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Yet more criticism of Radio Cornwall sport


Guest Man on the Post

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Guest Man on the Post

Below is a copy of a letter printed in today’s Western Morning News. Soon there will be no one left for Radio Cornwall to upset!

Rugby Club Ignored

It is thoroughly disappointing to report that BBC Radio Cornwall appears to all but cut its coverage of non-national league rugby from its Saturday Sports show altogether.

London Cornish RFC have risen from the 36th and bottom-placed Cornish club five years ago to be in the top eight Cornish sides – yet in this, our first ever season at this level, Radio Cornwall has not once requested an interview with any of our players or management, let alone sent a reporter to cover a game (in one case a reporter did attend but was told his reports would not be used).

In previous seasons, when we were in lower divisions, we have had coverage of at least four matches a season and we were not alone among the junior Cornish clubs in this respect.

It seems that Radio Cornwall has shifted its focus away from the grass roots of the game, and in doing so is risking losing touch with the soul of the county, known far more for its passionate rugby support than for any other sport.

I hope someone from the station will respond to explain the change of policy - it has only happened this season, so something has changed.

Dickon Moon, Director of Rugby, London Cornish RFC

I can tell Mr Moon that Radio Cornwall will not respond. They have absolutely no interest in listeners’ views. :angry2:

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Guest TruroLad

have you thought about asking the two other radio stations (pirate and atlantic) if they would think about giving cornish sport a 10-15 minute slot on a saturday afternoon, that way no one has to listen to radio cornwall unless you are a truro city fan.

watch them take notice if the ratings slip for the station.

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Are you sure you listen to BBC Radio Cornwall. The London Cornish were regularly on the afternoon show, I must admit I wondered what happpened to them. Although not a rugby fan I thought it was good for the Cornish to hear about the ex pats.

I think we have to be careful here. BBC Radio Devon (depending where you live only broadcasts Plymouth Argyle, Torquay United and Exeter City). I haven't listened to it for some time but I don't think they cover local football and I mean Tiverton Town downwards at all. (I might be wrong) But there used to be results but I don't recall anything else so I suppose when you look at it you are lucky to get anything because the Duchy's football clubs play at a much lower level (no disrespect to Truro City). But that is all they have got.

The rugby teams in Devon only get bits and pieces as it is really an afternoon football match reporting programme.

I would not be surprised at all if BBC Radio Cornwall dump local football reports, highlights etc. In fact I'm even surprised that they do not carry coverage of Plymouth Argyle.

I'm afraid the media business is run by people who stick rigidly to the bottom line. They have absolutely no interest in what goes on the radio provided the bottom line (Profit) is healthy.

Local radio has long been forgotten as a medium for quality local news or sport. That is why commercial Radio stations are beginning to pop up everywhere. Saturday afternoon should be prime time for sports of every persuasion. The one I feel sorry for is Dave Deacon. He has worked tirelessly to give you what you want to here but his hands are tied. How many of you driving back from matches switch on to the station just to hear the local results and some interviews. But then he is made to look daft when clubs cant be bothered to phone the station just to give a result. So there is swings and roundabouts.

We will see what the future brings.

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Perhaps i am in the minority, but i have actually heard of 'London Cornish RFC'.

Can i just say that i had to put up with 'Pirate Radio' coming home from Argyle last Saturday, mainly because the coach driver seemed to have no other channel !!

Well, it was rubbish, no soccer or rugby results or coverage, local or nationally. just a load of records that i have heard a hundred times before.

'Radio Cornwall' may not be perfect, but between 5 and 6 'o' clock you get all the local rugby scores and selected reports plus the same for local football. It gives me and i know a lot of others the info. we require.

Yes, perhaps it could be better, but the alternative, well at present there is no alternative, and perhaps here lies the real problem of lack of competition to make coverage even more comprehensive.

