Entering the Twitterverse

[Thropplenoggin]

I've spent three years on and off Twitter, using it as a means to disseminate my bosh, hoping to snag a publishing contract or catch someone's eye. All to no avail. And yet I met some interesting sorts from all walks of life and all parts of the globe, many of whom supported me in my endeavours.

I have to say, though, I find FOR3 a far more satisfying Internet experience overall, with the ability to use the long form as opposed to 140 characters, an ultimately limiting and frustrating medium for exchanging ideas. I also value the ability to rejoin discussions long after the last post. The forum is also eminently easy to search and retrieve information - making it a repository as useful as Google or Wikipedia.

And, of course, I am very happy to have found such a witty and wise bunch to discuss my ever-burgeoning passion for music.

[DracoM]

Dear Doversoul,

You may remember the early days of the EMS, when there was a monthly live show from Manchester (Oxford Road). Texting was the thing back then, and the soliciting of opinions from "you out there". That idea soon faded away.....but there's no stopping Twitter now. As almost all editions of the programme are pre-recorded, there is absolutely no danger of the "Mrs Trellis has just tweeted to say" syndrome, and the idea hasn't yet been mooted for the three or four live shows that take place each year, so it's safe to go on listening!

At the root of this Forum's apparently luddite approach to new technologies is a rather basic fact - most of the R3 community love MUSIC. The endless exhortations to tweet and text and batter at you from facebook are irrelevant. They demean R3, they demean most of the presenters who have been dragooned / blackmailed into using them, they demean above all the music. THAT is the glue which holds the R3 community together - MUSIC.

We communicate on this Forum to exchange opinions about MUSIC - well, mostly, and the drama and cultural issues that emerge from them. As you so rightly said at the start, who the hell cares what I had for breakfast, where I heard a piece of music for the first time, or what kind of waistcoat conductor A, or dress singer B was / is wearing. OR whether the audience is impressed - strangely, we can HEAR if they are there and impressed, we do not need to be told. It's piffle, ballast, meretricious filler. It's not 'friendly', 'chummy' 'making accessible' - it's actually very, very patronising, and widely ridiculed and loathed by a goodly number of R3 listeners and making an increasing gulf between what a number of us expect from an educated and educating R3, and what the perpetrators of the 'new dispensation' foist on us will we nill we. And for the most part we do not will.

We feel in touch with presenters like yourself, Jonathan Swain, John Shea, Donald Macleod, Martin Handley, Verity Sharp, Lousie Fryer and Penny Gore because they do NOT address us as if we were children, or a studio audience of 'Strictly' to be 'warmed up' and cajoled into whoops and cheers. Radio is NOT that sort of medium.

If you have the time and space to tell your 'masters' that their new style is simply eroding trust, acceptance, credibility, desire to listen. And that's just for starters. I could go on, but you've probably already switched off.

[David-G]

Very well said DracoM !!!

[decantor]

The real question is: who's interested? This isn't an appeal for Followers, I'd really like to know what, if anything, you'd like to hear about,........ Catherine

My Lady Catherine,

I would, of course, lay down my cloak over every muddy puddle that lay in your (or My Lady Lucie's) path. Twitter I will not.

Reading your gracious words quoted above, I thought for one glorious moment that we humble boarders were being invited to make recommendations for future EMS topics. Alas (lackaday, etc), it seems not so. But, had it been as my heart desired, I would have pointed up the EARLY in your title. Dussek's life overlapped with that of my great-great-grandfather - I might almost have known him myself. EARLY is at worst pre-1700, at best pre-1550. EARLY is.....er.....early.

Notwithstanding. EMS is sunshine and spicy sauce on my weekend lunches. For that, my endless thanks.

[french frank]

Radio is NOT that sort of medium.

Hmmmm. Somebody sent me a link yesterday about the new iPlayer.

According to the Beeb boffins 'radio used to be about listening'; it is now 'about watching, sharing and engaging with ...' (see about 2'20" from the beginning of the clip).

And just to show that it's probably all signed, sealed and settled, the Beeb presenter no doubt explains it all to his rather highly-placed wife. who completely endorses the strategy. The experts have spoken.

Rage, rage &c

[Catherine Bott]

Dear French Frank,
Silly me, I thought radio was for listening to (and occasionally shouting at): thanks very much for sharing that clip so that I can fully engage with it.

Dear DracoM,
"Dragooned/blackmailed?" You might think that, but I couldn't possibly comment....

Dear Decantor,
Thanks for your gracious words! Sorry I'm not in a position to invite you to do more than share ideas for Twittering. But I shall mention Dussek to the Senior Producer - who's been very busy lately co-ordinating the Piano Season. Wait a minute, I've just remembered: Lucie is doing two piano-based EMShows this coming weekend, perhaps he's in there.

[Catherine Bott]

Dussek, I mean, not the Senior Producer....

[Pianorak]

Hmmmm. Somebody sent me a link yesterday about the new iPlayer. . .

Looking at the “Bargain” and “What are you Listening to now” threads I gain the (mistaken??) impression that I am not the only music lover who is turning increasingly to CD collections rather than listening to R3 and its off-putting ideas of catching new audiences.

[amateur51]

At the root of this Forum's apparently luddite approach to new technologies is a rather basic fact - most of the R3 community love MUSIC. The endless exhortations to tweet and text and batter at you from facebook are irrelevant. They demean R3, they demean most of the presenters who have been dragooned / blackmailed into using them, they demean above all the music. THAT is the glue which holds the R3 community together - MUSIC.

