The turtle bloke ... again!
Those readers who live up here in the beautiful North Coast boondocks will know what I mean when I say that communications around here can be a bit tricky -- like for me over the past 20 hours during which my ISP was down. Bless their hearts, Acay.com.au, which is based in Sydney, has some rented cow bales somewhere outside Nana Glen via Coffs Harbour in which they keep a box the size of a milk crate which they refer to as their 'Coffs server'. In fact, I believe they use a milk crate. One of the old wooden ones, and they've rigged up two IXL jam tins and a length of string.
And locals will know what I mean when I say that radio services could do with some improvement in this part of the scrub. Here at Sandy Beach it would be nice to be able to pick up 2BBB-FM (Bellingen) and I could listen to that Wilson's Almanac bloke each morning, but I haven't heard him yet. My choice is pretty much Radio National or Radio National. Fortunately, RN is very good in many ways. I could listen to any Phillip Adams broadcast three or four times a week. As a matter of fact, that's at least how often any RN show is repeated.
Are you a rural ABC listener with few other options? If so, the following might strike a chord with you. If not, count your blessings:
The turtle bloke. For the 14th time?
He was on again, on Saturday. Thomas King, Massey Lecture Number 5, ABC Radio National, 6:00 PM Saturday, January 15. And he was on the day before that. The "turtles all the way down" lecture, I call it, because it begins with a joke that has those words for a punchline. And Mr King has become 'the turtle bloke' of my nightmares.
Around Christmas I pointed out to ABC Radio National that I had heard the same lecture five or six times on RN in recent weeks. The ABC, which can patronise you not just with its programming but (like all corporations) also with its replies, wrote back on December 30: "We have found that, in general, listeners are very pleased to have the opportunity to listen to repeat airings of programs". Even since then, the ABC has replayed it, and replayed it, and replayed it.
Saturday's repeat brings the number to around 12-14 recent broadcasts of the same long lecture. Media Watch (also on the ABC) has not responded to my email or phone message.
Overheard at ABC RN: "Running a radio station would be so much easier if it wasn't for all these bloody listeners."
Turtles all the way down to one and all.
And locals will know what I mean when I say that radio services could do with some improvement in this part of the scrub. Here at Sandy Beach it would be nice to be able to pick up 2BBB-FM (Bellingen) and I could listen to that Wilson's Almanac bloke each morning, but I haven't heard him yet. My choice is pretty much Radio National or Radio National. Fortunately, RN is very good in many ways. I could listen to any Phillip Adams broadcast three or four times a week. As a matter of fact, that's at least how often any RN show is repeated.
Are you a rural ABC listener with few other options? If so, the following might strike a chord with you. If not, count your blessings:
The turtle bloke. For the 14th time?
He was on again, on Saturday. Thomas King, Massey Lecture Number 5, ABC Radio National, 6:00 PM Saturday, January 15. And he was on the day before that. The "turtles all the way down" lecture, I call it, because it begins with a joke that has those words for a punchline. And Mr King has become 'the turtle bloke' of my nightmares.
Around Christmas I pointed out to ABC Radio National that I had heard the same lecture five or six times on RN in recent weeks. The ABC, which can patronise you not just with its programming but (like all corporations) also with its replies, wrote back on December 30: "We have found that, in general, listeners are very pleased to have the opportunity to listen to repeat airings of programs". Even since then, the ABC has replayed it, and replayed it, and replayed it.
Saturday's repeat brings the number to around 12-14 recent broadcasts of the same long lecture. Media Watch (also on the ABC) has not responded to my email or phone message.
Overheard at ABC RN: "Running a radio station would be so much easier if it wasn't for all these bloody listeners."
Turtles all the way down to one and all.
Pip Wilson posted item above at 7:08 AM | Permalink
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