This morning I was driving to work, Chris Moyles was playing a dodgy song on Radio 1 so I skipped through the frequencies to be faced with four stations called ‘Heart’.  They were called ‘Heart’, ‘Heart’, ‘Heart’ and ‘Heart’.

What I found was each ‘Heart’ station had a different set of presenters presenting the same-ish Breakfast Show, with the same jingles, the same music playlist, just different news and travel.  I was confused.

A little bit of research on the internet I found….

102.6 and 96.3 - ‘Essex FM’ (my local commercial radio station) is now called ‘Heart’.

103.1 and 102.8 - ‘Invicta FM’ (Kent station can be picked up in Essex) is now called ‘Heart’.

96.1 - ‘SGR Colchester’ is now called ‘Heart’.

and

106.2 - ‘Heart’ is the London ‘Heart’ station that can be picked up in Essex.

So, when driving along the A12 what do I listen to? ‘Heart’, ‘Heart’, ‘Heart’ or ‘Heart’?  All four stations display ‘Heart’ on the display, all four stations seem to play the same songs, although, the clue is in the advertising.  I was listening to 103.1 FM’s ‘Heart’ for a good twenty minutes, the adverts were for Kent companies, no good for me in Essex!   ‘Heart’ had successfully attracted an Essex listener to unknowingly listen to Kent based local show with Kent local adverts, I bet Kent specific advertisers love paying for me to listen to their advert, and wonder how many Kent based people are listening to the Essex based frequencies?

What has happened here is that Global Radio UK have bought lots of local radio stations and rebranded them as ‘Heart’.  Each Heart frequency has been left so the breakfast time and drive time presenters still present local based shows, but the rest of the day is delivered across the entire network from the London studios.  So me listening to the Kent Breakfast Show on ‘Heart’ was an easy mistake, and I’d need to learn all the frequencies in order to get the right local show.

Local radio is not local radio anymore.

Essex FM, was a good station, although towards the end it played the same music all day long, with a guaranteed ‘Chasing Cars’, ‘Wake me up before September ends’, ‘I don’t feel like dancing’ and at least three ‘Take That’ songs every hour.

Heart may attract national advertising budgets by telling advertisers their advert will by played across the entire Heart network at the same time, but what Heart is missing is that local audiences expect local content, and in calling everything ‘Heart’ will they attract local advertising anymore?  I guess with all the breakfast shows seeming to be sponsored by double glazing companies the barrel is already being scraped.

Bye bye Essex FM, thanks for the trip in the Essex FM Jam Buster Travel Plane in 1994.  I’m going to try Chelmsford Radio now for local stuff.

P.S…. I note you are still playing the same old stuff….

I've bin to London.

I love it when an error message makes no sense.

The garden area out the front of Clever Towers in Chelmsford needed
some serious work.

We found 'Andy the Gardener', he posted a leaflet through the door.

Andy offered a great price, did a fantastic job and took away all the
mess.

Andy is now a Cleveratom (2006-2011) preferred supplier, he even helped us out to
transport our large exhibition stand to London when our usual (former)
transport company let us down.

He is always on time, works very hard, is great value for money. He
has since won contracts with our neighbouring offices on the quality
of his gardening work.

I've seen his customer comments folder and he has very good feedback
from all over the East Anglia and London regions. He takes a pride in
his work.

Andy the Gardener is a polite and friendly person too, we recommend him.

Tell him Cleveratom (2006-2011) sent you his way.

His number is 07776 110735
>

I've experienced loads of conference food over the years, ranging from
the very good to the very bad. Today was excellent.

Today at Cleveratom (2006-2011) we used 'Finest Fillings' of Chelmsford as lunch
company for our SSAT conference for Essex Schools.

After checking out local catering conpanies we concluded 'Finest
Fillings' were the best quality, selection and value, and delivery was
included in the price. The platters are huge and tasty.

Tell them Cleveratom (2006-2011) sent you when you call them on: 01245 347545

Cineworld sign , Braintree.

£4.90.

Justina and I are at Cineworld Braintree, we were going to see
'Coraline' using our Unlimited cards which entitle us to watch any
film at any time during a month at a flat fee of £13.50 per person
per month.

Arriving we were informed that Unlimed customers have to pay an extra
£1.50 per person because the film is in 3D.

Sorry Cineworld, that is stupid. We'll be sitting in the same screen
as a regular film, in the same seats, sipping the same overpriced drink.

OK the film will have cost more than a regular 2D to produce, and
Cineworld may have had to buy in special projector to show it, but
what is starting to get on my nerves is how Cineworld continues to
squeeze more and more out of Unlimited customers.

When we joined the scheme it was £10.99 per month. When the
Government slashed the VAT from 17.5% to 15% Cineworld decided not to
pass on the saving but up the price.

When we joined we were told about the special offers we would get as
part of the programme, in two years I think all we've had is £2 off a
hotdog, a tiny can of Dr. Pepper, and a 15% off your food voucher,
which I think Cineworld think we are expect to believe is them doing
something to respond to the 15% VAT rate.

'Unlimited' magazine is free, but available to all cinema customers,
the food prices have gone up again, no 'Unlimited' discount.

So we're about to watch 'Drag me to Hell'.

Come on Cineworld, recession!