Real Radio axes football phone-in shows across North East, Scotland and Wales
Fans have taken to social media networks to voice their shock at the decision to axe the Real Radio football-phone in across Real Radio stations in the North East, Scotland and Wales. The cut is the first to be made following the sale of GMG Radio to Global Radio last month.
@MartynEwart commented: “Real Radio have axed the Football Phone-In. Sad to see after more than a decade on-air but a sign of the times in radio,” @MartinMcC93 added: “So it turns out the real radio football phone in has been cancelled !!! #notahappyman.”
@djjohndoc tweeted: “I can not believe Real radio have axed the football phone in show Peter Martin is a legend so is roughie and dj. Big mistake,” and @rossdunbar93 added: “I'm very surprised that Real Radio have stopped their football phone-in. Why can't they still have a football discussion show?”
The stations website confirms the demise of the show and blames a fall in listener numbers. Instead listeners will now hear a networked music show from 6pm, except in Wales where ‘drivetime programming’ will continue until 7pm.
At Real Radio Scotland, where the nightly football discussion is hosted by former Scotland legends Alan Rough and Derek Johnstone (Roughy and DJ) alongside journalist Peter Martin, the show was unceremoniously dumped by station bosses just a half hour before the show was due to go on air.
An insider at Real Radio Scotland commented: “The guys were shattered and could not believe what they were hearing. Some of the team were in tears.
“For the news to be broken to the team just half an hour before kick-off beggars belief.”
A spokesperson for Real and Smooth Ltd, the new trading name of GMG Radio, commented: “The changes we’ve introduced form part of our on-going strategy to provide consistent music programming which appeals to the majority of our audience throughout the day.
“We are replacing our evening sports shows with music programming mixed with travel, news, and weather, key to the drivetime audience. Our news service will continue to deliver relevant sports news throughout the day.”