Times Radio & Matt Chorley’s Review: Shaping the future of talk radio
Claiming to deliver ‘politics without the boring bits’ Matt Chorley just over a year into his debut tenure much a fresh face still to the radio game to a still fresh but now establish addition to the growing talk radio landscape in British radio landscape. A station that was created to rock the boat and give a much needed shock to the industry with an innovative idea bringing one of the oldest news outlets in the United Kingdom The Times to the wireless.
Before starting his radio show he was editor of The Times’ daily politics email Redbox with presenting a weekly politics podcast for The Times which has now morphed into a highlight package of the daily morning show with the ‘big thing’ and the columnist panel. A lively entertainment stint of hosting the podcast that made for an jam packed montage of highlights of his time hosting it before he hit the airwaves. Having done stand up comedy and a nerdy passion for politics that gained with his podcast through exciting and tumultuous period of politics as Britain voted to and moved to depart the European Union with few snap general elections he carried charismatic charm with a cult like following.
The station however launched nation wide at the end of June 2020 launching through a period of national lockdown and a global pandemic, a troubling time for news, it could’ve proven too difficult to present a show that discusses and reports the news doing such a difficult period for the new listeners trying out something different. No phone ins or advert breaks with some sponsored shows and segments a bumper three hour programme could’ve been too difficult to fill. A balance between news and lighter chat was needed to fill the brief of being a news and politics show the station drafts in many of its journalists and writers from The Times & Sunday Times so the readers of the paper can hear journalism that feels familiar.
Throughout the show you will hear journalists from the outlet popping up on the columnist panel discussing the days hot stories with names like David Aaronovitch, Daniel Finkelstein and India Knight. PMQ’s Unpacked bringing live action of the weekly shouting match at the heart of politics Tom Newton Dunn, Tim Shipman and Patrick Maguire journalists from The Times & Times Radio’s political hacks aid Chorley in an alternative format than what you would here with O’Brien on LBC & LBC News, Munchetty on 5 Live and the stations right wing shock jock sister station Talk Radio with Mike Graham; Chorley taking his listeners through it at a more calmer and civil pace to the heated jeering of the rowdy benches the weekly event that feels more of a pantomime than any real scrutiny of the prime minister him and his panel of reporters are able to pause. the action and give spectator commentary analysis of of the action from the commons.
Featuring stuff listeners love from radio fun features, insightful interviews Matt Chorley has it. Managing to present a refreshing alternative to what there isn’t that is before Times Radio hit the airwaves that is presenter focused national live radio shows that are in the commercial sector where Chorley and his colleagues cards are kept closed to their chest not ranting or airing their own views on the airwaves. If you wanted to find Chorley’s and many of his on air colleagues views and takes on politics and topical issues wisely and cleverly the alternative to an on-air monologue from the presenter is by picking up a copy of the paper or taking out an online subscription where you can read Chorley’s columns as well as Hugo Rifkind presenter of the stations Saturday morning show and political correspondent for Times Radio Charlotte Ivers who now writes a weekly column for The Sunday Times. It wouldn’t be a Murdoch project if it wasn’t a plug for sales and to drive up profits when the station without regular ad break slots doesn’t churn much money for News UK.
His and the stations start are of to a success already Chorley has been nominated for awards and the better options for those who want a non preachy but lively brighter brunch. How come there aren’t other newspapers yet to launch radio stations surely The Spectator, The Telegraph and The Guardian would want to be in the competition of fresh and exciting front which could drive a new future for live talk radio. It seems that The Times moved at the perfect moment as shock jock stations like its sister station Talk Radio has been focusing on video content developing swanky studios with green screens and videos chopped up for twitter streaming on youtube as well as its rival LBC shows like Cross Question with Iain Dale filmed and broadcast live on their website and social media created as a rival to BBC’s Any Question’s or BBC Question time a primetime debate show. Chorley’s mid morning show proved to be innovative idea that gives radio a safe and sustainable future not stationary Times Radio set out to rival and set boots quaking at BBC Radio 4 and 5 poaching presenters Asmah Mir who presented for Radio 4 who now co-presents for four days of the week Times Radio’s Breakfast show and John Pienaar who worked at the BBC as Deputy Political Editor and presenter of a weekly politics show for 5 Live moved to join the launch team of presenters hosting for four days a week the stations drive-time show. Launching with blend of well established radio broadcasters and columnists at The Times giving Chorley a presenter from the world of podcasts a primetime politics show showed and proved what could be radio’s future and what I feel times radio has done that podcasts cant do on their own and that is to bring presenters that don’t take radio to seriously (but serious enough) that can have an intimate chat with listeners that can rift of scripts and notes bantering with listeners giving it an intimate feel with produced segments and features that feel at interests the year of someone you’d wish to convert who doesn’t usually tune into radio. After all, if radio stations don’t entice podcast fans to the live conversation and response that only radio can do then what is talk radio’s future.
To listen to Times Radio: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/radio
