The Last Ever Saturday 'Early Music Show'...

[french frank]

I really think forum members should write and make their views known about this. I know the 'explanation' given is 'a (much) reduced budget' - okay, 'nothing Radio 3 can do', so write to the Director General.

Consider this: in the last round of stringency budget cuts (2013/14 compared with 2011/12, Radio 1 has had an extra £3.3m - almost a 9% increase - and Radio 3 has had £300,000 - less than a 1% increase over 2 years, making its content now the least expensive of the three network music stations (in fact, the least expensive of any of the 5 network radio stations).

Why? Because stations based on research and erudition cost more than the BBC is prepared to pay for? Because audiences 'don't want' classical music any more? Because 'popular music' boosts the BBC radio ratings and clobbers the commercial rivals?

If anyone's interested in 'Déjà lu', this was RW's blog last time he savaged the schedules. And just think - it's got worse since then

I don't know what the DG's address is. Try:

Lord Hall
BBC Director General
Broadcasting House
Portland Place
London W1A 1AA

[Sir Velo]

I really think forum members should write and make their views known about this. I know the 'explanation' given is 'a (much) reduced budget' - okay, 'nothing Radio 3 can do', so write to the Director General.

Nothing they can do eh? How about some of the "star" presenter salaries going for starters? That would save £3-500k p.a. at least. :splutter:

[teamsaint]

Incidentally, those looking for excellent online classical music radio without mucking about and endless me me me presentation, try this: http://areena.yle.fi/radio/soitin/yle-klassinen

Links in Finnish merely announce works / artists and that's it! But music is from all over, and all genres.

on first view that looks a good station, Dracs Thanks for the link.

Very decent playlist this afternoon, all things considered.

Shall I tweet my appreciation? My Finish is a bit rusty. Need to go to finishing school I suppose.

Oh, BTW, Complaining about the removal of one EMS per week is pretty easy on the BBC site. Takes about 3/4 mins.

[french frank]

Oh, BTW, Complaining about the removal of one EMS per week is pretty easy on the BBC site. Takes about 3/4 mins.

If it's easy, don't bother. They're just 'logged' and they don't guarantee you a reply.

[teamsaint]

If it's easy, don't bother. They're just 'logged' and they don't guarantee you a reply.

it made me feel a teensy bit better.

I complained to Tesco about the fact that they have no aspartame free lemonade on sale, and they emailed me back.

But I am boycotting their lemonade anyway, along with Jeremy Vine and something else i can't recall just now.
Small but important steps.
But thanks for the advice anyway, FF .

[Padraig]

I know doversoul is particularly devastated by the axing of Saturday's Early Music Show, and many others have also expressed their regrets. I would just like to add my own sadness at its going. It really is the end of something; it's more like the demotion or sacking of a valued colleague, someone who has constantly added to the common culture of the listening room of Radio3. I'm glad that I did not wait until the wake to say how much I appreciated the programme. Somewhere in the ether my words of love still linger.

[amateur51]

Incidentally, those looking for excellent online classical music radio without mucking about and endless me me me presentation, try this: http://areena.yle.fi/radio/soitin/yle-klassinen

Links in Finnish merely announce works / artists and that's it! But music is from all over, and all genres.

Many thanks fior this DracoM - announcer-lite it most certainly is.

I've just listened to a surprisingly punchy Dvorak symphony no 9 played by I don't know which orchestra but conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste - and it's a thrill to hear that name pronounced by a Finnish announcer

[Anna]

If it's easy, don't bother. They're just 'logged' and they don't guarantee you a reply.

As in - bang head + brick wall = getting nowhere and why bother. It is a done deed, R3 has morphed into a CFM type station (although to be fair to them, they do broadcast complete works in the evening) And, are the adverts worse than R3's exhortations to tweet, email, facebook?

[EdgeleyRob]

I rarely listened to the Early Music Show,not my bag really,but I feel the pain of Doversoul and others.
Radio 3 is going to hell in a handcart.
Sad times.

[french frank]

As I remember, The Early Music Show(s) was/were designed to answer the perceived enthusiasm for Early Music and related subject areas - they even signed Andrew Manze as a presenter. My feeling is that RW has now spotted a perceived huge enthusiasm for film music/John Wilson and his Orchestra. And let's face it, which of the two is more likely to attract that 'potential' listener with 'little knowledge of classical music'?

Another populist ploy and thumbing of the nose at Classic FM and its featured film music. 'Anything you can do we've got the public funds to do better.'

[doversoul1]

Has Roger Wright no pride? Oh, well, don’t bother to answer.

Incidentally, there was no announcement whatsoever about the change. I find this very odd. Does the BBC think we don’t notice or care? Come to that I suppose ‘we’ don’t matter to them.

Am I really talking about Radio 3…?

[french frank]

What's more, here's the announcement on his own blog:

"The Early Music Show will also be reduced by one programme but will make way for a new lunchtime concert slot at 1pm.

There will also be a new Saturday programme about film music, presented by Matthew Sweet"

Three points:

1. The concert slot is currently at 2pm - it's just being brought forward to 1pm. That's the only thing that's "new" about it. Weasel words to make it sound like a reasonable quid pro quo: we may be losing an EMS but look, we've got a new lunchtime concert instead.

2. There's no "also" about it: the only new programme is the film music show instead of TEMS.

3. TEMS is only being reduced by one programme. Nothing to make a fuss about, chaps. Sounds different when you say "One of the two Early Music Shows is being axed." But at least we're getting a new lunchtime concert. NOT.

And, oh! I've just noticed another bit of editing, re Drama on 3 being on later:

"It is a slot that drama on Radio 3 has been in before." Gone the mention of it being an 'established' drama slot .... as aeolium pointed out, it was on later in 1946.

[Sir Velo]

What's more, here's the announcement on his own blog:

"The Early Music Show will also be reduced by one programme but will make way for a new lunchtime concert slot at 1pm.

It's cleverly worded though isn't it? RW is careful to say that what is actually new is the slot; NB not the recital.

A slippery customer!

[ardcarp]

I suppose ‘we’ don’t matter to them.

I don't think anyone in Beeb management has any concept of 'we' (i.e. us lot out here).

[french frank]

It's cleverly worded though isn't it? RW is careful to say that what is actually new is the slot; NB not the recital.

A slippery customer!

Absolutely. I gave him the benefit of the doubt over the smear article in the Guardian which DavidP/Wagnerfan/Malcolmtalcum is so fond of quoting here - I suspected it was the journalist who got so much of it wrong. Now I'm sure it wasn't.