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Don't Touch That Dial!

• Stuart Bailie
• 19 Oct 07, 10:00 AM

On tonight¡¯s broadcast I will mostly be presenting on my feet. That¡¯s the advice given to me by a ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ radio consultant. He feels it may liven up my style, and he may be right. It works for Chris Moyles and I have memories of Hugo Duncan, bolt upright in Studio 8 Belfast, rocking his compact frame to ¡®Horse It Into Ya, Cynthia¡¯.

I¡¯ve never had a face-to-face critique of my radio programme before, so it was a very interesting moment. A charming fella from London called Matt had flown over to meet with myself, Rigsy and some of the Radio Ulster crew. I guess the understanding was that we could all improve our game, and I was certainly under no illusions about my style.

I think there are two kinds of radio presenters ¨C the personalities and the music fans. I would fit into the latter category. I just like to play the best tunes, and to impart some information between plays. I wouldn¡¯t consciously try to be John Peel, but he¡¯s certainly an influential model. The danger, Matt pointed out, is that you merely copy the legend, and sound like a bad tribute act.

We listened back to a couple of my shows. Without the music to support them, the links sounded terribly vulnerable. Like most presenters, I have some stock phrases that I use when I need a few seconds to think. These became glaring obvious when examined in this way. There¡¯s also a deadpan tone that creeps in. It¡¯s pure Peel, and again I blush when I hear it.

On the plus side, there are moments of genuine rapture when I¡¯m loving a song and explaining this feeling to my listeners. This is what people tend to pick up on my show. They hear something and then they buy it, and mostly they¡¯re grateful for the service.

Matt wanted to know about my audience. I said that they¡¯re essentially chilling out after a long week. Maybe they¡¯re doing the dishes or they¡¯ve just put the kids to bed. People I meet say that while Stu is playing the tunes, they might uncork a bottle of wine, take a bath or roll an aromatic cigarette. I told my coach that I had a composite picture in my head of all those things. But Matt said that I should keep the image of one person in my mind as I spoke.

So that¡¯s it sorted then. Tonight, I¡¯ll be thinking especially of you.

Stu Bailie presents The Late show on Radio Ulster, every Friday from 10pm until midnight. See his playlist here.

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