Gossip Desk

The London Daily News in a recent opinion poll has shown that LBC 97.3FM's decision to hire James Whale is paying dividends with 34% per cent of the vote, ahead of second choice Capital FM on 26.5% per cent.

James Whale has been a hit on London's leading commercial radio station LBC with incisive and relevant talk based radio journalism.  TalkSport sacked Whale in May last year for backing Boris Johnson bid to be Mayor of London.

LBC introduced James Whale on the Clive Bull slot, between 10pm - 1am in which according to industry sources,  produced "very strong" listenorship figures.

BBC London has failed to make any substantial changes at drive-time with Eddie Nestor the popular comedian/actor languishing in the London Daily News poll in third at 20% per cent.

LBC has made changes to its schedule to try and adjust to the demands in the capital, breaking stories first and opening phone lines for Londoner's to express their views.  The recession in the capital has figured prominently in discussions on the station. 

Criticism has been made of the news bulletins on LBC with bulletins leading on stories that were not "London-centric".  One London Daily News subscriber Robert Evans of Chiswick said:

"I tuned into LBC last week and we had at the top of the news a story about a plane crash in Wales.  And then a story about the US, I want 100% news on London".

LBC is part of the Global radio group which encompasses Heart, Capital, Classic and XfM.

photo credit: LBC