Radio
Charlie Sloth Leaves BBC for Apple Music
Drake and Charlie Sloth (Source: BBC)
Charlie Sloth, one of the leading hip-hop radio DJs in the UK, has announced that he’s leaving BBC Radio for Apple Music.
Sloth, who has been with the network for a decade, has hosted shows on Radio 1 and 1Xtra. His rap freestyle segment “Fire in the Booth” is globally renowned. The segment has featured appearances from Drake, Stormzy, Big Shaq, and many more.
It hasn’t been revealed what his role at Apple Music will be, but there is speculation that he will be hosting a new show on Beats 1 and contributing to the platform’s playlists.
Sloth isn’t the only BBC host to leave for Apple Music. In 2015, Zane Lowe departed the network to launch a show on Beats 1.
Sloth posted the following message on Instagram:
DJ Franzen: Do DJs Still Break Records?
DJ Franzen at Drai’s Nightclub in Las Vegas. (Source: Instagram)
DJ Franzen is the definition of an OG. A Bay Area native, Fran helped break The Notorious B.I.G. and JAY Z on the radio and in the clubs on the West Coast in the ’90s. He was also the first DJ to play Luniz‘s timeless anthem, “I Got 5 on It.”
In 2001, Fran moved to Las Vegas where he took his career to a new level. After holding it down in Sin City for over 15 years, Fran remains a staple in the scene. He’s currently a resident at Drai’s Nightclub and a host on Hot 97.5.
Fran recently sat down with a new podcast called Reflections of a DJ (R.O.A.D.) to tell his story. The show is hosted by Vegas DJs Crooked, D-Miles, Neva, and Jaime Da Great.
Among other topics, Fran discussed the biggest records he’s helped break and how the game has changed.
Watch the clip and listen to the full interview below. New episodes go up on Wednesdays on iTunes and SoundCloud.
Norway Becomes First Country to Eliminate FM Radio
Source: CNNMoney/Shutterstock
Norway has become the first country to phase out FM radio, a process that began last week and will be completed by the end of 2017.
The Nordic country is switching from FM to Digital Audio Broadcasting, a.k.a. DAB, because digital offers more channels and better audio quality at a lower cost.
“The main reason that Norway is the first is because of the Norwegian landscape, which has deep fjords, high mountains and scattered communities,” the government said in a statement. “This makes it particularly expensive to operate the Norwegian FM networks compared with other countries.”
However, critics say the switch is premature, as millions of Norwegians do not have digital radios or adapters.
While Norway has become the first country to ditch FM, the UK says it will consider phasing out FM radio once 50 percent of listeners use DAB. According to Gizmodo, the figure is currently at 35 percent.
Switzerland is also considering a switch.
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