Alan Davey, new controller, R3

[Honoured Guest]

Yes, the voice of Andrew Slater resounded across the nation. I thought Alan Davey's response, abetted by Roger Bolton's smarminess, managed to be exceedingly vague about daytime contemporary music and also to undersell the specialist programme(s?). The whole AD appearance was a bit of a waste of everyone's time really, wasn't it?

[french frank]

Yes, the voice of Andrew Slater resounded across the nation. I thought Alan Davey's response, abetted by Roger Bolton's smarminess, managed to be exceedingly vague about daytime contemporary music and also to undersell the specialist programme(s?). The whole AD appearance was a bit of a waste of everyone's time really, wasn't it?

How precise was he supposed to be? Contemporary music will be played on the half hour throughout the day?

Roger Bolton seldom shines when discussing matters he knows nothing about.

[Honoured Guest]

How precise was he supposed to be? Contemporary music will be played on the half hour throughout the day?

Roger Bolton seldom shines when discussing matters he knows nothing about.

Alan Davey referred to the inclusion of some contemporary music on Afternoon on 3 and In Tune, but he might have given some details about the policies or principles behind the selection of specific pieces of contemporary music on these programmes. What he said was the bare minimum response, which was pointless.

[french frank]

The Bryan Appleyard article for the S.Times is now available here http://bryanappleyard.com/radio-3-media-metaphysics/ on Bryan's own website.

[Andrew Slater]

He did say that he wanted to lace more contemporary music into programmes throughout the day. Unless he was intending to move 'Hear and Now', I suppose he couldn't say much more. On the other hand, he obviously isn't happy with the 'danger' sign that that programme presents - so is he going to drop it?

(BTW this wasn't my main question - I originally asked whether he intended providing advance playlists for all programmes; a question probably too arcane for Feedback, but I thought it was worth trying.)

[french frank]

he obviously isn't happy with the 'danger' sign that that programme presents - so is he going to drop it?

The 'danger' sign or the programme? I doubt he'd drop the programme (which I assume you meant ). Good question, anyway. No, of course he couldn't give chapter and verse for what was going out when …

[french frank]

Spectator reports the Feedback interview with a different angle: ‘Ratings aren’t a pressure for me,’ says the new controller of Radio Three' (rather than 'Most people are ignoramuses' as claimed, misleadingly, in other papers).

Though I can't quite understand why 6 Music is considered some sort of point of comparison (as I've said before: I'm about to say it again):

6 Music plays popular music and popular music radio does gets big audiences

The fact that it's digital-only doesn't prevent it being increasingly widely heard. The RAJAR figures now include all 'live' listening including the internet, not just on DAB radios (everything but On Demand). Not a problem for the av. age 40 audience.

Why wouldn't it get more listeners now it's raised its public awareness from the 20% it had when the closure was proposed?

http://www.spectator.co.uk/arts/radio/9507092/ratings-arent-a-pressure-for-me-says-the-new-controller-of-radio-three/

[french frank]

A Davey blogging on the R3 blog - to correct the various headlines that were so misleading. I have added my comment :-)

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

A Davey blogging on the R3 blog - to correct the various headlines that were so misleading. I have added my comment :-)

me too for what it might be worth (2p?)

[antongould]

me too for what it might be worth (2p?)

I think I just liked both your offerings - they are very good - which has to be a bit scary

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I think I just liked both your offerings - they are very good - which has to be a bit scary

Worth every penny, Calum

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

ta

[Old Grumpy]

Good interview by James Naughtie in the May issue of BBCMM. Naughtie refers to close scrutiny by interest groups on social media - wonder who they might be...

OG

[french frank]

Good interview by James Naughtie in the May issue of BBCMM. Naughtie refers to close scrutiny by interest groups on social media - wonder who they might be...

OG

I think we've covered this at some point, OG: the 'May' issue came out on about April 1st …

I think Naughtie should be interviewed for lazy journalism: perhaps he might be asked what he thinks the 'interest' is of these social media 'interest' groups. What's the betting he would go straight to Google and fish out that we wanted to return [sic] Radio 3 to classical music only, change the name to the Third Programme, introduce dinner jackets for all presenters (women too, probably) and the usual round of misinformation. The media never grilled Roger (and they had enough opportunities) with anything except raising the odd comment about 'dumbing down' (not particularised), which Roger was able to bat away with a lordly 'Ridiculous: just look what we do …').

[Old Grumpy]

I think we've covered this at some point, OG: the 'May' issue came out on about April 1st …

Sorry FF, must have missed that. In my defence, Your Honour, it does take a while for the BBCMM horse and cart to arrive here in Northumberland, and even longer for me to get around to reading it (at least it still is May!)

OG