Axing of BBC Singers and related cuts

[french frank]

A battle, in fact, not worth fighting. Who knows ?

I've always had some sympathy for the BBC given what they have to contend/compete with in the wider universe. But perhaps they could sit down and think, "What could we provide that no other broadcaster/media outlet does? Too often it just seems content to enter the fray with something 'distinctive' (= similar but not quite the same). If there is no apparent audience, like the Proms founders, they could have the ambition of 'creating audiences' for what they consider worthwhile. But those at the BBC don't seem to have that breadth of vision. 6Music has more 'public value' than Radio 3 because it costs (much) less and more people listen: that's the BBC's bottom line.

If you can't provide a scientifically rigid, inclusive/exclusive definition of the 'high arts' or 'classical music', they probably don't exist.

[Serial_Apologist]

ALW's bro has written in. Here's part of Julian's article in next week's RT:

How did we get to this point? What has happened to our nation's beloved BBC - the organisation that has been responsible for some of the greatest classical music broadcasts in history? (It's ridiculous to only mention two, but Ken Russell's magnificent Monitor films on Elgar and Delius suddenly spring into my mind). That BBC no longer exists. The dereliction of its core principles ha happened stealthily, over many years and with a lack of transparency that has eroded trust both inside and outside the organisation.

Quite rightly, profound questions are now being asked as to what, if anything, the BBC still stands for. Has it given up any pretence of public service broadcasting? And, if so, why does it continue to receive our licence fees?

[hmvman]

Lebrecht is reporting an imminent u-turn....

https://slippedisc.com/2023/03/reports-bbc-is-finalising-u-turn-on-bbc-singers/

[Ein Heldenleben]

Lebrecht is reporting an imminent u-turn....

https://slippedisc.com/2023/03/repor...n-bbc-singers/

Forgive me if I’m not surprised.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Yep they’ve climbed down. In the Telegraph just now

‘The BBC said it would now look at other ways to fund the 20-strong choir to guarantee its future.

The corporation said in a statement: "The BBC has received approaches from a number of organisations offering alternative funding models for the BBC Singers.

"We have agreed with the Musicians’ Union that we will suspend the proposal to close the BBC Singers, while we actively explore these options. If viable, these alternative options would secure the future of the ensemble.” ‘

[Andrew Slater]

Press release here.

The orchestras seem still to be under threat, though.

[french frank]

"We have agreed with the Musicians’ Union that we will suspend the proposal to close the BBC Singers, while we actively explore these options. If viable, these alternative options would secure the future of the ensemble.” ‘

The door seems to be a Jar as to the final decision on closure …

"We know that the BBC Singers are much loved across the classical community and their professionalism, quality and standing has never been in question. We have said throughout these were difficult decisions."

I wonder what led them to decide on closure for such a professional, high quality ensemble - for a sum not great within such a budget as they enjoy. We shall never know what alternatives they considered and rejected.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Thank goodness that, for once (in the context of a completely philistine government) the BBC has been forced to back down. One can only hope this reference to other funding models in the press release will be standard vacuous management speak with no real intention - whilst they do their U-turn and wait for the furore to die down.

The orchestras seem still to be under threat, though.

Quite. The threat to the orchestras is just as serious - as the disbandment of the Singers, surely? Lets hope the MU can organise enough resistance to force a climb down with the English orchestras - it it had been the Welsh or Scottish ensembles there would have been hell to pay from the devolved administrations.

Sorry if this has been linked to before, but what stuck in my mind was this article by Paul Hughes (in particular one phrase) :

“For 23 years as director of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, and latterly the BBC Singers, I was custodian…….”

“There is not one single champion for classical music left at the BBC in any position of power or influence. Herod has been left minding the creche”.

“I no longer know if the BBC is a public service broadcaster; I don’t recognise it any more, or its values. If it no longer exists to do that which others cannot or will not, then what is it for?”

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/mar/14/classical-music-bbc-orchestras-singers

[Ein Heldenleben]

Thank goodness that, for once (in the context of a completely philistine government) the BBC has been forced to back down. One can only hope this reference to other funding models in the press release will be standard vacuous management speak with no real intention - whilst they do their U-turn and wait for the furore to die down. Quite. The threat to the orchestras is just as serious - as the disbandment of the Singers, surely? Lets hope the MU can organise enough resistance to force a climb down with the English orchestras - it it had been the Welsh or Scottish ensembles there would have been hell to pay from the devolved administrations.

Sorry if this has been linked to before, but what stuck in my mind was this article by Paul Hughes (in particular one phrase) :

“For 23 years as director of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, and latterly the BBC Singers, I was custodian…….”

“There is not one single champion for classical music left at the BBC in any position of power or influence. Herod has been left minding the creche”.

