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Programme Controller Paul Johnston |
This is my blog. I'll keep you up-to-date with progamming news and my views right here.
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Thursday, 29 March 2007 Technology Is Wonderful
We're very hi-tech at Radio Clatterbridge, with a state-of-the-art computer system that keeps us on the air around the clock.
Our music library, containing thousands of singles, albums and CD's accumulated over the 56 years we've been on the air, is becoming more and more redundant. We're down to just one record deck in the studio and even CD's get played less often. We're having a record sale at Wirral Rugby Club on Sunday May 13th to offload some of our more dusty records because some haven't been played for decades, if ever.
Most of our songs are now played from a clever computer programme called Myriad which allows presenters to select the tune they want by dragging and dropping it into a box on the screen before playing it on the air. This is great when it works properly. Fortunately it crashes only occasionally, usually because of a glitch with the hard drive.
We upgraded to the latest version last year, but sadly our computer doesn't seem to like it and crashes each time we try to use it. Hopefully this willl be sorted next month when a nice man from software company P Squared pays a visit.
All this technology doesn't come cheap though, as we have to pay a few hundred quid per year for technical support plus a lot more for a site visit. The advantages are huge though. Gone are the days when we had to use BBC Radio Two as a sustaining service for the 18 hours a day we weren't on the air live. It was most confusing for listeners and occasionally we'd get calls from patients complaining that Bob Harris Country had been replaced by a Radio Clatterbridge programme!
Technology has made a huge difference to the service we offer.
posted by Paul Johnston # Thursday, March 29, 2007
Wednesday, 7 March 2007
Reaching the audience
We had some frustrating news recently about the broadcasting system we use. At the moment our output is pumped down the landlines of the hospital telephone system onto the wards and patients listen to us on flexible soft plastic headphones which are plugged into an old-fashioned control unit.
The headphones are not very comfortable to wear for long periods and each set costs a whopping 4 pounds to replace - even more expensive than a pair of cheap headphones. Fortunately, the Clatterbridge Hospital League of Friends are incredibly generous and give us money to replenish stocks when they either pass their sell by date, become a hygiene hazard or accidentally end up in the laundry.
The hospital had been due to install a brand new all singing, all dancing broadcasting system which would have enabled patients to listen to radio and television on a hi-tech bedside screen. Unfortunately, it now appears the new system isn't going ahead. This is disappointing because it had been the answer to the broadcasting problems that we suffer on some wards.
Each week our request collectors find people who want to listen but simply can't because the existing system is so old and difficult to maintain to a decent standard. We are seeking clarification on how we can work with the Hospital Trust to improve the situation, and I'll keep you posted on developments.
posted by Paul Johnston # Wednesday, March 07, 2007
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Clatterbridge Hospital, Wirral CH63 4JY - 0151 482 7888