Moyles accuses BBC of timid approach

The signs you have seen, child, are those of Chris Moyles entering his DLT-pomp stage:

Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles has accused the BBC of making dull programmes because it does not want to upset listeners.

He says that radio shows are "so formulaic [that] anyone different, like me or Jonathan (Ross), stands out".

It will not be long now, child, before Moyles leaves the building, complaining to all who still seek him out on HearteningFM or Absolutelynotvirgins that it wasn't he who got tiresome, it was the BBC who got tired:

But, he told the Radio Times: "The reality is you can't keep everyone happy all the time."

At this point, the original transcripts show, he digressed for a few minutes about how he and all his mates were in the pub the night before, drinking beers, discussing pretty much the same issue; said something inaudible about gays; and then returned to his theme:

"The BBC is in a very weird state where they just don't want to upset anybody," said Moyles.

"Everything now needs to be signed, sealed and approved 18 times."

He might have a point there, but how clumsy to suggest the problem is that people would be upset if everything is not sent through thirteen layers of compliance.

"We're not trying to change the world, but because radio is so dull, so boring and so formulaic, and anyone different - me or Jonathan - stands out.

"So the BBC is throwing down rules and regulations on you and then the newspapers are saying certain things and you're just trying to juggle everything while keeping everyone happy at the same time. "

The other way you could look at it is, Chris, that most DJs are sensitive enough to know where the line is, and so anyone who is lumbering about not knowing when enough is enough, like Chris Moyles, stands out. And draws the weight of compliance down on everyone.

There are a lot of people who do interesting and boundary-sniffing things on BBC Radio, without upsetting people. It's they who should be complaining about the new era of over-compliance brought about by people like Moyles who couldn't control themselves.