023.

Whilst I suspect that there was a bit more 50's music in 2003 Vs 70's music in 2023 and likewise a sight shift towards more the 90's than the 70's I'm not entirely sure the shift is quite so significant as some think.

I would say it should focus on 60s to 00s with an emphasis on 70s-90s - and drop all but the very best current music. If you want current music on the BBC, you have Radio 1 which plays it all day long.

It is, presumably, supposed to be the national radio station for "mature adults" and there are still plenty of people who remember the 60s and 70s, or even many that don't but appreciate some of the music. So, such a station should cover a wide range of eras to appeal to the entire "mature adult" demographic (30-ish upwards).

With BBC local radio increasingly playing current music too and dropping some shows that focused on older material (and appeared to be very popular), I do wonder whether BBC radio is no longer wanting to attract the over-65s in particular. Remember the current generation of over-65s are in considerably better health and fitness than previous generations and living longer, so need to be catered for.

I'm still more than 10 years below 65 so R2 does still partly appeal to me, but I would like to see some older music, and more guitar-based music (though to be fair 'Sounds of the 90s' last night was quite good for that) added to the selection - at the expense of current music and in general, music from the last 10 years or so.

 

[ChrisC]

I would say it should focus on 60s to 00s with an emphasis on 70s-90s - and drop all but the very best current music. If you want current music on the BBC, you have Radio 1 which plays it all day long.

It is, presumably, supposed to be the national radio station for "mature adults" and there are still plenty of people who remember the 60s and 70s, or even many that don't but appreciate some of the music. So, such a station should cover a wide range of eras to appeal to the entire "mature adult" demographic (30-ish upwards).

With BBC local radio increasingly playing current music too and dropping some shows that focused on older material (and appeared to be very popular), I do wonder whether BBC radio is no longer wanting to attract the over-65s in particular. Remember the current generation of over-65s are in considerably better health and fitness than previous generations and living longer, so need to be catered for.

I'm still more than 10 years below 65 so R2 does still partly appeal to me, but I would like to see some older music, and more guitar-based music (though to be fair 'Sounds of the 90s' last night was quite good for that) added to the selection - at the expense of current music and in general, music from the last 10 years or so.

I agree with all of the above. I’m finding that I am now listening more and more to Boom Radio. I’m not sure if I would even have discovered Boom if I hadn‘t read about it in this forum. Rather than a rather staid station for older people I’m actually finding it a like a breath of fresh air. It’s my go to station now instead of Radio 2.

I’m very disappointed with the way that BBC Local Radio has changed its music policy and also that most of the older experienced presenters with local knowledge have left. So many of the younger new local radio presenters have so little connection with the local people and area. I used to listen to the breakfast programme on BBC Local Radio for informative and serious local news and issues. Now it’s just silly competitions, trivial speech content and far more music than news.

 

[AM9]

Whilst 60's and 70's music has clearly been reduced, there's still quite a significant presence of 80's music.

That's not a great surprise, given that in 2003 being 60's and 70's music , would the transfer forwards to being 80's and 90's in 2023.

I'm in my mid 70s and I can remember (and enjoy) music from throughout the '60s. Radio 2 is not necessarily a period specific channel, it's more a style of music, especially in terms of it's logevity. Radio 1 is the place for transitory short life span music.

 

[12LDA28C]

Radio 1 is the place for transitory short life span music.

Radio 1 is the place for current music, in the main. Whether that music enjoys longevity, only time will tell.

 

[nw1]

Radio 1 is the place for current music, in the main. Whether that music enjoys longevity, only time will tell.

I do wonder whether much in the way of current chart music will still be remembered in 30 years, or whether the 60s to the 90s will fundamentally always be the golden era for music, perhaps because pop and rock music was still relatively new in the last 40 years of the 20th century and it was easier for a band or artist to have a distinctive sound.

I do realise I am blatantly sounding like an old so-and-so there, but even still, there's been little chart music of late that's made me sit up and take notice - and I am someone who always did like quite a lot of chart music, into my 30s, so I'm not someone of the "never did like the charts" persuasion. I don't necessarily deny that there probably are some good new bands out there (I've heard one or two on some more specialist shows), but probably not in the charts.

 

[The Ham]

I do wonder whether much in the way of current chart music will still be remembered in 30 years, or whether the 60s to the 90s will fundamentally always be the golden era for music, perhaps because pop and rock music was still relatively new in the last 40 years of the 20th century and it was easier for a band or artist to have a distinctive sound.

I do realise I am blatantly sounding like an old so-and-so there, but even still, there's been little chart music of late that's made me sit up and take notice - and I am someone who always did like quite a lot of chart music, into my 30s, so I'm not someone of the "never did like the charts" persuasion. I don't necessarily deny that there probably are some good new bands out there (I've heard one or two on some more specialist shows), but probably not in the charts.

I wouldn't be surprised if there were people who thought much the same way about 90's music - for example Prodigy or Aqua.