[IainJohnstonMember]

Personally I quite like the “new” Real jingles, probably because they sound so familiar!

They DO sound good on-air so far – the TOH is far better than the previous echoey duff
version of the BBC “pips”! … its just that they are more likely to get Ticks in the RAJAR
diaries for Kingdom than Real from any listener east of Kirk'o'Shotts! Which is clearly NOT
what the dunderheids at Music4 boast on their website blurb.

(PS – has ANYONE ever been asked to fill-in a RAJAR book, or even remotely know
anyone who has???)

[RjM]

Paul wrote:
Does anyone have a recording of the relaunch sequence?

Here's the North West version, featuring a snippet of the Century 105 launch. Not the epic style sequence GMG usually go for, though I presume this was intentional as it's been heavily promoted as a re-brand rather than full re-launch.
http://jinglemad.com/e107_files/public/1238445570_534_FT70290_centuryintoreal.mp3 filename:centuryintoreal.mp3

The first thing that I thought when hearing the package, rather then the logo was the “You're listening to…” lyric- very similar idea to the “This Is…” lyric used by Global.

Another small thing, the weather jingle now uses the generic “Real Radio weather” lyric rather than “North West's/Wales/Scotland's… Weather”, I always liked that signature element. In compromise though the cuts do now feature a geographic element though the “The North West's”, “Across Wales”… lyric.

[LenGroat]

…these.. are truly AWFUL ~ but to try and be constructive:

'This package features a fresh new vocal sound from Music 4'

What is 'fresh' about a 1980 Pointer Sisters vocal sound… AND… on EVERY cut! ??

What is 'fresh' about a Frankie Goes to Hollywood rhythm on half the cuts?

'has been designed to maximise listener recall for RAJAR with the ultra powerful message “you're listening to Real” built into every cut'

But EVERY jingle package from the currently 'trendy' companies has the SAME station phrase on EVERY cut!

What is new ?

A few suggestions for you 'professionals'

1. put the station name at the top on half the cuts
2. use male & female group vocal
3. use male vocal group
4. make some fast to slow / slow to fast cuts
5. make a few 2 second 'shotguns'
6. use LESS echo (helps clarity)
7. make some acapellas
8. do NOT use a sloppy, ugly word in your main slogan: You're = YOR !
9. if you REALLY want them to 'jump out of the radio', use Sonovox on 2 or 3!
10. Get your jingles from Dallas! (ok so I'm predictable!)

Yor listening to Heart
This is Real
Yor Really Listening
Listen to Yor Heart
I Really don't have the Heart to listen….

blah blah blah

[cserpentuk]

RjM wrote:
Here's the North West version, featuring a snippet of the Century 105 launch. Not the epic style sequence GMG usually go for, though I presume this was intentional as it's been heavily promoted as a re-brand rather than full re-launch.
http://jinglemad.com/e107_files/public/1238445570_534_FT70290_centuryintoreal.mp3 filename:centuryintoreal.mp3

The first thing that I thought when hearing the package, rather then the logo was the “You're listening to…” lyric- very similar idea to the “This Is…” lyric used by Global.

Another small thing, the weather jingle now uses the generic “Real Radio weather” lyric rather than “North West's/Wales/Scotland's… Weather”, I always liked that signature element. In compromise though the cuts do now feature a geographic element though the “The North West's”, “Across Wales”… lyric.

That's actually quite sad… 15 years of broadcasting (in the NE anyway), John Myers' opener and just fading to nothing but dirge and SFX – I kind of hoped it would have at least had a reflection on Century, maybe an original jingle and then something to introduce Real.

I agree on the weather comment – in fact Century as a Border/GMG brand always had that, they also appeared to drop the “that's in Location 1, Location 2 and right here at 100-102FM” – thought that may just be me missing the obvious!

I've been pestered by RAJAR types on the phone asking my radio listening habits if that counts?!

David, I've not listened to Tony Horne in a long time, I actually end up listening to Graham Mack on TFM via Telewest's rebroadcast on ch.934!

[barrydavidallanbda]

Who is the station Voice over now on real radio

[cserpentuk]

I have to say Ben Weston made a rather true comment on air to me yesterday… it's the last day of Century [yesterday]… until they do another rebrand in a few years!

[brooky148]

I still prefer the old TOTH opening compared to the old one

http://jinglemad.com/e107_files/public/1238460190_12793_FT70290_real_-_news_logo.mp3 filename:real_-_news_logo.mp3

[brooky148]

And Century's…

http://jinglemad.com/e107_files/public/1238460982_12793_FT70290_century_news_weather_alex_james.mp3 filename:century_news_weather_alex_james.mp3

http://jinglemad.com/e107_files/public/1238460982_12793_FT70290_century_xmastoth_jude.mp3 filename:century_xmastoth_jude.mp3

http://jinglemad.com/e107_files/public/1238460982_12793_FT70290_centurynw.mp3 filename:centurynw.mp3

http://jinglemad.com/e107_files/public/1238460982_12793_FT70290_century_north_east_real.mp3 filename:century_north_east_real.mp3

And the Sung Presenter Jingles

[LenGroat]

Nicky S. ~ well spotted – this is just a re-hash of the style of the Ultimate package…

… from TEN years ago !

and did anyone notice that the first newsreader on the new NW station was JingleMad's very own 'Spoons' !

