What do music radio presenters do when the music's on?

[Barking Spiders]

Last week I spent a blissful away from my partner's snarky teens on my boat. There I have a DAB radio and while I was doing various maintenance jobs I thought I'd tune into Planet Rock just to see if anything had changed. The answer is nada, just the usual suspects from CCR, Kiss, Foreigner, Doors, Floyd, Journey, Rush etc blah. Thing is, I like the presenters and enjoy the chat. It's just the music that spoils it for me. So, what I'd like to know is what do these guys and occasional gal get up to while they're having to play Alright Now or More Than A Feeling for the zillionth time. I guess during Freebird, In My Time of Dying, Child In Time etc or  they can go to the pub for lunch. During Eruption they may fit in time for a quick wee or read the whole of The Sun. On Classic FM, there's time for them to go on holiday while Mahler's 9th is playing. Anyone got any insider info on this?

[Bassfinger]

I always presumed they masturbated a lot.

 

PS, I'm not sure what you expect of a classic rock station if you're surprised to hear them playing classic rock.

Edited August 4, 2020 by Bassfinger

[paul_5]

Generally they’ll prime any guests / sycophants for the next part of the show. 
And knock one out.

[Barking Spiders]

11 minutes ago, Bassfinger said:

I always presumed they masturbated a lot.

 

PS, I'm not sure what you expect of a classic rock station if you're surprised to hear them playing classic rock.

As the station's called Planet Rock it suggests they might play anything from the whole gamut of rock styles from across the world not just the same old gash from 70s-90s US and UK mainstream rock bands.

Anyway, this isn't just about PR but any music radio station where presenters have to play stuff they've heard countless times. That's a lot of time going spare.

 

Edited August 4, 2020 by Barking Spiders

[stewblack]

I used to present a radio show. We'd just have a laugh and check social media while the music was on

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 6, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Bassfinger]

1 hour ago, Barking Spiders said:

As the station's called Planet Rock it suggests they might play anything from the whole gamut of rock styles from across the world not just the same old gash from 70s-90s US and UK mainstream rock bands.

Anyway, this isn't just about PR but any music radio station where presenters have to play stuff they've heard countless times. That's a lot of time going spare.

 

They clearly advertise themselves as the nations #1 classic rock station, so the name cannot be regarded as the slightest bit deceptive.  I've been listening most days while working from home, and today alone they've easily played stuff from the mid 60's, right through to the Brothers Osbourne's new release, so your description is completely disingenuous.

And they do actually play quite a lot of new talent, more modern rock, country rock, metal, yacht rock, AORblues etc...but you need to listen to the programmes in which they are played, not the regular day time programming, which is largely fairly vanilla classic rock, as per their S.O.P.

I suspect they spend their time while the music is playing wondering what sort of classic rock rock the nations humber 1 classic rock station should be playing.  When Bauer media were in the sheet and offloaded a number stations Planet Rock was the only profitable one, and a good one at that, so whatever they're  doing while the computerised playlist is playing is clearly working.  You might not like them, that's cool, but they do exactly what they claim and a fair bit more besides, which you have failed to reflect in your rather narrow and blinkered summary of their output.

Edited August 4, 2020 by Bassfinger

[skankdelvar]

I am unfamiliar with Planet Rock's output but outwith any obviously 'live' shows I'd imagine that most of the DJ links are pre-recorded in advance and in one session and in the comfort of their own homes, then sent digitally to the station to be inserted into the play-out computer along with the songs, the station idents and the ads.

Most radio you hear isn't 'live' and many DJ's no longer even go into the station except for meetings.

So, in answer to the question, they're not doing anything between the links because they're not there. 

[ahpook]

I think they do more than one show at the same time, so whilst you're listening to 'Smoke on the Water' on Planet Rock, they put their posh voice on and introduce some Mozart on Classic FM.

[skankdelvar]

11 minutes ago, ahpook said:

I think they do more than one show at the same time, so whilst you're listening to 'Smoke on the Water' on Planet Rock, they put their posh voice on and introduce some Mozart on Classic FM.

Indeed so. Back in the day we used various DJ's who worked on other stations. The rule was, if they were in a neighbouring transmission area they used a different name.

[Barking Spiders]

1 hour ago, Bassfinger said:

They clearly advertise themselves as the nations #1 classic rock station, so the name cannot be regarded as the slightest bit deceptive.  I've been listening most days while working from home, and today alone they've easily played stuff from the mid 60's, right through to the Brothers Osbourne's new release, so your description is completely disingenuous.

And they do actually play quite a lot of new talent, more modern rock, country rock, metal, yacht rock, AORblues etc...but you need to listen to the programmes in which they are played, not the regular day time programming, which is largely fairly vanilla classic rock, as per their S.O.P.

I suspect they spend their time while the music is playing wondering what sort of classic rock rock the nations humber 1 classic rock station should be playing.  When Bauer media were in the sheet and offloaded a number stations Planet Rock was the only profitable one, and a good one at that, so whatever they're  doing while the computerised playlist is playing is clearly working.  You might not like them, that's cool, but they do exactly what they claim and a fair bit more besides, which you have failed to reflect in your rather narrow and blinkered summary of their output.

I've skimmed through the days' playlists for yesterday, sunday and saturday and IMO they support my blinkered summary of their output. There's very little in the way of, fr'instance; contemporary metal, 70s punk, 80s-90s UK Post Punk, industrial metal, 90s US 'alt rock'....

