THE Evening Press is not the only medium undergoing a makeover this week. Radio York is re-tuning too. But not to everyone's taste.

This email arrives from a loyal listener. "A little bird has told me that in the shake-up of programmes planned for this Friday, Jonathan Cowap's phone-in is going to be scrapped, and he is to be shunted to the drive time show at 5pm, being replaced by the more-than-irritating Elly Fiorentini between 9am and noon, moving Jules and Julia to the lunchtime slot.

"In my opinion, Jonathan is the only reason to tune into Radio York, so I am sure the many faithful listeners to his show will be shocked to hear of its demise, especially as the time change from 9am to noon was furiously debated to no avail.

"Another nail in the coffin for Radio York one wonders?"

So what's the reasoning behind the radio rethink? It's not easy to find out. When contacted yesterday morning, Radio York managing editor Matt Youdale referred the Diary's inquiry to the BBC press office in Leeds. Which was devoid of press officers.

My question was then sent to BBC Manchester. Seven hours after the Diary first phoned Matt, a Manchester press officer issued an official response from... Matt.

Planet Beeb must be a strangely exhilarating place to live. Here's Matt's response: "We have reshuffled our talented group of presenters to play to their strengths. We want to enhance our responsiveness to listeners' concerns without losing what we have. Hence Jonathan will still do the phone-in. It'll just be in a different place, at drive time.

"Jonathan is not being "shunted" to drive time - it's a key part of the weekday output which we want to strengthen. Jonathan is just the man to do it." While the other changes begin on Friday, Jonathan's new show starts on October 11.

SAD to report Britain's family of Elvis impersonators are falling out.

They gathered to contest BBC1's Test The Nation on Saturday. The quiz was all about pop music - so you would have expected the Presley mob to have walked it.

Alas, no. They came a disastrous fourth out of six. York's Elvis, Eddie Vee, highly visible on the TV show, is none too gruntled.

"There were some horrendous Elvises there," he tells the Diary. "They just sang all day and were terrible." Two Elvises fell asleep and others were so busy trying to attract the TV cameras' attention they forget to press their answer buttons. Eddie is at the BBC again tomorrow, filming a pilot for a game show called Beg, Borrow Or Steal.

AMONG those who will not be weeping into their hankies over Andrew Smith's "resignation" are the poor beggars in York he put out of work.

In May, a smiling Smithy thanked the pension Service staff for their efforts. In June, he announced the closure of the two-year-old York pension office.

MP Hugh Bayley lobbied him personally about transferring other jobs to the city. As Mr Smith is now the ex-Work and Pensions Secretary, that effort has been in vain.

Meanwhile, regular correspondent B Emmerson is impressed. "The power of the press! You print my critical letter about Andrew Smith, and he immediately resigns from the Cabinet. Say no more."

Write to: The Diary, Chris Titley, Evening Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York YO1 9YN Email diary@ycp.co.uk Telephone (01904) 653051 ext 337

Updated: 11:14 Wednesday, September 08, 2004