Radio Scotland

[Dog-eared]

Why is Radio Scotland now Five Live at night ? There used to be good programmes on. Plus no Tom Morton any more !! Dumbing down ?

[joxville]

While up here on holiday this week I've realised how poor the north is served by radio, it's so bad I'm listening to Radio 1 in the car, a station I've not listened to since the mid 90's. I can't listen to Radio Scotland, I've always found it such a boring station, but I won't knock it too much since others obviously enjoy it. As for the dumbing down, you could be right, or BBC will blame a lack of finances. Maybe if the shut down the stations that get zero ratings then that money can be better utilised. I know some people would be up in arms but I don't think the English regions should have a station each, the money they drain from the collective purse to cover areas that overlap, could again be better used. Where I live in Hampshire I can pick up BBC Radios Berkshire, Oxford and Surrey, three stations with the same content and playlists, yet the BBC give Scotland only one radio station. Life in the north is very different from that in the central belt and borders area but that one station has to meet the needs and lifestyles of many different people, which I'm sure must stretch it's finances. But when it comes to the BBC, the bosses always know better.

[Kodiak]

Tune into 104.5 for "Super Station" from Orkney and in my opinion the Best Local Radio Station. It covers Orkney and Caithness.

[gleeber]

Ive been listening to 5live (5 dead as the young fellows call it) more or less since it started and I thought all the regional stations switched over to 5live at 1am. Theres a guy called Rod Sharp has an all night programme from 1 till 5 3 nights a week and its really good broadcasting. Hes Scottish and well worth a listen.

[gerry4]

Tom has been moved to Friday, Saturday, Sunday evenings from 10-12 or maybe 1. I must say I did enjoy his afternoon show.

Super Station does not cover all of Caithness. It is very patchy, I can't get it most of the time

[mi16]

Caithness fm is the second worst station I have heard, Keith community radio takes the top of the plops title though.

[embow]

Why is Radio Scotland now Five Live at night ? There used to be good programmes on. Plus no Tom Morton any more !! Dumbing down ?All Night Through with Ravi Sagoo finished last Friday. Still got Iain Anderson Mon to Wed 22.00 to 00.30. Thank goodness for the Hesperus and all the rest. ;)http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074hkv/presenters/iain-anderson

[Dog-eared]

Thanks embow. Still don't know why they'ye changed the programming though. Phoned BBC and they'll get back...

Superstation is not based in Orkney, as it might seem . It is a generic radio station that cuts to local news and ads in the breaks. Probably based in Kent, judging by their presenter's accents.

[sids]

You have little cause for complaint, as long as you are allowed to listen to Radio 4.

[Flynn]

Caithness fm is the second worst station I have heard, Keith community radio takes the top of the plops title though.

I'm surprised they don't have an online listen live button on their website. Nearly all radio stations have this feature now, even the smallest of local stations.

[orkneycadian]

Superstation is not based in Orkney, as it might seem . It is a generic radio station that cuts to local news and ads in the breaks. Probably based in Kent, judging by their presenter's accents.

Manchester actually, though I doubt there are any studios there either. Probably just various freelance DJ's who compile programmes from home and email them to various radio stations to see if they will buy them and integrate them into their schedules with local adverts and station jingles to make it seem local. At least Caithness FM have live transmissions from a studio in Thurso, with presenters that are there, in real time and can reactively respond to things like phone requests. You can easily tell a "real" programme from a generic one. On Caithness FM, there might be a request to play a particular track for Bill Smith in Wick, from his friends in Thurso. On a generic programme, "This track is going out to John" (the unemployed bloke in Oldham....). We never hear where John lives from the radio station, as the same programme might be broadcast in Swindon, Glasgow and Newcastle, on Tuesday morning, Saturday evening and Thursday afternoon respectively.

Caithness FM has not changed too much lately - You just need to know what times to avoid when it gets too "ethnic".

Its MFR that seems to have gone to the dogs, on the weekends at least - Saturday mornings used to be quite good when Ray Atkinson was on, but then it went all Dougie and Bingo, with phone in participants from the Central Belt rather than the Highlands and Islands.

Radio Scotland until midnight seems a pretty good deal. After that, you should be in bed!