Issue 75 / March 2017

THE FINAL
SAY
A radio stalwart for three decades and a
reassuring voice for late-night listeners,
DJ JANICE LONG reflects on the importance
of keeping the independent spirit alive.
“What I love most
about radio is its
immediacy”
I
started out in radio over 30 years ago. Coming into the
world from a technical point of view, I first worked behind
the scenes but was always really into my bands. I read
countless magazines and always had my eye on presenting.
After getting my first show, I’ve been hooked ever since.
What I love most about radio is its immediacy, which is
something other formats don’t quite have. You’re able to interact
with your audience throughout a show and develop a bond with
them there and then, which makes it that bit more personal. You
develop an audience who listen to you because of what you
do, and this includes bands. When you have musicians as part
of your audience, they’ll work towards the goal of trying to get
themselves played on the show, and this makes for a kind of
community. Radio has an identity quite unlike any other medium,
and provides a space for people with things in common to come
together in the moment and enjoy something together as a
community, whether that be talk radio or music shows. It offers
something for people who feel they may otherwise be alone, and
that makes it very special.
Having recently finished my last ever regular BBC Radio 2
show, I think what I’ll miss most about it is the audience, that
sense of community. Over the past seven years it’s become much
harder to get things which are a bit more out there on Radio 2.
First, they cut down on spoken word sessions, and then it was
cutting the next thing, and the next. But I always tried to bring
something slightly different to the audience, whether that be
a bit of dance or a smaller, less well known band such as The
Vryll Society. I wanted to bring something a little different to the
station and I’ll miss being able to do so.
Donald Trump’s Chief Strategist, Stephen Bannon, called the
media “the opposition party” in a briefing after taking office and
this is something I find alarming. Of course, there has probably
always been censorship of the media, and always will be, but for
someone in such a position of power to say so proves worrying.
The unbiased media outlets need to unite and stand against
this message – and if Trump doesn’t like the real news being
reported then he can step down. In an age where phrases such
as ‘alternative facts’ have become common, it is the media’s role
to report what is happening.
However, musically, radio is most important in expanding
a knowledge of culture – and this can be done simply by
playing a range of music that spans every genre. Most people’s
musical tastes can’t be pinned down to one style and radio
should embrace that and pass on a message. You don’t always
want politics in music but it definitely has its place, especially
with bands such as the Manics. People can often be apathetic
politically, but they still hold a vote – so, if music can spark debate
or interest then that’s great. And it’s not only music that’s a great
source of this, independent media outlets are too. They offer an
alternative to the mainstream media and offer up viewpoints that
would otherwise go unheard, so I feel it’s important to have faith
in it. As the saying goes, the public wants what the public gets. !
55
BIDO LITO!