In last weekend’s Sunday Times Rebecca Nicholson wrote a feature which suggested that Diesel:U:Music, a Diesel-backed internet radio station based in Dalston, is a young, hip and ‘pirate’ alternative to Radio 1. Such gushing smacks of an empty feature ideas in-tray, and one suspects that when the Times’ editors heard the words ‘Dalston’ and ‘internet radio’ they clapped their hands together thankfully and went on with their business.
Having blogged for the station on Clash magazine’s website over the summer, I can tell you that it’s about as ‘pirate’ as Topman. Granted, the producers have been canny with their programming (Speech Debelle and The Invisible did live sessions well before their Mercury nominations), but one has to remember that the station wasn’t founded by the producers, but a multi-national clothing brand. As Nicholson herself wrote – ironically given the pieces ‘No Rules Radio’ headline – the station isn’t even broadcasting at the moment due to lack of funding. Diesel’s marketing execs are undecided as to whether the project will be given a budget for next year, and even if it is it will only be for another three month period.
However, as far corporate publicity stunts go it has been very successful – a two page spread in a Sunday national ain’t too bad.
