Thursday, November 15, 2018

I'll miss Mitch Harris

Radio Live is kaput

Haven't listened to them during the day for a long time. Not since Sean Plunket departed.

Back in the day Paul Henry was a great morning host (or was that when they were Radio Pacific?) Anyway, before he made the transition from normal human to over-weening human

JT and Willie was listenable when JT was steering but when Willie was in control,  an air of flippant insincerity prevailed.

When JT departed and Alison Mau joined Willie she brought an ugly element of female bullying to the afternoon. Opinions she cared not for were loudly talked over.

Why they picked up Nissen Windell (correct me please for I have never paid enough attention to remember) is unfathomable.

But Mitch. Mitch Harris combined a compelling mix of humour, self-deprecation, true two-way communicative skills and great musical appreciation and knowledge.

By no means a religious listener, many a night I have drifted off to sleep to his thoughtful utterances and  dulcet tones. I'll miss that.

Update: The idea of a radio station that combines talk and music - in this case Magic Talk - is doomed IMO. If I want to hear how people are reacting to something topical I'll tune in to NewstalkZB; if I want music, I tune into Coast. And even Coast irritates when the hosts start prattling. Most music stations like to boast they have more music and less chat because that's what the punters want. A talk/music channel is a hair-brained idea.

4 comments:

GCMC said...

I suggest you listen to Magic, Lindsay...
Great music from the '50s, '60s & '70s, & very little chatter

Anonymous said...

The bigger issue is who will replace Leighton Smith and will advertisers put up with liberal pansy boy or feminist. I suspect listeners won't.

3:16

Rick said...

"If I want to hear how people are reacting to something topical I'll tune in to NewstalkZB"

You're kidding, right? The calls are about as authentic as the in-programme adverts disguised as commentary. I suspect many of them are scripted by a pool of the same voice actors who 'call in' to be on-message!

pdm said...

3.16 - the awful Kerre McIver has already been named to replace Leighton. I for one will be tuning out.