Internet killed the Radio Star!

Even before we start this week, we have dated ourselves with the titular reference to the Buggles 1979 hit. It's all part of the feeling old process.

Having had an injection of youth for the last few weeks at the NYT, I headed off to Devon this week for a media date with the thrusting world of internet broadcasting.

Richard's nephew Marcus, whom regular readers will remember visited us in London a few weeks ago, is co-presenter of the youth programme on Bay FM, the internet radio station that serves Exmouth, but indeed can be heard all over the country if you care to log on. While he was with us he asked me if I would be their guest on the Saturday morning programme when I was down in Devon. To help him out I agreed and so on Thursday Richard and I headed down to the West Country to visit his parents, see his family, and take part in the interview.

Bay FM is based in a compact little studio above a builders merchants on the Salterton Rd just out of Exmouth. The Youth programme has been running for ten weeks and Marcus is a natural. If at 15 I had had a chance to present a radio programme, I hate to think where Radio 2 would be now, but I didn't and so thousands of easy music listeners can breathe a sight of relief.

Marcus shares with show with Dale, who is an IT technician at the Exmouth Community college but who obviously has his eyes on bigger things. They make a great duo with a nice easy style. When I say I was the guest on the show, I was one of three . I was the middle of the programme. I was supposed to be following the man who organised the Topsham carnival, but due to the fact that the carnival was that evening, and perhaps he wasn't quite on top of things, he pulled out. Luckily last weeks guest, Gareth the dancer, was able to step in once again. As Gareth was also angling for a job at Bay FM this seemed like a good move on his part.

I've never had a problem chatting in interviews and indeed have to keep my internal monitor running to make sure I don't take over. However it seemed my loquaciousness was manna from heaven to Bay FM. Evidently most of the interviewees, they get, a representative from the local life boat station being a prime example, only manage to respond with answers of five or fewer words. This means that Dale and Marcus are constantly scrabbling for more questions and really put on their mettle. The fact that I seemed happy to chat for up to a minute or two on each question rather took them off the hook and they seemed delighted.

Bay FM is a fabulous enterprise. Without all the crappy politico positioning of the ConDem social responsibility crap, it is creating something for the community by the community. The people who have put money into it should be rewarded. Yes some saturday mornings it only has six listeners, but its branching out and on the up. It's giving young people a chance to do something at an early age that could shape their lives for the better.,and it's making tired old C list celebs like me feel important on a Saturday morning.

What's wrong with that?