[AndiMember]

As per any new package from a new producer ie not JAM or PAMS we have the predictable responses from people who if they were to image a station in the contemporary market now would have no clue.

The package fits in really well with the format and has the sing along factor to it as well.

I might add that I live in an area that has a station with PAMS on air – Waves Radio and as much as it fits in there if you were to put JAM on Northsound One it would not fit in to the market.

I think that the new real package will have been noticed by listeners too.

[ianward]

Not sue who the new voice over guy for Real Radio is but he has done loads for the Lincs Group.

I don't like the new image package on Real, its too much like other stations and Real has (IMO) is trying to go down a 'trendy' sound like Radio 1 and it ain't for me.

I wonder if Real realise that this new image is very similar to others out there so its not that' fresh'.

Ian

[LenGroat]

Ref: Andrew Watson's comment 'we have the predictable responses from people who if they were to image a station in the contemporary market now would have no clue'

Andrew, I did jingles for a 'contemporary market' for 19 years which I feel counts as 'real experience'? I chose to retire from radio as I had to write a major book on Clarice Cliff (in the end I wrote 4) but I have never lost contact with the radio ID market, and its companies.

Had I chosen to go on to be MD of a station it would NOT have had the predictable formulaic package this discussion is about. As another correspondent has demonstrated the 'style' is 10 years old, so hardly, to use your word, 'contemporary? I believe that I or hundreds of other former commercial radio staff could have made such a package as it is derivative, not 'contemporary'.

[RobinBlamires]

I have to agree with Andrew's comment to an extent. I'm not a fan of the new Music 4 package but it does get boring when I read comments from older posters making negative comments about newer packages.

We've more or less got the message.

Having said that there is a lack of creativity with many packages being lazy with lyrics.

But then again could I do any better? Could I balls.

[barrydavidallanbda]

” have to agree with Andrew's comment to an extent. I'm not a fan of the new Music 4 package but it does get boring when I read comments from older posters making negative comments about newer packages”

I think you will find the the older posters BUILT the jingles you all love .. So dont put down people because of their age ..

People like Wixy and Len know so much about radio jingles we all should be happy they want to pass on what they know ..

As for todays jingle packages its the same format .. Girl with high pitched voice with lots of echo on a dance bed .. at least the Jam stuff worked on air and is as fresh today

[IainJohnstonMember]

Thank you for that kind comment BDA – but I'm no-where near the league that Len is in!
As you know from a long, long time ago I'm just a Collector albeit a long-standing one.

“I wonder if Real realise that this new image is very similar to others out there”

Unless Jay Crawford and the others in a certain industrial estate at the east side of Glasgow
haven't bothered to listen to their eastern competitor Kingdom for the past year then I'm sure
they at least must SURELY have noticed that their new jingles are diabolically similar in logo
& style etc to Kingdom's TM custom!

“But then again could I do any better? Could I balls.”

Robin, don't denigrate yourself! Every punter on this Forum thats ever had a Personal Cut from
JAM, TM, etc (and even…er…Jingles Factory!) including yourself has written better lyrics for their
re-sings than today's average UK station!

Andi – imagine if “Kenny” at Waves ordered a new package that had a 99%-same-as-Original106
logo & cut structure? (I know he won't – he would have liked JAM “Home of the Hits”!)
How would that sound to anyone in the Peterhead/Aberdeen overlap area or on DAB?
Would people “sing-along” to the “original” (pun) lyric or to the “new” one?!!

[barrydavidallanbda]

but Wixy ..Radio people think that RADIO is just for the 20 to 30 year olds .We all know what we enjoy in a jingle for me its quality singing and music..thats the sort of jingle i listened to as a kid ..

When I fault a New jingle its because i feel we in the uk radio market are going for 2nd rate cut to keep away from the old radio 1 and 2 Jam sound

Back to the thread ,the new Real radio jingles are poor when you listen to jingles from Jam,Pams,Tm and others from the USA and people on the thread should not fault other posters because they have a viewpoint (at any age group) that includes admin staff

Bespoke Jingle are poor but listening to these from Music 4 they are no better ..the sad thing is the young radio people only know poor jingles because they are the tools used todays radio stations ….

[cserpentuk]

Is it just me or does anyone think the breakfast show jingles sound like they've come from the 70s?

[barrydavidallanbda]

The idea for the jingle works on paper ..yes a bit 1970's ..dont know if it will mix with the core music of the station ,and the music bed is a bit weak in the mix .. but its the girls voice that kills me with the ongoing echo thing going on in the background ..sounds like a bedroom dj mix .. not one of Mr Beach's better projects

Take a listen to “Dance Golden hour” .. a bit of music gets in the way ..I think at first it sounds like the “Dolden hour” but once you know what they are singing it works ok

[RobinBlamires]

barrydavidallan wrote:

I think you will find the the older posters BUILT the jingles you all love .. So dont put down people because of their age ..