 

[Nail Soup]

I think they go to the toilet in long records.

Otherwise they talk to the guests about the stories they could not tell on air.

[Burns-bass]

39 minutes ago, skankdelvar said:

I am unfamiliar with Planet Rock's output but outwith any obviously 'live' shows I'd imagine that most of the DJ links are pre-recorded in advance and in one session and in the comfort of their own homes, then sent digitally to the station to be inserted into the play-out computer along with the songs, the station idents and the ads.

Most radio you hear isn't 'live' and many DJ's no longer even go into the station except for meetings.

So, in answer to the question, they're not doing anything between the links because they're not there. 

This is most of their output. Alice Cooper does a fantastic show on the radio from his own abode.

[el borracho]

I listen to Arrow Rock while I'm working. Being a Dutch station you get the usual suspects but the odd Dutch band as well. I've discovered Brainbox, Livin' Blues & Anouk along with loads of Golden Earring (not just Radar Love!)

A bit off topic mind as they don't have presenters.

Edited August 4, 2020 by el borracho

[ahpook]

47 minutes ago, skankdelvar said:

Indeed so. Back in the day we used various DJ's who worked on other stations. The rule was, if they were in a neighbouring transmission area they used a different name.

Knew it !

[Nail Soup]

I heard a presenter explaining (in a chat show, not his own show!) that he simultaneously presents a family of programs..... for example I love Eighties, Sixties Mania and Nineties Fever.

The station plays a selection of music, programmed to start and end simultaneously. In between he makes some chat, not referring to the music.

[Thunderbird]

I like planet rock but for some reason I have not been able to pick it up in my area for ages in fact its a nightmare getting any dab stations 😭

[steantval]

On Radio 2, Ken Bruce after doing the daily pop master quiz, always plays a long track when it’s over, it’s pretty well known he either goes for a pee or dump during this time.

[SimonEdward]

These day's, most "radio" broadcasts can also viewed Live via the internet.. which also means there are Webcams in the studio.

All I can say is, they had better be very, very careful.

Else, it's all pre-recorded and edited to death!

"Oooo look, there's a lady swimming naked in the pool.. but only on the radio".

[yorks5stringer]

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2020/05/most-of-acquired-bauer-stations-to-become-greatest-hits-radio/

[uk_lefty]

On 04/08/2020 at 21:21, Nail Soup said:

I heard a presenter explaining (in a chat show, not his own show!) that he simultaneously presents a family of programs..... for example I love Eighties, Sixties Mania and Nineties Fever.

The station plays a selection of music, programmed to start and end simultaneously. In between he makes some chat, not referring to the music.

Absolute Radio? Seems to work like that from what I remember. Otherwise they'd be paying presenters for Absolute Classic Rock, Absolute 60s 70s 80s 90s 00s 2010s, Absolute Hymns, Absolute B0llocks, Absolute Dance, Absolute Vodka... Etc. 

[taunton-hobbit]

On 04/08/2020 at 20:04, skankdelvar said:

 

Most radio you hear isn't 'live' and many DJ's no longer even go into the station except for meetings.

So, in answer to the question, they're not doing anything between the links because they're not there. 

Back in the stone age, Jack Jackson (remember him?) used to record his inserts on a Nagra in Corfu, where he was resident (I think) and air mail the tape back to the Maple Cross studio where his sons would add the music ready for the weekend BBC radio broadcast...............

😎

[Oopsdabassist]

On 04/08/2020 at 21:10, el borracho said:

I listen to Arrow Rock while I'm working. Being a Dutch station you get the usual suspects but the odd Dutch band as well. I've discovered Brainbox, Livin' Blues & Anouk along with loads of Golden Earring (not just Radar Love!)

A bit off topic mind as they don't have presenters.

There is some Dutch radio station that regularly plays our cover version of a well know Rock ditty, and namechecks us as well, I don't know why but its nice to be recognised somewhere......

[meterman]

I do a two-hour radio show once a fortnight. While the music's playing I'm usually drinking coffee, cueing up the next tune, checking levels, etc.

Sometimes I get time to look at pictures of vintage basses and cats on Instagram as well, but usually only if I'm playing a 20 minute Fela Kuti afrobeat jam, or a Pharoah Sanders epic. 

[geoham]

18 hours ago, uk_lefty said:

Absolute Radio? Seems to work like that from what I remember. Otherwise they'd be paying presenters for Absolute Classic Rock, Absolute 60s 70s 80s 90s 00s 2010s, Absolute Hymns, Absolute B0llocks, Absolute Dance, Absolute Vodka... Etc. 

The Frank Skinner show is definitely done this way on Absolute. Was doing some painting a few months ago, and had Absolute Radio on as an inoffensive generic station for some background music. Switched to Absolute 70's for a break from Frank's annoying chat... he's there too. Likewise on 90's. 

To the question at hand... I used to do some work for a community radio station years ago. I was a board member, trainer, keyholder, music loader, IT guy - and an occasional presenter! I'd deal with occasional texts, emails etc between songs (for shout-outs, requests etc), but mostly scroll through the vast library of music and decide what to play next. And yes, long songs or queing up a few songs for an  'interruption free' section was ideal for a toilet break!