We communicate on this Forum to exchange opinions about MUSIC - well, mostly, and the drama and cultural issues that emerge from them. As you so rightly said at the start, who the hell cares what I had for breakfast, where I heard a piece of music for the first time, or what kind of waistcoat conductor A, or dress singer B was / is wearing. OR whether the audience is impressed - strangely, we can HEAR if they are there and impressed, we do not need to be told. It's piffle, ballast, meretricious filler. It's not 'friendly', 'chummy' 'making accessible' - it's actually very, very patronising, and widely ridiculed and loathed by a goodly number of R3 listeners and making an increasing gulf between what a number of us expect from an educated and educating R3, and what the perpetrators of the 'new dispensation' foist on us will we nill we. And for the most part we do not will.

We feel in touch with presenters like yourself, Jonathan Swain, John Shea, Donald Macleod, Martin Handley, Verity Sharp, Lousie Fryer and Penny Gore because they do NOT address us as if we were children, or a studio audience of 'Strictly' to be 'warmed up' and cajoled into whoops and cheers. Radio is NOT that sort of medium.

If you have the time and space to tell your 'masters' that their new style is simply eroding trust, acceptance, credibility, desire to listen. And that's just for starters. I could go on, but you've probably already switched off.

Bravo DracoM!

[Serial_Apologist]

Bravo DracoM!

Strongly seconded by me.

The answers we're getting from Aunt here don't even go any way towards acknowledging the critical points being made.

[doversoul1]

Dussek, I mean, not the Senior Producer....

Oh… for a few seconds, I thought you meant Dussek was there doing the piano programmes with Lucie.

Off topic but if you ever get a chance, even by twitter , please tell Dr Marshall how much we enjoyed the programme and we would love to hear a lot more about early organ music.

[handsomefortune]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01n1rbx/Happy_Days_The_Children_of_the_Stones/

linked above, some excellent criticisms and comparisons regarding the beeb's changes in approach to childrens' content, ironically many criticisms unfortunately apply equally to adult audiences imv.

which to me personally suggests one age range is perceived more openly discussable (on radio) than another?

all Tweetings will be my idea, and in my own words,

'normally' staff are 'guided' in their tweeting? a much more frightening concept than even ray bradbury could express, never mind 'the children of the stones' plot!

in the past, when the beeb have tried to be 'fashionable' it's often been quite disastrous, notoriously ridiculous, even absurd, sometimes utterly regrettable and shameful ..... in fact, mistakes occasionally made for great satire sometimes broadcast by the beeb themselves, though usually having gained sufficient distance, eg well after huge gaffs have been broadcast. yet, the r4 comedy reflecting 'the big gaffs of twitterland' remains conspicuously absent?

if participating in tweets means an employee will please their superiors, presumably then that's what staff have to do?

whereas, happily, the rest of us have a choice.

It's not 'friendly', 'chummy' 'making accessible' - it's actually very, very patronising, and widely ridiculed and loathed dracom! it can also sound forced, crazed, violent, mysteriously desperate. (considering the beeb's a psb, and not a lone news vendor on a chilly street corner selling 'the big issue')? 'desperation' is a totally ludicrous stance to take, particularly in view of lavish beeb salaries and pensions imv!

i notice that twitterland is loathed by people i wouldn't suspect of being critical, especially people i chatted with, employed in new technologies in silicon valley. which imo really is worrying because of the many cultures threatened, if the communications experiment does fail, implodes, as predicted. it's not just a question of 'eggy faces' at the beeb.... if only!

therefore, a supposedly luddite approach to new technologies is actually pretty far off the mark as a popular but wrong 'guesstimate' goes? instead, as a pov, twitter abstinence, and a healthy skepticism towards all fast changing communication technologies perhaps mirrors the beeb's previous caution, its avoidance of 'massive mistakes in public'. simply in order to protect its OWN integrity in the long term. could that policy also be described as 'luddite'..or merely 'professional' particularly as a psb?

The real question is: who's interested? This isn't an appeal for Followers, I'd really like to know what, if anything, you'd like to hear about.

as 'a Follower' - as little as possible, preferably nothing - just the music and relevant info....!

those forced to participate in the current concept of 'progress' are presumably in for a suicidal 'joy' ride - especially employees, as well as more gullible, trusting audiences. there's absolutely no 'triumph' in this outcome for r3 listeners - it's actually depressing as hell to witness.

that said, if a person really must tweet and must discuss on air - how about tweeting the contents of dracom's post... ? or tweet the whole thread, if there's an extended lull, that's deemed to need 'plugging up' with something, other than music?

(btw could anyone on this forum actually face listening to (the hideous) 'moral maze' on r4 last night? apparently, it's about 'the beeb's role as a psb'....i feel i have a personal responsibility to listen, but am really, really dreading it tbh. i will - if you will! )

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Strongly seconded by me.

And thirded here: a magnificent post from DracoM!

[Serial_Apologist]

(btw could anyone on this forum actually face listening to (the hideous) 'moral maze' on r4 last night? apparently, it's about 'the beeb's role as a psb'....i feel i have a personal responsibility to listen, but am really, really dreading it tbh. i will - if you will! )

OK handsome - your turn.

(I'm crying off making any observations about the programme - mainly because it was more-or-less what I think most on here would have expected its protagonists to say, which was nothing new).