People like Wixy and Len know so much about radio jingles we all should be happy they want to pass on what they know ..

As for todays jingle packages its the same format .. Girl with high pitched voice with lots of echo on a dance bed .. at least the Jam stuff worked on air and is as fresh today

Age is nothing to do with the issue at all and to think I would criticise people's comments solely on age is completely wrong. I fully respect that that Len especially has resung and overseen the production of some of the best jingles on UK radio.

The station song from the 1991 Trent FM package being one of the rare examples of a jingle that almost has me in tears as a result of Abbey Holmes nee Anderson's solo.

I just think it's sad that people with great backgrounds in radio sink so low into making comments about companies that are only doing what they've been told by otherwise “heartless” (pardon the pun) radio people in suits.

But in no way is that saying that people on this site should not have opinions, otherwise it would be just dull.

However without being disrespectful to JAM, in terms of being fresh, I don't think many of their packages have evolved in the last 15 years.

The Radio 1 custom packages in the early 90s were the benchmark of their creativity so it's a shame that no one gave them any challenges since.

That's just my overall opinion and whilst one of my all time favourite packages is “Fresh KIIS” I would be realistic enough to realise it would be too dated for a proper station these days.

But there's no denying that JAM/TM are consistent when it comes to getting the job done succesfully.

Although a lot of companies worldwide these days seem to have forgotten this concept as once suggested by our very own TC.

http://www.mediafire.com/?kydj1fqazzy

That's something I'm sure everyone on this site would agree with.

[barrydavidallanbda]

But Robin .put the jingles used on air today next to the Jam and the others …the new Jingles in town are weak… and so too is UK radio's quality, it's all gone down the drain.. so when Len and others say that a stations jingle package isnt working it's because he and others with a jingle background know how jingles worked in the past.

This forum is about the “love” of a small gem of music we should be the people that can guide others not be taken in by a 2nd rate product because the company is in fashion or the company is cheap or it's a uk production company

Re; the Music 4 Real Radio jingles I had better jingles 20 years ago from Tapezone productions and that was keyboards and multitrack voice….. and less echo!

Re your link to “jingles can be fun ” the vocals work on that short cut …100% better than Bespoke or music 4 could ever think of making ..and its not down to radio has changed .. radio is not run by people who love of making radio work on air .it's run by people in suits who who want to save money to make a bigger bonus for themselves

[IainJohnstonMember]

“radio is not run by people who love of making radio work on air .it's run by people in suits
who want to save money to make a bigger bonus for themselves”

…or even worse, to take over the company from within, manipulate the share structure, and leave
all the other Shareholders with “sidelined” shares not worth the ink on the paper they're printed on!

And as a small shareholder in The Local Radio Company, thats EXACTLY whats going on in that
“radio company” at the moment, which the tax-haven/Delaware* Company entangled biggest
shareholder (who is now Chairman as well as one of only 3 remaining entangled “Directors”) is
doing – so never let anyone say that the “suits” do it for the real shareholders or other genuine
investors (e.g. pension funds) – only the Board members make money in UK radio companies now.

PS – UKRD are now trying to buy TLRC (at a rock-bottom price) to at least try and keep it as a
“radio company”, as the current TLRC Board are describing TLRC as “an investment company”
– which is what its been turned into by the people who binned their last experienced “radio
people” (Wheatly & Mckenzie) in January.

( * TC will know that US “Delaware Companies” have some sort of ..er..”favourable”…leniency
when it comes to tax and other legal niceties – just like the West Indies registration of some
of the other entities that now control TLRC).

Sorry to digress there! – but UK radio is sadly no longer what it was in Len's heyday (apart from
maybe the likes of Waves FM and Radio Scilly!)

[AndiMember]

The revolution package being a resing of kingdom fm.

It does sound alike BUT how many stations across the years have had similar packages and melodies.

[LenGroat]

Reference Onyx's post it's interestng that Steve Penk of The Revolution states “I paid handsomely to obtain a new jingle package incorporating a really strong five-syllable musical ‘hook’. After looking around I commissioned my package from the long-established jingle specialist TM Century in Dallas and was delighted with what they produced.”

The fact he's added an AUDIO example to the station website does suggest (as the Radio Today website reports) a 'similarity between The Revolution’s jingles and those of the new Real Radio'.

Take the 'LISTEN test' !

http://www.therevolution962.com/spot-the-difference-707472

[MartinS]

Oh dear! Perhaps GMG will withdraw the whole package and put the Bespoke 2008 stuff back on – with hybrid Real mixes for NE/NW England!

Worth mentioning that month old Radio Aire Leeds logo (currently featured only on travel/news beds and not in the jingles) has a similar five note logo also!

[MartinS]

Steve Penk is well known for his wind ups. Could it just be an April Fool?

[Author]

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