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The Nation's Favourite: True Adventures of Radio 1
 
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The Nation's Favourite: True Adventures of Radio 1 (Paperback)

by Simon Garfield (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
RRP: £5.99
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Frequently Bought Together

Customers buy this book with Essential Radio Skills: How to Present and Produce a Radio Show by Peter Stewart

The Nation's Favourite: True Adventures of Radio 1 + Essential Radio Skills: How to Present and Produce a Radio Show
Price For Both: £21.58

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Product details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Faber and Faber; New edition edition (5 Jul 1999)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0571197353
  • ISBN-13: 978-0571197354
  • Product Dimensions: 19.3 x 13 x 4.1 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 111,527 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #26 in  Books > Business, Finance & Law > Law > Scots Law > Commercial, Financial, Industrial & Taxation > Communication

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
At first glance, a year in the life of a radio station seems a curiously insubstantial topic for a full-length book. But Simon Garfield was fortunate that the 12 months he spent as a fly on the wall of Radio 1 were among the most eventful in the station's 30-year history. To put the ensuing revolution in context, it is important to remember that for many years Radio 1 had been the country's only national pop network, and as such, its stranglehold on the nation's pop tastes was unquestioned. Garfield's arrival coincided with a change of direction: under controller Mathew Bannister, the network was determined to ditch its middle-aged image.

The general impression of Radio 1 at the time was summed up by comedian Harry Enfield's archetypal babbling DJ, with the music always coming a distant second to the egos: "Tuesday's the only between Monday and Wednesday-type day we've got, mate. It may not have the glamour and excitement of a Saturday, or the mournfulness of a Monday morn, but it's our Tuesday, the good, old-fashioned, honest to goodness, down to earth, great British Tuesday, and if those Eurocrats, Bureaucrats and other Bonkerscats try and take our Tuesday away from us, they'll have go get past me first!"

In the end it was Chris Evans who single-handedly gave Radio 1 some credibility--and probably prevented it being privatised; and Garfield's chronicle of Evans' rise and fall is riveting--a first-hand account of truly Machiavellian court politics. --Patrick Humphries

Product Description
This is an account of a year in the life of BBC Radio 1 during a period when attempts were being made to reverse a trend which had seen the loss of millions of listeners and the departure of leading disc jockeys. The author was allowed behind-the-scenes access, including management meetings.

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Nation's Favourite: True Adventures of Radio 1
94% buy the item featured on this page:
The Nation's Favourite: True Adventures of Radio 1 4.4 out of 5 stars (8)
£4.49
Radio 1: The Inside Scene
6% buy
Radio 1: The Inside Scene 4.7 out of 5 stars (6)
£13.99
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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews
5 star:
 (4)
4 star:
 (3)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The best book I've ever read about British media, 6 Feb 2005
I find myself re-reading this book several times a year and I've lost count of the number of copies I've given to friends.

Insightful, well-written and very amusing.

If you think that Smashey and Nicey ARE the best characters Enfield and Whitehouse ever wrote then this is certainly the book for you.

Great interviews about the rise of Radio One, the era of the 'personality DJ' (I honestly used to listen to DLT every Saturday morning and LOVE 'snooker on the radio') the rebirth of the station in the early 1990's, the Chris Evans period - it's a great read, even if you have no interest in Radio One.

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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Larding it Up!, 24 Dec 1999
By A Customer
A simply wonderful account of how minor celebrities become corrupted by the thrill of being in your homes. Even the most minor DJ comes across as being a couple of records short of a collection.

The continual abuse of Bates and DLT does become a bit tedious but there is normally another hysterical story about their ego's just around the corner.

It's even got a soppy bit, as Mark and Lard recount how they were shafted over the Breakfast show, however one has to congratulate all the people involved for being willing to show their foibles and DEEP flaws for everyone to look at.

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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars An interesting insight into the decline and fall of radio 1, 8 Sep 1999
By A Customer
Simon Garfield perfectly captures the ego's and personality clashes of those who have worked at Radio 1 in the last ten.

He interviews in depth all those involved at the station and paints a dramatic picture of the tantrums and sackings.

With the exception of John Peel & Jo Whiley, each DJ seemed hell bent on appearing as arrogant or as stupid as possible and this makes for entertaining reading.

What Garfield seems to neglect, is that Radio 1 is still not cutting-edge in the music or DJ department. Yes, there are no longer the Smashee and Nicey's of old but their music policy, obsession with the play-list and 'comic' DJ's are certainly not 'in touch'.

He charts the upheaval of the old guard by Mathew Banister's and their replacement and suggests that Radio 1 is no longer populist or concerned with ratings. This is untrue. When Radio 1 were heralding Britpop, young Britons were heading for Ibiza and the dance clubs. Now Radio 1 is on the bandwagon (4 years late), the so-called 'youth' of Britain are looking elsewhere for their music.

What Garfield best demonstrates is the stupidity of the BBC and their obsession with management consultants. This coupled with the arrogance of those DJ's who think they are at the top of the radio ladder, make for compelling reading.

If you want to know how un-professional the media industry is in Britian, read on.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Great mate...
very good glimpse inside the broadcasting industry. If you've ever wondered how things operate at BBC radio this makes a fascinating read, and if you've ever worked in... Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2004 by A. Charles

4.0 out of 5 stars A must for all showbiz or media followers.
Garfield explains brilliantly his year at Radio One and does not asume the reader knows all the faces. Great descriptions of how the BBC works and what the stars are like. Read more
Published on 29 Jul 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating...
This was the most interesting book I've read in a long time... the story of the transformation of Radio 1 in the words of all the main protagonists. Read more
Published on 23 Jul 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and revealing behind-the-scenes look at Radio 1
Quite amazing book, with an eye-opening statement virtually every other page... and very up to date, too - even dealing with Chris Moyles. Read more
Published on 20 May 1999

4.0 out of 5 stars The Nation's Favourite Breakfast Show?
This book takes you on a trip through the recent life of Radio 1 - a rollercoaster ride whose path seems to be guided primarily by statistics, egos, and politics. Read more
Published on 22 Oct 1998

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