Kilohertz

27 May 2010

I don’t know the last time I listened to the radio. I’m not sure why I never do it. One of my favourite things in the entire world is a radio series – the 1981 BBC “Lord of the Rings” adaptation which remains (with apologies to Peter Jackson) the very best adaption of Tolkien’s works to date, and is indeed so good that there’s an argument to be had for it being better than the books (you’d lose the argument, but you could have it without looking like a complete arse).

Every now and again someone sends me a link for a radio show, particularly if it is in some way related to Charlie Brooker, and I listen, laugh and completely forget that I could tune in for myself without using iPlayer.

So I miss out on the today programme, on R4’s selection of experimental comedy shows, on new music and on really annoying bastards doing breakfast shows and being enormously smug. It’s deprivation, that’s what it is, and self-imposed.

I think my problem with the radio was summed up the first time I listened to Brooker’s show “So Good It’s Bad”. The iPlayer helpfully provides a graphic while you listen, in this case Charlie Brooker in a quilted smoking jacket looking fairly disgusted with everything. I stared at it for a full ten minutes before it occurred to me that I didn’t need to. I started doing something else and immediately lost track of what was going on in the show.

I lack radio skills. I am a failure.