Future of Radio 3
Sun, Oct 9 2011, 11:58PM
Anyone interested in Radio 3 should listen to the interview with controller Roger Wright on Radio 4 feedback latest edition when as ever with BBC Radio controllers on this programme he showed contempt for the views of listeners. One of the main complaints was diluting the music with too much chat. I turned off Mr Cowan's programme in the car a few weeks ago (sorry Rob) when instead of the music or some erudite comment from Rob I found myself for some inexplicable reason listening to celebrity chef Rick Stein.
Then there's talk of cutting back on live broadcasts (perhaps with the loss of a BBC orchestra) but with more expenditure on the Proms. Rather than spend more on the Proms with no doubt very expensive foreign orchestras why not make greater use of the BBC orchestras which are spread very thinly at the Proms giving very few concerts and use the savings to keep live broadcasts throughout the year? It seems the live lunchtime recitals which I often find a highlight are likely to get the chop.
Other listener complaints were the increasing trend to playing single movements rather than complete works and that attempts to lure a new and younger audience would merely irritate and lose the station's regular listeners.
Make your thoughts known to the BBC!!
Mon, Oct 10 2011, 12:56PM
#2
RE: Future of Radio 3
Amen to both of the above. I heard the Wright interview, and whilst he obviously has a tough job in accommodating the budgetary cuts, I got the impression that there was the usual general imperviousness to criticism. I'm not too exercised by the apparent increase in the 'single movements' approach, as Troyen said, it was ever thus. We are, I think, still very well served overall.
Far more serious as far as I'm concerned is the utterly pointless drive to 'celebretise'almost everything from the Proms to otherwise very enjoyable shows such as Rob Cowan. It's not that I object to (say) Rick Stein being interested in music - far from it - but utterly fail to see why the views on music of a chef should be any more worthy of note to a national audience than those of anyone else. The inclusion of witless 'Twitter' and e-mail comments leave me similarly baffled - what on earth is their purpose?
All this can easily seem like a 'Why-o-why-o-why' nostalgic rant, but I think there's a link from these most immediately apparent developments to the very much more worrying pervasive attitude to make classical music, in that most dread word, 'relevant'. Spending more money on the Proms is good as far as a headline goes, but if that expenditure goes on efforts to make them more 'relevant' or 'accessible' by the inclusion of spurious non-musical elements, it would be a tragedy. Investment in the BBC orchestras as 33lp says, is surely preferable.
JKH
Mon, Oct 10 2011, 4:51PM
#3
RE: Future of Radio 3
There is a consultation exercise here:
http://consultations.external.bbc.co.uk/bbc/dqf/
Lots of talk about being 'distinctive' with proposals that in many case will remove the distinctiveness that e.g. Radio 3 and BBC 4 already have
Mon, Oct 10 2011, 5:36PM
#4
RE: Future of Radio 3
Although Radio 3 is a jewel. The BBC is a cesspit of middle class global liberal left wing mini dictators. It needs to pay it's own way. Like the Royal family, I don't mind them existing BUT WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
The BBC must die. and soon.
Mon, Oct 10 2011, 6:37PM
#5
RE: Future of Radio 3
Although Radio 3 is a jewel. The BBC is a cesspit of middle class global liberal left wing mini dictators. It needs to pay it's own way. Like the Royal family, I don't mind them existing BUT WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
The BBC must die. and soon.
The BBC must die. and soon.
Don't sit on the fence like that, just say what you think.
JKH
Mon, Oct 10 2011, 11:54PM
#6
RE: Future of Radio 3
Although Radio 3 is a jewel. The BBC is a cesspit of middle class global liberal left wing mini dictators. It needs to pay it's own way. Like the Royal family, I don't mind them existing BUT WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. The BBC must die. and soon.
You are a troll.
The Royal Family pays its own way does it?
You've not heard of the Civil List?
Clearly not because you are a troll.
Go listen to some trauermusik before the sun rises and cheer yourself up a bit.
Tue, Oct 11 2011, 9:14AM
#7
RE: Future of Radio 3
Although Radio 3 is a jewel. The BBC is a cesspit of middle class global liberal left wing mini dictators. It needs to pay it's own way. Like the Royal family, I don't mind them existing BUT WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
The BBC must die. and soon.
The BBC must die. and soon.
Amazing! All human life is here (as, I think, The News of the World used to say).
Dr. B., would you like to tell us how the BBC should "pay it's [sic] own way"?
What should happen to the "jewel" of Radio 3 following the demise of the BBC do you think?
Do you feel the same about "having to pay" for the NHS? (I won't bother to ask about foreign aid.)
