David Cameron to be first guest on The Sun's internet-based radio station

Press Gazette is reporting that David Cameron will be the first guest on The Sun's new internet-based radio station, launching on 20th April.  The Gazette writes:

"Sun Talk is being heralded by the paper as "The Home of Free Speech" and will be hosted five days a week from 10am to 1pm by columnist Jon Gaunt. Gaunt hosted a mid-morning radio show on TalkSport until November this year, when he was suspended and then fired for likening a councillor to a "Nazi" during a discussion on whether smokers should be banned from being foster parents. As an internet-based radio station, Sun Talk will not be subject to regulation by the Ofcom Broadcasting Code – which includes sections on "harm and offence" and "due impartiality"."

I wish this initiative well.  Britain needs a more gutsy broadcaster.  Sky News has more or less the same worldview as the BBC News Channel (and not at all like Fox News although both are owned by Rupert Murdoch).  The lack of regulation of the internet should allow 'Sun Talk' to be more partisan.  A right-leaning broadcast outlet was the goal of the short-lived and probably over-ambitious 18DoughtyStreet Talk TV (of which I was an early part).  I'm delighted that David Cameron is supporting The Sun's endeavour by being its first guest.  More here.

Tim Montgomerie

Comments

[Martin Coxall]

Petty they can't get somebody intelligent to present it and have settled for Gaunt instead.

Just what British talk radio needed: YET MORE unsustainable, rabid, pig-ignorant and stultifyingly ill-informed reactionary opinion.

[Sally Roberts]

I'd have preferred Nick Ferrari! Still the more coverage DC gets, the better!

[Jeeves]

I'm confused how a home to free speech can also be partisan. Surely the speech aired on this radio show will be anything but 'free' merely an opportunity for The Sun and 'Gaunty' to spout their hate filled xenophobic nonsense causing as much 'harm and offence' as possible.

The moronic ramblings of the right wing press do quite enough damage when they're limited to dead tree media.

[Sally Roberts]

I see Draper's about again!

[Ad]

Am i right in thinking Fox News is overtley right wing though ie too far from what the party wishes to be. The station certainly is heavily stereotyped.

[Steevo]

"A more gutsy broadcaster?" I don't know Tim, if much of American talk conservative radio is too boisterous etc. for your sensitivities what are you really looking for here?

Btw I wish the Sun good luck too. I hope they can hit the Left with a direct right to the gut.

[Jill, London]

I agree with Tim – we need a “right-leaning broadcast outlet” – to correct the ’hideously Lefty’ imbalance. And I agree with Sally – I, too, like Nick Ferrari. Still Jon Gaunt is winding up the Lefties on here!

I’ve just found an article from November 2008 in “The Independent” with Gaunt – DC has been interviewed four times by him on “Talksport” – and their headline is Gaunt’s description of himself: “Jon Gaunt: 'I'm an antidote to the lefty consensus'”
Link: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/jon-gaunt-im-an-antidote-to-the-lefty-consensus-1029901.html

Talksport also sacked another rightwing broadcaster – James Whale – for advocating “Vote for Boris”. I have heard Whale on LBC recent so that must be his new broadcasting ‘home’. [Just like LBC have given Comrade Livingstone his own Saturday morning ego show that is mainly one long whinge that he should still be Mayor or London whilst he picks holes in everything Boris says, and does. And that’s how I knew – before the endless official announcements – that Livingstone intends to run for London Mayor again because he never ceases mentioning that either!]

BTW – One person David Cameron has refused to be interviewed by is Piers Morgan – if Morgan’s latest diaries are true. After Morgan interviewed Calamity Clegg for GQ Magazine, and elicited the “I’ve slept with up to 30 women” quote:

“WEDNESDAY, MAY 7 2008
At the Spectator's 180th anniversary party, I was approached by David Cameron. 'I just want to look you in the eye and promise you one thing,' he said. 'Blimey, this sounds fun. What is it?' 'After what you did to Nick Clegg, I will never, ever, do an interview with you'.”
Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1163038/PIERS-MORGAN-The-night-Robbie-Coltrane-waddled-threatened-knock-block-off.html

And like Steevo, I too: “hope they can hit the Left with a direct right to the gut.” – and I’d add knock them ‘out for the count’ – including electorally!

[Patrick Harris]

Gordon - First to visit Obama.
Dave - First to appear on Gaunty.

[Super Blue]

The curse of Jonah Brown has hit Obama now: "Special Olympics".

[Jill, London]

Hello Super Blue!

Yes! The curse of Jonah has struck again!

For those posters who are unfamiliar with the curse of Jonah – Guido Fawkes is keeping an ever-growing running tally of Comrade Brown’s blight that also strikes others!