Radio legend Diddy David Hamilton hits out at BBC plans for 'copycat' music station
Radio legend Diddy David Hamilton has hit out at ‘copycat’ plans by the BBC to launch a new digital radio service for older listeners.
DJ David, who worked for the BBC for 25 years, is now a presenter on Boom Radio which was launched four years ago to appeal to the golden oldie ‘baby boomer’ generation.
It has since become the UK’s fastest growing commercial station and David broadcasts daily for it from a studio at his farmhouse home near Horsham. He described the BBC’s plans for a new digital service – Radio 2 Extra – as a rip-off of Boom Radio’s successful format.
"It’s extraordinary,” he said. “Radio 2 got rid of lots of their older presenters and then didn’t want the older music and were chasing a younger audience. Now they want to win back the older listeners.”
And he said it was ‘unfair’ of the BBC to try to emulate Boom’s success. “The BBC has the resources to promote their shows on television – resources that stations like Boom don’t have. It’s an uneven and unfair playing field.”
He said if Ofcom gave the BBC station the go-ahead, Boom “could go out of business. It’s very galling when we set something up like this.” And he questioned how the BBC could afford to fund a new digital service. “I thought the BBC were making cuts. They have made cuts on local radio. The programmes there now are not so much local as regional.”
BBC local radio had, David said, been chasing younger listeners. “Radio Sussex would have interesting interviews and then play music that doesn’t relate to the interviews – rap and stuff like that. They seem to be lost.
"A lot of younger people don’t listen to radio and get their music on Spotify and such like. They are chasing an audience that isn’t there. Madness.”
David broadcasts on Boom Radio between 12 noon and 2pm, Monday to Friday. At 1pm he airs his One O’Clock Rock and Roll spot – his wife Dreena’s favourite.
He also plays his famous Hamilton’s Hotshots – plus The Story behind the Song and The Best of British. He also broadcasts on Monday and Tuesday evenings at 9pm for his Million Sellers.
You can hear Boom Radio on DAB across the UK or online by phone, laptop, PC, tablet, or smart speaker.