By the way, on another thread you upbraided me for what you saw (incorrectly) as a reference to you as a "Nazi". The last references I can remember which likened human beings to the inhabitants of a cesspit were by - go on, have a guess.
Your comments are disgraceful sir.
Vic.
Tue, Oct 11 2011, 9:35AM
#8
RE: Future of Radio 3
You are a troll.
<snip>
Clearly not because you are a troll.
Differ with the poster's opinions if you wish, but please don't attack other members.
Tue, Oct 11 2011, 12:25PM
#9
RE: Future of Radio 3
Amazing! All human life is here (as, I think, The News of the World used to say)..
If only some contributors would heed the other famous News of the World phrase in days gone by: "I made my excuses and left"
JKH
Thu, Oct 13 2011, 7:43PM
#10
RE: Future of Radio 3
So the government decided that the license fee should be frozen, why? I'm sure the majority of this country would not notice another quid per month. Most homes are paying up to £60 for Sky.
There are savings to be made at the Beeb, why don't they start with the DG's £800k salary? There's plenty of intelligent capable people out there who would do the job for half - hell, give me 100k I'll do it!! Then stop producing ridiculous progs like cash in the attic, etc.
Apparently the biggest employer at the BBC is the news dept. Why are they so fixated on news? Why do we need several teams to cover the same news events?
Radio 3 is a fabulous station but, unfortunately, they are told by the BBC Trust that they have to become more appealing to a younger and more diverse audience which can be translated as 'dumbing down' in certain quarters. Classical Music is a minority interest and listening figures will never increase above Radio 3's two million against Classic FM's 5 million plus.
Fri, Oct 14 2011, 10:49AM
#11
RE: Future of Radio 3
So the government decided that the license fee should be frozen, why? I'm sure the majority of this country would not notice another quid per month. Most homes are paying up to £60 for Sky.
There are savings to be made at the Beeb, why don't they start with the DG's £800k salary? There's plenty of intelligent capable people out there who would do the job for half - hell, give me 100k I'll do it!! Then stop producing ridiculous progs like cash in the attic, etc.
Apparently the biggest employer at the BBC is the news dept. Why are they so fixated on news? Why do we need several teams to cover the same news events?
Radio 3 is a fabulous station but, unfortunately, they are told by the BBC Trust that they have to become more appealing to a younger and more diverse audience which can be translated as 'dumbing down' in certain quarters. Classical Music is a minority interest and listening figures will never increase above Radio 3's two million against Classic FM's 5 million plus.
Interestingly, the 1945 Labour Government set up the Third Programme, which was the progenitor of R3, to cater for the "Cultural Elite," as it saw it, and saw such a move as being within the remit of the BBC's role of catering to minority tastes.
Another area of the Beeb's activities I would examine is all those local radio stations that nobody listens to.
Personally, I think that this idea of reaching out to the yoof is an excuse. Having said that, with the amount of unemployment amongst the 18 to 24 year olds, here is an opportunity to capture a new and large daytime audience. Rob Cowan, any ideas?
Fri, Oct 14 2011, 2:55PM
#12
RE: Future of Radio 3
Amazing! All human life is here (as, I think, The News of the World used to say)..
If only some contributors would heed the other famous News of the World phrase in days gone by: "I made my excuses and left"
JKH
Vic, I've just re-read my post above and realise that it could be read as being directed at you personally. That's certainly not the case, as I hope you appreciate!
JKH
Sat, Oct 15 2011, 3:36PM
#13
RE: Future of Radio 3
They should form a plan to float the BBC on the London Stock Exchange immediately, and add the Royal Family to that list. If they are so great then be a part of them and pay for them. The rest of us can just choose to ignore them. FREELY.
Sat, Oct 15 2011, 5:54PM
#14
RE: Future of Radio 3
Get invited to many dinner parties, DrB?
Vic.
Sat, Oct 15 2011, 6:11PM
#15
RE: Future of Radio 3
Vic, I've just re-read my post above and realise that it could be read as being directed at you personally. That's certainly not the case, as I hope you appreciate!
JKH
Not at all, JKH. Your intention was clear to me. I recognise a liberal conspiracy when I see one.
Vic.
Was it ever thus.
I can remember the old Third Programme doing just that, playing bleeding chunks from symphonies, concertos, etc, and introduced by a Rob Cowan, of his day equivalent.
I can, still, vividly remember Trevor Harvey playing the marcia section from the last movement of Beethoven's 9th in Klemperer's recording, which TH liked, and thinking at the time that this was an extraordinary thing to do (very "78")!
I dread the demise of any of the BBC's orchestras and suspect that we will be subjected to endless repeats.
For what, some failing economic presumption?