Anyway at 6 'o' clock its Geoff Barker's ' Rock & Roll Party' until 8.00 - fantastic, the best radio show of the week, anywhere. :c:

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Yes David Bray,

As much as I like Dave D's local football slot its got to end at 6 o'clock for the best two hours of the week on Radio Cornwall.

What do you say Cornish Teddy Boy?

I also followed the weekly exploits of London Cornish RFC during the last couple of seasons as they climbed up their own Rugby pyramid.

Usually getting a summary from Dickon Moon in some Public house.

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Geoff Barkers Rock'n'Roll Show is on too early. It should start at 7 giving Dave Deacon time to have a programme from 6-7 for results, taped interviews, etc.

Geoff Barker doesn't play enough Doo Wop. I listen to Uncle Marv's show from the USA

http://www.vocalgroupharmony.com/ym_show.htm

or some of the following

http://www.vocalgroupharmony.com/radio.htm

CTB

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Guest crosser

I'm afraid the media business is run by people who stick rigidly to the bottom line. They have absolutely no interest in what goes on the radio provided the bottom line (Profit) is healthy.

If i'm wrong about this i will put my hands up, but seen as Radio cornwall has the three magical letters BBC in front of them profit should'nt come into it as It's funded by the licence payer, have'nt listened to radio cornwall for a long time but don't remember hearing any adverts

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Guest Peppermint

The voice of sanity - Ken Reed - I know that I have suffered at the hands of the the totally unfair BBC Radio Cornwall. Their complete arrogance and double standards are beyond belief.

Crosser is perfectly right and they should be providing a service that we all want not making huge profits because it is funded by us the licence payers!

It is not only football that is disgusted with how the programme is going but other sports as well and it seems that the powers that be like Daphne Skinnard etc are not interested in what we the public think and ONE DICTATOR can do whatever is her personal whim.

Very sad and a shame for everyone - rant over!

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The trouble is we've all been used to having a programme that we enjoyed listening to and there was always a balance of rugby and football with some other sports given airtime because, after all, it's a sports programme.

Nowadays there seems to be a complete disinterest in listening to what Cornish (local) listeners want.

I haven't heard the programme for months now, and the interview I gave them after the Gloucestershire game had us playing in Somerset if you believe the person in charge.

It's really sad but just turn off...simple!

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Crosser. Every business has to make a profit. If BBC Radio Cornwall receives an income from us the license payers of £1m, then if they spend £1.2m to provide the product the BBC makes A loss. If they spend less than £1m then they have a surplus. Seems simple to me.

It's just like newspapers if for arguments sake the Cornishman, West Briton and Cornish Guardian joined together as one (they are the same company) then the profit would be that much greater because there would not be the duplication of production.

As I said its all about the bottom line Unfortunately once you have removed the flesh from the bone what are you left with?.

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Guest crosser

Crosser. Every business has to make a profit. If BBC Radio Cornwall receives an income from us the license payers of £1m, then if they spend £1.2m to provide the product the BBC makes A loss. If they spend less than £1m then they have a surplus. Seems simple to me.

I'm sorry i did'nt think the BBC was a buisness in its own right?? the BBC know how much money they have to spend on things I think its called a budget (thats sarcasm) and with that budget they should provide a service that the licence payer wants. If they are making a profit then surely us licence payers should be getting a rebate!!!!

taken from the BBC website

What your licence fee provides

The BBC is paid for directly through each household TV licence. This allows it to run a wide range of popular public services for everyone, free of adverts and independent of advertisers, shareholders or political interests. 92.5% of the UK population used the BBC every month in 2006/2007.

The BBC provides 8 interactive TV channels, 10 radio networks, more than 50 local TV and radio services, the BBC's website bbc.co.uk, and the on-demand TV service, BBC iPlayer.

BBC World Service is funded by government grant and not the TV licence fee. Profits from separate BBC commercial services help to keep the licence fee low.

