Friday April 7th, 2006
I’ve just got back from Radio 2, and if I’m honest, not feeling like it was one of my better days on the radio. I love doing Vine, it’s one of my favourite programmes to do. Today though it was tough to get the information out clearly, and I ran out of time before going through the travel insurance best buys, something I know is crucial to many people.
The start was a bit frustrating too. For some reason an email was read out from a viewer saying “can you ask Martin not to shout today as I have a headache, and I like to listen to his stuff?”
I must admit I find this type of comment a little hard to take. I talk about money. And, ignoring the unique research that goes into MoneySaving, if I sat there with the same bland delivery most money talkers have, then I wouldn’t be doing an hour’s radio.
It’s because I’m passionate about what I do so I get excited. It’s important to evangelise about saving people money and make them understand that manifest change is possible. I deliberately don’t constrain myself within calm collected limits - we shouldn’t be calm and collected. Sometimes we should be passionate, annoyed, moved, and determined to redress the consumer company misbalance in the UK.
The way I deliver has got me noticed, it’s different, it has a message. I’ve been amused to hear myself described as a ‘cold shower’ or a ‘tornado of information’. Better that, if it gets the message across, than people not listening. Just because it’s about money doesn’t mean you need to be low key - it’s hugely important.
So I’ll be honest with you, when that question came up my answer was to discuss where to get cheap headache tablets. What I really wanted to say was “couldn’t you just turn your radio down?”
