Just A Minute

I'm guessing that ABC are digitising their transcription discs. It seems to me likely since this month I've noticed two changes - one good, one bad.

The good is that My Music is now being streamed in proper stereo instead of 2-track mono.

The bad is that ABC are starting to edit some programmes to a reduced running time - presumably to fit both the 5am news/weather and the comedy episode into a 30 minute slot. I don't know whether or not they are truncating JAM (or My Music, My Word etc), but I noticed it with recent editions of ISIHAC. The Basingstoke compilation of 2012-01-31 runs 25m58s whereas the same episode on 2009-11-10 runs 27m16s. The Ipswich compilation of 2012-02-13 runs 25m57s whereas the same episode on 2009-11-24 runs 27m17s. The Oxford compilation of 2012-02-20 runs 25m57s whereas the same episode on runs 27m04s.

This isn't to do with tape playback speeds (no tape involved) and it isn't to do with turntable/broadcast speed either. I haven't listened word-for-word all the way through, but I very quickly noticed that in the Basingstoke and Oxford episodes the audience applause/cheering at the beginning has been edited down to a much reduced length. I'm not too bothered about audience cheering per se (indeed I'm not that bothered about ISIHAC since I have the UK non-compilation versions anyway), but what else might they be editing out so as to squeeze in the weather forecast?

Has anyone been comparing the latest JAM broadcasts with earlier versions (or Dean's transcripts) to see if they have had anything removed?

Charlie