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There's a bit in an Iain Banks novel (Dead Air?) - and I'm going to paraphrase (probably badly) - where the lead protagonist expresses that saying something challenging isn't always an invitation to squabble, it's more like heartfelt advice to a friend who you just want the best for; and I think this is where a lot of us are with RLM.
It's changed, and I'll stand up and say that about 10 years ago I'd default to having a full record of the full coverage and listen to it compulsively, and I don't do that any more. A lot of it is about how racing's changed and how I've changed, but dispassionately they've changed too.
And that's as it should be.
Sort of.
The world's changed, how people consume content has changed, and people's expectations have changed. RLM is no longer the primary source of information, it's no longer continuous breathless TV-on-the-radio commentary with run downs of precisely who's where and what the gaps are. In 2008 I remember wandering to my radio perched on top of my car roof in Tertre Rouge to hear why there was a safety car at night, now (subject to bandwidth) it's a twitter feed from somewhere else that tells me that.
So what's it there for? It's probably Test Match Special - a combination of commentary when it's exciting, periodic run downs of runners and retirements, just to be clear, and a lot of engaging conversation the rest of the time, and viewed this way they're there.
Except they're not quite.
And this is where issues like the chip on shoulder about Alonso and F1, the paid for content not quite sitting right (and I don't have an answer to this, and no, I don't want ad breaks), and I'm hunting for a third niggle and not quite getting there - you get the picture.
But here's the crux: JH in the main is a superb radio commentator, his sense of infectious enthusiasm is what makes you wake up and think sportscars are going past outside (especially when they are actually doing so); and a level of somewhat enthusiastic amateur missing things across the entire team is fine, because they're doing so passionately makes it accessible.
So tweak it. If you're RLM Have the right team on at the right time. Have the right level of conversational pieces at the right time. Be proud of what you're reporting on and keep comments on other approaches to a humorous minimum. But above all realise you're not far off and as you iterate think about really what you're trying to do and know you're doing so to an audience who is critical because really they think a lot of you.
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