BBC4: the arts channel....not

[teamsaint]

As far as the BBC is concerned, it seems that the more alternatives it provides (radio and television), the more they get filled up with popular entertainment. And, yes, I do consider mainstream sport 'popular entertainment', even if it's not of the same kind as Strictly Come Dancing.

BBC sport seems mainly to be led by a few high profile events, which don't really reflect the main interests of licence payers who actually have a serious interest in sport. The major spectator sports, football, two rugby codes, cricket, for example, get very poor live ( or even highlight) coverage. I'm not sure how far the BBC can be proactive in partnering with other broadcasters to get a modest level of live coverage of these events, but they seem pretty content with MoTD, the Olympics etc.

[Old Grumpy]

Cricket goes on for ever!

OG

[Bryn]

Cricket goes on for ever!

OG

Send it back to its natural home, the Third Programme. Oh, hang on a minute.

[teamsaint]

Cricket goes on for ever!

OG

Yes, at its best.

[Conchis]

Perhaps the BBC think that tennis is of more interest to the licence paying public than classic music.

I personally would be quite happy if ALL sport was relegated to pay TV and the BBC 4 restricted its output to "arts and culture", but I suspect I would be in a minority amongst licence payers.

OG

I'd go even further: only put 'high' culture on television - live broadcasts of operas/plays, etc from around the world, so that people don't have the option to watch crap like Coronation Street/Strictly/televised tiddlywinks.

The instant reaction would be uproar: you'd witness that elusive beast - a REAL British popular insurrection. But when they realised they weren't going to get their way, they might watch because there's nothing else on; and then they might discover something....that they rather enjoy it, perhaps?

[Study Session]

Oddoneout, the almost total lack of 'proper' music on BBC4 is a scandal.

I've noticed that, when those 'Great Pianists/Cellists/Bassoon Players/Whatever at the BBC' compilations are wheeled out, any twenty-first century footage seems to be a Proms performance - and yet there's plenty of footage from non-Proms programming covering earlier eras. BBC Four seems complicit in the idea that pop music is normal and anything else really isn't, and I speak as someone who enjoys both classical and pop.

With that said, I see BBC Four beginning this new series tonight - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bs6xv8i Any forumers planning on giving it a go?

[Bryn]

I've noticed that, when those 'Great Pianists/Cellists/Bassoon Players/Whatever at the BBC' compilations are wheeled out, any twenty-first century footage seems to be a Proms performance - and yet there's plenty of footage from non-Proms programming covering earlier eras. BBC Four seems complicit in the idea that pop music is normal and anything else really isn't, and I speak as someone who enjoys both classical and pop.

With that said, I see BBC Four beginning this new series tonight - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bs6xv8i Any forumers planning on giving it a go?

"Sorry, that page was not found".

Ah, "i" see what you did. Try https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bs6xv8

After midnight there's a repeat of https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b097f2gv

[Study Session]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bs6xv8 apologies - this link should work. If it doesn't , part 1 of a thing called 'Our Classical Century' with Suzy Klein and .. um.. Lenny Henry.

[ardcarp]

I'm up for it...on i-player. I'm out tonight.

[Serial_Apologist]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bs6xv8 apologies - this link should work. If it doesn't , part 1 of a thing called 'Our Classical Century' with Suzy Klein and .. um.. Lenny Henry.

Well it wasn't too bad! I think they may have mentioned about 6 works!

[teamsaint]

Well it wasn't too bad! I think they may have mentioned about 6 works!

There was a piece in the Graun the other day about this, with LH.

Not too bad a piece, but the below the line comments were very dispiriting.

[Bryn]

There was a piece in the Graun the other day about this, with LH.

Not too bad a piece, but the below the line comments were very dispiriting.

I take it you mean this.

[oddoneout]

There was a piece in the Graun the other day about this, with LH.

Not too bad a piece, but the below the line comments were very dispiriting.

They were indeed. It seems he's not allowed to share his thoughts on 'classical' music and how he came to appreciate it might have something to offer, and he's certainly not supposed to mention his discovery of Coleridge-Taylor as that's pushing his personal colour agenda(supposedly). I can't help thinking the comments would have been different if it had been someone else, non BME, who was the subject of the article......

[teamsaint]

I take it you mean this.

Yep.

[Serial_Apologist]

They were indeed. It seems he's not allowed to share his thoughts on 'classical' music and how he came to appreciate it might have something to offer, and he's certainly not supposed to mention his discovery of Coleridge-Taylor as that's pushing his personal colour agenda(supposedly). I can't help thinking the comments would have been different if it had been someone else, non BME, who was the subject of the article......

Given that LH is featuring in a forthcoming drama series on slavery one might have expected him to be a little less circumspect on Coleridge Taylor: it was all rather COSY, OVER-CONFECTED, wasn't it??