“I no longer know if the BBC is a public service broadcaster; I don’t recognise it any more, or its values. If it no longer exists to do that which others cannot or will not, then what is it for?”

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...estras-singers

Is the replacing of 20 per cent of staff positions with freelances in the orchestras really “Herod minding the crèche? “ Broadcasting and classical music are full of people who are perfectly happy to be freelance because it gives them the chance to turn down projects they don’t want to do. Wasn’t the LSO founded as a breakaway self governing orchestra because they wanted the freedom to take freelance work? There is nothing sacrosanct about being staff - many find working for the BBC on that basis creatively stifling. I would be much more worried if the BBC were cutting recording sessions or live concerts and replacing them with imported free EBU concerts and CDs - something that I suspect is in fact happening on a large scale - all given a shot in the arm by the covid induced music shutdown .

[french frank]

“I no longer know if the BBC is a public service broadcaster; I don’t recognise it any more, or its values. If it no longer exists to do that which others cannot or will not, then what is it for?”[/I][/INDENT]

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...estras-singers

I know that 20 years ago I was a total innocent When it became completely clear that the ethos and content of Radio 3 was to change very significantly, I didn't think R3 managers would be allowed to do get their plans through an extremely high level BBC approval meeting (attended by the spirits of Sir William Haley, Howard Newby, Robert Ponsonby (in person then) &c. ).

But I also thought they would welcome our feedback which relied on detailed surveys and other sources They preferred their own 'focus groups' with managed agendas.

[Bryn]

Thank goodness that, for once (in the context of a completely philistine government) the BBC has been forced to back down. One can only hope this reference to other funding models in the press release will be standard vacuous management speak with no real intention - whilst they do their U-turn and wait for the furore to die down. Quite. The threat to the orchestras is just as serious - as the disbandment of the Singers, surely? Lets hope the MU can organise enough resistance to force a climb down with the English orchestras - it it had been the Welsh or Scottish ensembles there would have been hell to pay from the devolved administrations.

Sorry if this has been linked to before, but what stuck in my mind was this article by Paul Hughes (in particular one phrase) :

“For 23 years as director of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, and latterly the BBC Singers, I was custodian…….”

“There is not one single champion for classical music left at the BBC in any position of power or influence. Herod has been left minding the creche”.

“I no longer know if the BBC is a public service broadcaster; I don’t recognise it any more, or its values. If it no longer exists to do that which others cannot or will not, then what is it for?”

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...estras-singers

I am not at all convinced there has been as "back down". I suspect and dishonest strategy from the start, i.e. that the closure of the BBC Singers was never really their aim but that it was a distraction aimed at getting the orchestral cuts through more easily. The latest news release serves to reinforce that opinion.

[RichardB]

I am not at all convinced the has been as "back down". I suspect and dishonest strategy from the start, i.e. that the closure of the BBC Singers was never really their aim but that it was a distraction aimed at getting the orchestral cuts through more easily. The latest news release serves to reinforce that opinion.

This is why pressure has to be kept up.

[Nick Armstrong]

This is why pressure has to be kept up.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I know that 20 years ago I was a total innocent When it became completely clear that the ethos and content of Radio 3 was to change very significantly, I didn't think R3 managers would be allowed to do get their plans through an extremely high level BBC approval meeting (attended by the spirits of Sir William Haley, Howard Newby, Robert Ponsonby (in person then) &c. ).

But I also thought they would welcome our feedback which relied on detailed surveys and other sources They preferred their own 'focus groups' with managed agendas.

I had a focus group on a series I did once. The group was selected from a very narrow range of demographics. Despite the fact it was one of the most popular progs in its “genre” as we must call it they were relentlessly negative. I didn’t do anything they suggested and didn’t tell the staff.
I also went to a focus group on Time Out once run by an advertising company in a Berkeley Square. We tore the mag to shreds (metaphorically ) . At the end the very sheepish editor emerged from behind the two way mirror. Oops . I sort of apologised as I did find Time Out useful (this was pre internet).One of the moderators said - “that’s nothing “ in the last focus group someone had turned up , accused them of having M15 spies behind the mirror and threatening to chuck a phial of acid at the glass. It was the seventies and people were a bit more rad then.

[gurnemanz]

I am not at all convinced the has been as "back down". I suspect and dishonest strategy from the start, i.e. that the closure of the BBC Singers was never really their aim but that it was a distraction aimed at getting the orchestral cuts through more easily. The latest news release serves to reinforce that opinion.

You may be right. On the other hand, they may not be that clever. This and the Lineker affair seem to show that they are out of touch both with public opinion and their own employees and are unable to think through and see the wider consequences of their decisions.