Speaking Frankly

I love when something that happens on the radio makes the news.

And last week’s incident where Frank Lampard called London talk station LBC to have a go at presenter James O’ Brien, showed the radio’s still a medium that can generate headlines.

I’m sure if Frank Lampard had written a letter to a newspaper, or commented on a website about the topic, that it wouldn’t have garnered so much attention. The fact is, he picked up the phone and dialled a radio show to vent his anger. The audio is really powerful. You can listen to the whole thing here.

Frank makes a really good point where he acknowledges that radio ‘phone in show’ hosts deliberately say something controversial in order to get people to phone in to argue their alternative viewpoint, which is very true. They do.

James O’ Brien effectively described Frank as “weak” and “scum” due to the situation regarding his breakup and his kids, which, on the anniversary of Frank Lampard’s mother’s death, obviously tipped Frank over the edge and caused him to call up LBC.

Now, regardless of the rights and wrongs of the case (and I guess no-one really knows what happens inside someone else’s relationship) the LBC audio certainly made me think twice about the power a radio presenter has, and how within that power, there lies a responsibility particularly towards commenting on the very personal lives of celebrities.

Was James O' Brien putting across a legitimate topic for discussion or merely adding to the tabloid feeding frenzy around showbiz stories, which inevitably leads to less than accurate reporting.

I’m not really sure... but one thing’s for certain...

It made great radio.