Radio Two

andy-hughes | 11:26 Fri 24th Feb 2023 | Film, Media & TV

51 Answers

The media has its trolleys in a robble yet again about Radio Two.

This time it's the announcement that Vernon Kaye is taking over Ken Bruce's morning show.

Of course, no-one would ever be a suitable replacement for KB, so Vernon will have to take the hit in listening figures, and see what happens.

It does indicate Radio Two's intention to carry on looking for a 'younger demographic', as they are keen to confirm.

The question is - why?

Why this drive for a 'younger' audience?

They don't have to satisfy advertisers, only their listeners, which they seem hell-bent on upsetting and ignoring.

So has anyone ever offered an explanation about why a subscription-funded Radio station can't let its programmes find their own natural audiences who come to it voluntarily, instead of forcing changes that not only destroy the existing listenership, but singularly fail to replace it with the mythical 'younger' audience, who appear utterly indifferent to what is being shoved at them.

Any ideas?

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goodgoalie

A white male taking over, you say? Now that really is shocking!

gingejbee

No idea at all...but I never listen to R2 (or any BBC radio station...or any British radio at all!) - but I've always liked Vernon Kaye, he'll appeal to older listeners I think - so I hope he's a success in the job.

Zacs-Master

I’ll reserve my judgement but it is a bit of a left-field appointment.

bednobs

vernon kaye is not what i'd call young - he's nearly 50!
it seems unlikely they are going to recruit someoen ken's age as he's well past retirement.

MargoTester

Given that Ken Bruce will be a hard act to follow, I don't think Vernon is a bad shout actually, he's been a stand-in for several bb2 presents and came across well. As bedknobs pointed out he's 48 hardly young, Ken was 35 when he took over the same spot. Perhaps the older listeners they're aiming at are the over 50s. Given that I just about qualify :-)))

andy-hughes

Question Author

My point is less about the age of the presenters - I don't subscribe to the notion that anyone chooses a radio show based on the age of who presents it.

My issue is more with the notion of 'younger' music, and why the BBC is so obsessed with it.

bednobs

also, i'm not sure this was BBCs doing andy - didnt KB quit? i'm not sure they forced that change.
In fact, thinking about it, isnt it just a function of getting older that one thinks more modern music is rubbish? KB plays a lot of stuff int he charts on his show now, and people still listen

ToraToraTora

Mystifying! Radio 1 plays she ite for the saucepans, leave R2 for us fogeys. End of!

MargoTester

I don't want to nit pick Andy but you actually said audience a couple of times, which I addressed by saying that it might be the over 50s. In actual fact Vernon has not yet been confirmed as Ken's replacement

drmorgans

I think Ken Bruce quit because he wanted to play the music he wanted to play rather than the young stuff that the suits foisted on him.

Patsy33

I can't answer that, Andy, but I think they've made a wise choice in Vernon Kaye. He seems to appeal to young & old and those in between :-)

bednobs

tbh ive been listening to r2 for about 15 years, and in that time, the music they favour has moved on about a 15 year increment which seems fair. Pop master now has fewer questions about 60s music, ad more about 80s but that suits me!

lankeela

Maybe its more to do with finding presenters with regional accents? Seems to be the thing they are going for.

lankeela

My biggest bugbear with Radio 2 (although I only listen when travelling) is the constant repetition of phone in subjects or competitions - I really don't care what someone wore to a fancy dress party or what they are having for tea yet they seem to fill the slots with such drivel more and more. Tony Blackburn in the only one who really plays anything decent if you can put up with his corny jokes.

fitdarren

I'm a big fan of Vernon Kay, he's charming, witty and totally professional, so if I listened to Radio 2, I wouldn't mind. All radio stations do this, I was a big fan of Joel Ross and his sidekick Lorna on Heart Radio. They cheered up many a morning for me, as they were excellent together and Joel very funny. But then Heart radio had a massive shake up and got rid of all their local presenters and brought in named celebs instead who covered all the areas. Amanda Holden (who I can't stand) replaced Joel and Lorna and other local presenters and they lost listeners in droves, but did Heart radio care, did they hell!! I listen to a different station now, but nowhere near as often as I used to do.

bednobs

i think people will just get on with it, and perhaps move with ken if they really dont like it.
It happenes all the time. In the 90s i really used to like r1 with chris evans, then when he left i actually really like chris moyles

MissTerious2

Noone can replace him. I hope for someone completely different so there's no comparison. I can't think of anybody though. Radio 2 just isn't working these days. I like a lot of modern music along with all the older stuff, I just don't care much for the younger style of presenting with all the stupid stuff they come up with and giggles. And I would like someone with a real knowledge of music.

I neither like or dislike Vernon.

Can I have Ricky Wilson please!