Adam wrote:Aled,
What happened to the other members of the team, why didnt they come along with you?
Secondly, if I was to say: "Another normal show today, i still cant see the point of the whole New York Holiday, the show is just the same except it's a little less funnier."
What would your responce be?
Dom and Carrie needed to be near base. News and Sport for one show is an entirely different ball game to spending a week away from the resources they have for them in London. Tasha needed to stay in London as we need someone to stay at base and co-ordinate all the backroom stuff that is normally done and to some extent to do what I do during the days when I'm in London. Jocelin is coming out today because BBC guidlines say that in most cases if we're sending people abroad on a competition that there should be a BBC person with them to ensure that everything goes alright. Outside the UK the prize normally rests outside the BBC's control so we send someone to deal with any issues which may crop up.
Btw, it takes real skill to make the show sound normal when it's done outside your usual studio - it's not easy, that aside, I accept the listener need never care about that. The fact that it's a "little funnier than usual" is great. Feedback shows that what our audience like most from the show is when some or all of the team are placed in different situations and how they adapt. Me, out and about, Dave and Chris doing events, Rachel being set up. It was some of the best feedback we had from Portugal and it's the basis of the shows from New York. Us out and about meeting new characters, Dave and his steam, the team and culture, Chris and Sirius, the new DJs, Chris and Gabby, me and my packages, Chris meeting big stars over in the US (P Diddy is giving us his first UK interview in 3 years because we're on his patch). 50 Cent was comfortable because we interviewed him in Sirius which is where he has a radio station.
Add to that new colour to a competition format (we're already here, come and join us), the new jingles (which are going down a treat), a daily podcast (which are generating huge figures), the launching of our mobile site (with great pics that's really pushing penetration with our audience) and the reinforcement that Radio 1 IS in fact global unlike our competitors.
I could go on, but I'm getting RSI