I take it the BBC commercial services are the DVD's etc that it sells

or here's another snippet from the BBC website

BBC Trust

Under the new Charter, the BBC is governed by the BBC Trust, which sets the strategic direction of the BBC and has a clear duty to represent the interests of licence fee payers. The Trust sets purpose remits, issues service licences and holds the Executive Board to account for its performance in delivering BBC services.

The Trust works closely with national Audience Councils in order to understand the needs and concerns of audiences.

don't think they are quite managing that in cornwall

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Unfortunately the BBCwhen it comes to sport move further and further away from local people. They look at viewing or listening figures and come to a decision because the experts are still wearing short pants after coming out of University and have no idea what local radio is.

They pour over the figures, make recomendations and the gold plated pension fat cats make the decision. I would like to know how anybody can come to a commercial decision based on guestimates.

Its the same with newspapers. lets say someone comes up with a good idea for a local newspaper, the newspaper runs it for weeks and weeks but the newspaper is still losing sales, so they dump what is proving to be good for the readers to retain their core service. But who actually does a survey of what people like or dislikes about that newspaper. Which means something else that newspaper is carrying is losing sales

But the clever minds pour over the 'figures' the accountants say we are losing out on the bottom line so something has to go. The managing editor says ok we are not dropping this, this and this, which means your department has to cut some items so a particular item which could be the best thing since sliced bread is chopped all because someone has to toss a coin. That unfortunately is how it all seems to work and the BBC is no different. Call it Budgets or bottom line the result is the same. Someone makes decisions on nothing more than somebody elses interpretation of what really is guesswork listening or sales figures that tell you nothing other than a total figure with nobody has a clue as to just what people like to read or listening to.

A radio station may boost its figures because of a major disaster or a high profile wedding or death likewise with the newspapers but once that story dies down and nothing takes its place who do you blame for loss of sales or a reduction in listening or reading figures.

The mind boggles.

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I Too am disappointed at the direction BBC Radio Cornwall has taken.

The station used to pride itself as being the most listened too Local radio station.

This I fear will be lost

It now tries to mimic other radio staions instead of trying to maintain its specific niche position.

We in Cornwall are unique in that we are not bordered by other counties - except the English in Devon.

We enjoy hearing how Gwinear and Gulval and Godolphin and Grampound fare on a saturday.

The thought process that links us purely to one club as if we all support it (Truro) is a misguided route.

I applaud the way Truro are going and the way they are being run - good luck to them.

But i want to hear how my club has done - in all the leagues they play in - and to hear Seagull tell us how Mousehole got on and The General (At Gulval) how his team three points.

And I fear this malaise affects other Cornish interests as well so if another station were to offer a coverage unique to Cornwall they would get my ear.

Proportional representation rules ok lol

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I wrote a email to the BBC and had a reply. The complaint was not directed towards Dave Deacons show, as his slot is the best part of Radio Cornwall on the weekend but aimed at the overall sports department. Again I love my rugby aswell and have nothing against Truro City.

Dear Mr Chown

Thank you for your recent e-mail.

I understand you are unhappy with recent sports coverage on Radio Cornwall, and that you feel coverage is unbalanced. I appreciate that you feel there is too much rugby compared to football, and within the football coverage Truro City FC appear to be favoured.

The choice of sports events to cover in our programmes is frequently very difficult and the issue of rights to broadcast matches is a complicated one. Whilst we would ideally like to report on every match that has taken place, time and resources prevent us from doing so. There is no intention to show bias towards any sport over another, or to put one team higher in priority over others.

I would like to assure you that we have registered your comments on our audience log. This is the internal report of audience feedback which we compile daily for all programme makers and commissioning executives within the BBC, and also their senior management. It ensures that your points, and all other comments we receive, are circulated and considered across the BBC.

Feedback of this nature helps us when making decisions about future BBC programmes and services and your comments will play a part in this process.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact the BBC.

Regards

Cait Doherty

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