We've come a long way since Marconi first introduced radio to us. Nowadays, even more people than ever listen to the radio but now that anyone can do it, has it lost its fun and excitement? The anticipation in those days before tuning in to Bing Crosby's weekly show, The Goon Show or The Ovaltinies. These programmes brought families together as they warmed up their radios and listened to their favourite music shows, plays and sitcoms.
Huge stars emanated from these regular offerings, jingles were born and so was the radio commercial. It was mainly 'live' too, unlike so many stations today where everyone goes home and leaves it on autopilot.
The art of radio always had an heir of mystery about it. What did everyone look like, what did everyone do behind the scenes? How did the sound travel down the microphones to the radio and how did they make the plays so real? One of my bosses at the BBC had started out as a 'live' Sound Effects Boy, playing just about every sound for those plays and comedy shows. Radio activated the theatre of the mind in everyone.
Musicians were in great demand too with the start of the radio dance orchestras - but all that disappeared in time. Musicians in those days always played 'live' and 'alive' with the exception of one pianist on a daily BBC music show who died at the piano and no-one noticed until it was pub time!
Getting into radio was quite difficult even when I started in the late seventies but the fun was still there, working with the finest names in The World. I once recorded a whole hour's programme with comedian Bob Hope in his limousine between the golf course, where he was playing in his own Bob Hope Classic, and his London hotel.
There we were, just the two of us, me with the tape machine, a list of records and stopwatch, and Bob holding the mic as he introduced all the records and regaled us with stories for a one-hour show to be broadcast the next morning on BBC Radio 2. The whole experience was made even more fun when Bob introduced the extra dimension of ice creams! It was a hot July day. The driver knew what Bob liked and bought two family-sized slabs to be eaten with spoons while we continued recording and before they melted.
These days it is very different. I can interview a big name and get them to record everything their end and send me the file. It's a lot easier for everyone with no balancing of tape machines, scripts and ice creams but not half so much fun!
Now, anyone can record their own radio show or podcast and put it on the Internet for the world to hear. The sad thing is that with no training many webcasters have no idea how to win their listeners and deliver something compelling. Consequently, as the number of people who choose the internet for alternative radio choice increases, the harder they may have to search for something of substance and quality. But search and you will be rewarded as real innovation and talent rises to the fore.
Will webcasting in all its forms out-see analogue and the new digital terrestrial platforms? The future could be rich with content and entertainment value as newbie webcasters learn their craft. I'm not sure the new age of webcasting will ever be golden but it'll be different for sure.
