Yes, after two days of waiting and anticipation, the crowd got what they wanted. The GCap Media boss slagging off the BBC. Well, complaining about their funding. It's a Radio Festival tradition, although they don't often make us wait until the final day! Join us for our third and final day review from Cambridge..
Ralph was in a session called "We Ask The Questions", which also featured the BBC's Jenny Abramsky, and Channel 4's Andy Duncan who was rightly very enthuiastic about their new DAB multiplex… And probably less enthusiastic about the previous night's 4Radio bar bill. Interestingly, no questions from the audience, but there were some pre-submitted questions, from those people who didn't ignore the email from the Academy asking for submissions.
That session was probably the best attended of the day. Breakfast was less so, even though it had the added benefit of watching Big L get humiliated on the "Get Your Act Together" documentary. And even more surprising was that quite a few people left after Ralph's BBC-bashing, thus missing the last session which was an interview with Russell Brand.
And the interview was fascinating. Brand, who is clearly a creative genius (and that's not sarcasm) was very open whilst talking to Jeremy, using an incredible grasp of the English language as well as a few choice expletives and some very amusing anecdotes. Our personal highlight was him talking about "Take Your Drug Dealer To Work Day" at MTV, an event that got him fired. Once the stream of the event is available from the Radio Adacemy website, you must watch it. And that's an order.
Once that event finished, events couldn't be found for Gold-Dust… All clogging up the M11 in their company BMWs, as they rushed back to their office to properly sort out the chaff from the wheat in the delegates goody bags.
Incidentally, the delegates freebies were a mixed bag, if you'll excuse the pun. From really useful things (the Radiocentre's directory of stations is now ring-bound which is excellent) to less useful things such as the Radio Academy poster, essentials (a Radio Today pen) to novelty gifts (Children In Need Pudsey Bear keyring), watch out for them on Ebay shortly.
If you wanted a serious conclusion, I'd say it was a great event. Well planned, great audio (for once), and a special mention to the host of hosts, Jeremy Vine.
Radio Lynx Content filmed the events of the festival, which will be available from Friday on the Radio Academy website.
See you all next year as RadioToday.co.uk follows the Radio Festival crowd to Glasgow!
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