The Battle of Breakfast Radio

For those that work in radio – how often do you listen to other output on the dial? Maybe you listen to your direct competitors in your market or similar genres – but how about something completely different?

I really think exploring other ‘radio’ on radio is such an important role of the job – and with the internet, Radioplayer and wifi radios it’s easier to do than ever before.

For producers and presenters it can give you inspiration to spark new ideas into making your content bigger and better. For those working behind the scenes it can help understand how to position your brand or provide nuggets of inspiration for a great radio promotion, imaging piece or advertising campaign.

Now, while I’m not suggest copying, I think engrossing yourself in as much radio (even if it’s different from your ‘style’) is so underated and is so valuable.

It seems The Guardian can help you with your quest this week. The Guardian will be listening to a variety of Breakfast Show programming this week and then reviewing them each day. Firstly – it’s great that the newspaper is giving such a shine to radio programming and its already creating a buzz in the Twittersphere from ‘real’ people who don’t own a zip up raincoat.

It also seems to be a quite respected marketing tool for stations as Adrian Van Klaveren of BBC Radio 5 Live has tweeted. Already the 5 Live article has had a fair few comments – so providing a useful barometer of instant audience feedback (although the integrity of this is to be questioned!)

The Guardian will be listening to nine of the biggest breakfast shows and reviewing them each morning.

Monday kicks off with thoughts on TalkSport and 5 Live’s offerings, Tuesday covers Capital and Radio One, Wednesday looks at Radio Two and Heart, and Thursday sees Absolute Radio’s and 6Music’s turn. Finally, on Friday, they’ll be listening to Radio Four and a local radio station (to be confirmed).

The paper goes on to add that a certain Breakfast radio show is one person’s perfect wake-up call, another’s idea of morning hell. Speech or music? Sport or politicians? Cheery amounts of chat or as little as possible?

You can read the first and respond to the first reviews from 5 Live with Nicky’s ability to ‘flip’ between homosexuality and Wimbledon or talkSPORT‘s Ian Danter and his “buzzing” breakfast performance.

Go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/series/battle-of-breakfast-radio to follow the website for updates throughout the week.