Danny Baker axed by BBC London.

So, it's been reported today that BBC London are axing Danny Baker's weekday afternoon show, as well as removing Gaby Roslin from the breakfast show.  But most attention has been on Danny Baker, who has often had an off and on relationship with BBC bosses.

He started on BBC GLR back in 1989, arrived on BBC Radio 5 with SportsCall on a Saturday lunchtime, and by February 1992, he had taken over the station's breakfast show, Morning Edition.  He did shows on Radio 1, Radio 5 Live, Talk Radio, Virgin Radio, before returning to BBC London in 2001, and taking over the weekday afternoon show in 2005, the show which has now been axed.  He continues to broadcast a show on BBC Radio 5 Live every weekend.

Danny Baker is one of those talents, rather like Chris Moyles and Chris Evans, who have never really sat totally comfortably, within the BBC.  In the past, pre-2002, they would have easily found a home within commercial radio.  These days, commercial radio has gone ultra-safe, timid, generic, and bean-counting to the Nth degree.  So it's harder now to see Danny Baker finding a home on commercial radio these days.

Some people have compared Danny Baker to Kenny Everett, but that is an unfair comparison, as they are two very different types of radio personality.  Kenny Everett had personality and a lot of creativity.  Danny Baker has attitude, and that's about it.  But the thing they both shared was that they knew exactly what they wanted to produce and how they wanted to produce it, and there are very few like them currently, across the world, people like Steve Wright, Danny Baker, Chris Evans, Keith Olbermann and Gay Byrne, and they are an essential part of the mix, yes, they are all difficult to manage, but at the end of the day, the passion they have for the product they produce comes through and they connect with listeners and viewers.  At the end of the day, that connection is what every station needs, not only to survive, but to grow.

UEFA Champions League coverage update

Well, this UEFA Champions League matchday is better for coverage than many others previously. Radio 5 Live is covering Rangers match, whilst TalkSport is covering the Manchester United game.

Much better. This is exactly what we as listeners want from our radio. Real choice.

No improvement in UEFA Champions League radio coverage saga.

Yesterday, I reported on the shameful state of affairs in UEFA Champions League coverage on radio. How Five Live and Talksport both covered the Manchester United match yesterday, despite the fact there were 3 British teams in action.

Today, it's no better. Five Live is covering the Valencia vs Chelsea match, and so is TalkSport. Once again, BOTH competing sports radio stations are airing the SAME match, with different commentators. WHY?

Sky TV viewers have a choice. Sky Sports 2 is showing Liverpool vs Marseille, Sky Sports Extra is showing Valencia vs Chelsea whilst Sky One has coverage of Celtic vs AC Milan. All three matches are being shown, and Five Live have the option of airing another match on FiveLive Sports Extra, but that channel is off air tonight.

Two stations covering the same match is not extending choice. TalkSport made a lot of noisde about being allowed to cover UEFA Champions League and other events where the rights were held by the EBU, which it considered a cartel.

TalkSport, you were not allowed your victory simply so you could squander it by covering the SAME match the BBC are covering.

This truly is a shameful state of affairs!

UEFA Champions League coverage on radio. Why the same match?

Radio is my usual home for news, sport and music, although I watch TV news and ues the web too. Tonight, 3 British teams were involved in UEFA Champions League action. Television had them all covered. Manchester United vs Roma was on ITV1, Steaua Bucharest vs Arsenal was on ITV4, whilst Rangers vs Lyon was on Sky Sports 2.

Radio did not serve the listeneing public nearly as well. BBC Radio 5 Live had the Manchester United vs Roma match, as did TalkSport. Five Live Sports Extra was supposed to be on the air covering a Coca Cola Championship match, but was off air when I checked. TalkSport could have covered the Arsenal match, rather than Manchester United, and instead of a Championship match, perhaps 5 Live Sports Extra should have aired coverage of Rangers vs Lyon.

In this case, the poor radio listener had no choice about which match to listen to. Only 1 was available. Come on BBC and TalkSport. You CAN do better than this.

I'll be noting what you guys will be covering tomorrow. 3 more British teams will be in action tomorrow night. Celtic will be hosting AC Milan. Liverpool will be hosting Marseille whilst Chelsea are away at Valencia. After tonight's shameful performance, I don't hold much hope for tomorrow night. Which one of those three will get covered by both Five Live and Talksport?