Courtesy of the eRADIO web
Away from the ASB front line and time to kick off your shoes... We don our 1991 worn-out Guns N Roses T-shirts for a special eROCK edition of eRADIO.
Q&A
This week we put the questions to Planet Rock Programme Director Trevor White. Under his stewardship, the station's won countless awards - including Digital Station of the Year at last year's Sonys.
Tell us first why you decided to make the switch from a recorded syndicated breakfast show to a live one?
The Alice Cooper Breakfast Show has been enormously successful for Planet Rock. Alice started 5 years ago with a negligible breakfast audience and has built a loyal following. More than that he has singlehandedly imaged the station and positioned us at the heart of rock in the UK. However, our exceptional growth has gone hand in hand with a large proportion of listeners using Planet Rock as their primary radio station and the time has come for us to satisfy their needs at breakfast with a live show and relevant content. We are now able to interact with our audience with all the commercial benefits that follow.
And a big giveaway in the first month with the station's beloved jukebox on its way out of the station we hear?
And a big giveaway in the first month with the station's beloved jukebox on its way out of the station we hear?
Lucio's first words on arrival at the Planet Rock studios, after being shown his office and looking at the Juke Box, were "that will have to go" and he wasn't talking about Nicky Horne. It's a old Juke Box full of our favourite CD's and will look great, in a lived-in sort of way, in one of our listeners homes.
How much of the output is live now?
We are live 6am to 9pm and then Alice takes over through to 1am.
The Alice Cooper breakfast show's been on for nearly five years, during which time Planet Rock's audience size has nearly doubled. Where do you see the station in another 5 years time?
With stations like Absolute Classic Rock, GMG's Rock Radio, BBC 6 Music, Xfm and Kerrang there is plenty of choice for fans of guitar-based music - what do you think makes Planet Rock different to your competition?
As the only truly national rock station we differ in 3 fundamental ways – musically, we are broader and deeper than the others – more bands and more tracks. Artists from some of the world's greatest rock bands are regular presenters, underlining our Rock Authenticity. And finally a clearly defined, and frankly down-to-earth attitude that runs through the core of the station.
Planet Rock's owned mainly by an individual and isn't part of a group of stations - does that make a difference to how you operate in any way?
Not really – if anything it allows us to react faster (to his every whim and fancy).
What role do you think Planet Rock plays in getting listeners to go digital?
For better or worse we have been at the forefront of the move to digital (11 years so far…). We know that our musical offering has been unavailable anywhere else and has driven digital take up – don't ask us, ask our friends at PURE.
You've got a good mix of radio people and musicians on your line-up - how valuable are things like contacts, knowledge and fans that your rock stars presumably add to the station?
All those things add value but It's all about content. Rock music is all about characters and their stories and that's the secret – only they can tell it as it really was.
Sony Gold for Planet Rock. We've lost count of how many times you've been named Digital Station of the Year at the various awards ceremonies - how's the trophy cabinet looking?
Sony Gold for Planet Rock. We've lost count of how many times you've been named Digital Station of the Year at the various awards ceremonies - how's the trophy cabinet looking?
Sparkling, but hungry.
Starting the new year with a new breakfast show, new logo and new website is fairly exciting - have you got anything else major planned for 2011?
You missed out the new player, new iPhone app and the new evening show with Alice but we have only just started… everyone is on short contract!
Planet Rock is available across the UK on DAB, Sky 0110, Virgin Media 924, Freesat 730, via iPhone and online at http://go.madmimi.com/redirects/bffe8940e9a0eb900a1137bb41b7c4fa?pa=2683720089
(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581
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