Congratulations Falling Tree!

[Russ]

Hmmm: I'm tempted to change Voltaire's famous phrase into "The best is the friend of the good" in this exchange. If R3 sees the best of its arts coverage get a positive mainstream press mention, what is the more likely scenario:

- merely lie back and bask in the adulation of a particular programme, and not try to improve the profile or extent of the rest?;

- acknowledge the recognition of an area that needs extending/improving or a higher profile?

It needs someone with a serious interest in radio arts broadcasting to bang the drum for better and more extensive coverage.

So who 'yer gonna call, ghostbusters?

Russ

[aeolium]

If R3 sees the best of its arts coverage get a positive mainstream press mention, what is the more likely scenario:

- merely lie back and bask in the adulation of a particular programme, and not try to improve the profile or extent of the rest?;

- acknowledge the recognition of an area that needs extending/improving or a higher profile?

Actually, I don't think the answer to that question is as obvious as you think it is

The point is, that such journalists are just as likely to praise the rotten parts of R3's output, like the composerthons. As Mahoney said, in the article you quoted, "inevitably, Radio 3 garners most plaudits for its music. But other strands on the network are just as strong...Night Waves is always good and often excellent...The Sunday Feature is another reliably fascinating slot." That sounds like pretty blanket praise to me, not just singling out the Falling Tree production. Isn't an R3 executive, reading an article like that, more likely to think complacently that everything is rosy in the garden (not generally the response of many posters on these boards)?

[bb]

My sincere apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but our mutual friend has asked me to do so, if only for the attention of french frank. Between the Ears's 'Mighty Beast' won a 'Sony' in 2014, although by then, it was no longer a Sony, and The Radio Academy Awards have since been abandoned, for want of a new sponsor. I don't think that kleines c is going to volunteer, although Apple might!

BBC Radio 3 - Between the Ears: Mighty Beast

Mighty Beast was originally performed at the Bristol Old Vic as part of the Ferment Fortnight (2010).

Bristol Old Vic - Ferment



Sean Borodale - Mighty Beast

We think that radio still needs championing, as does the British Library's Sound Archive:

BBC News - London - Call to save the British Library's sound archive

Perhaps the radio industry, the British Library and the BBC could combine forces to find a better way to celebrate radio excellence in the future. The Sonys were sometimes billed as the Oscars of radio. Excellence in radio is something that BBC Radio 3, and the Friends of Radio 3, should be championing, although we might not always agree on what excellence in such a rapidly evolving medium is. Nevertheless, it is worth asking the question, french frank?

[french frank]

Thank you, bb. I was unaware that there was any problem with the awards, but having checked their website, I find:

Following a strategic review, the Trustees of The Radio Academy decided to postpone the 2015 Radio Academy Awards.

The ambition is to create a new event designed to celebrate and reflect the radio industry in a dynamic and modern way. A Committee will be formed in the New Year to plan this.

To be honest, I never felt there was a very good match between what R3 was supposed to do and what the awards were set up for; to promote the UK radio industry. The main achievements honoured seemed to be big (good) news stories about radio and high ratings. The range of UK radio is so diverse and the appeal of Radio 3 so small that it was never very likely to be be in the running for much. Even the Gold Award in 2009 seemed to be only because someone noticed that it has never won before (and even RW said that the station had done anything very different from usual that year). It's a foreign country to most of the award judges.

[Honoured Guest]

It's not as though You and Yours is being swept away in favour of a mid-day philosophical discussion programme.

Oh yes it is, now. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b050bfv9

[bb]

Even the radio critics seem to prefer BBC Radio 4 to 3! As for radio awards, we do not mourn the passing of the Sonys either, although it can be helpful to know, on occasion, what we may have missed! ‘Tony Hall hasn’t delivered on his pledge to give us more culture’, but what we really want is better culture?