Singing for the radio

Another Stroud Saturday, another series of buskers.

These guys were slightly different, though. They were campaigning for the local community radio station, Stroud FM.

I was certainly given the impression that the station was in some danger, but when I trawled the web for confirmation, there was nothing to be found - not even on its own website.

Local radio. Hmmmm. I'm sure there are many people who enjoy their local radio stations and get a lot from them, but I have to say I'm not one of them.

When I was a kid I used to listen to Piccadilly Radio in Manchester, which was terrific, but these days I find local stations too parochial and amateurish.

I still listen to ours when travelling down the M5 for the traffic news, but even that is badly done. The info seems hours out of date.

Only last night, they were warning us of an oil spill and disruption that had already been cleared away, yet failing to tell us about a truly frightening situation where the whole carriageway was strewn for 100 yards or so with plastic, wood and glass debris, and cars were queuing up on the hard shoulder nursing punctured tyres.

It's not that I'm anti-radio. Far from it. I've never listened to it more than I do now. But slicker national radio is my choice.

And that includes all sorts of stations. These are my big faves:

Radio 2: Chris Evans, Ken Bruce and Radcliffe and Maconie
Radio 3: Private Passions, The Early Music Show, World Routes
Radio 4: Excess Baggage, Today, Desert Island Discs, Fi Glover (the show, but not her as a presenter, I'm afraid) plus loads more.

I also enjoy various bits and pieces on BBC Six Music, Classic FM, Absolute Radio and the sport on Five Live.

Got to go, Jon Holmes is on Six.