The Eternal Breakfast Debate in a New Place

[salymap]

Suffolk coastal. I assumed you were joking. You're not. The barrel has been scraped. Oh dear.

[french frank]

Suffolk coastal. I assumed you were joking. You're not. The barrel has been scraped. Oh dear.

This will be the first example of how R3 is going to respond to the Trust saying R3 must develop its strategy of becoming 'more accessible and welcoming' to newcomers, particularly at the entry points of breakfast and drivetime.

"In a brand new feature for Radio 3's Breakfast programme, well-known personalities from the world of comedy will be joining presenters Sara Mohr-Pietsch and Rob Cowan to pick a few of their favourite pieces of classical music. "



It sounds like something from a BBC comedy show: "Well, team, I've had this note from the chief. We've got to think up ways of making breakfast even more appalling. Any thoughts?"

[teamsaint]

This will be the first example of how R3 is going to respond to the Trust saying R3 must develop its strategy of becoming 'more accessible and welcoming' to newcomers, particularly at the entry points of breakfast and drivetime.

"In a brand new feature for Radio 3's Breakfast programme, well-known personalities from the world of comedy will be joining presenters Sara Mohr-Pietsch and Rob Cowan to pick a few of their favourite pieces of classical music. "



It sounds like something from a BBC comedy show: "Well, team, I've had this note from the chief. We've got to think up ways of making breakfast even more appalling. Any thoughts?"

i have been a defender (in general) of "breakfast"...but this is as likely to have a good outcome as it would be if well known classical musicians were asked to choose their favourite bits of comedy for showing in front of a rather picky "jongleurs" audience.

[Frances_iom]

It sounds like something from a BBC comedy show: "Well, team, I've had this note from the chief. We've got to think up ways of making breakfast even more appalling. Any thoughts?"

radio comics come cheap - probably much cheaper than certain presenters (after all few if any skills are required)- I'd be very surprised if off their own bat they could select more than a few standard classics (unless of course RW is going pop) hence they will need be primed - thus you get a cheap show, meet the playlist criteria and possibly attract the C2 audience who think classic music is the pop music of 5 years ago.
R3 is as I suggested a long time ago, morphing into R2.

RW is a total disaster - has anything he has touched on R3 been a success ?

[Norfolk Born]

I don't know, but something - or somebody - is doing Radio 4's ratings no harm at all....

[kernelbogey]

O Du lieber Leutgeb! Once again, S M-P trots out that chestnut about Mozart calling him a 'blockhead' etc. Just imagine if you called a friend a name in writing and then it was repeated for the next two hundred years every time the name of your friend came up. Who's the Dummkopf here?

[Mr Pee]

Having been in the minority up to now in defending Breakfast, Classical Collection, Sunday Morning etc., I now find myself in agreement with the majority here. I'm listening to R3 less and less now; this lates wheeze of getting a comedian in to select pieces of music represents the nadir, but overall the chatty style, the foisting of presenters personal opinions of the music onto us, and the bland musical selections have finally driven me away. Sunday Morning is one of the worst examples, but as has been said Classical Collection is now just an extension of Breakfast.

I now find myself listening to my CDs in preference to the radio, and when I do put the radio on it's more likely to be Radio4, or occasionally 5live.

Perhaps my previous defence of the current style was a triumph of hope over experience; I now must sadly admit that Radio3 is a pale shadow of its former self. Chuck in a few adverts and at times one could be listening to Classic FM.

[mercia]

1) does Radio 3 need to justify its existence by increasing its listening figures?
2) if yes to 1) - how should / could it achieve that?

[Don Petter]

1) does Radio 3 need to justify it's existence by increasing it's listening figures?
2) if yes to 1) - how should / could it achieve that?

Nit-pick touché!

(Sorry - couldn't resist. )

[french frank]

1) does Radio 3 need to justify it's existence by increasing it's listening figures?
2) if yes to 1) - how should / could it achieve that?

I think this lies at the heart of the debate.

My view - and I'm still wondering whether to devote an even larger slice of my time to the question of Radio 3 by writing a paper on it - is that the rationale for Radio 3 puts the content first, at the centre. Determine first what the range of content should be: for me, and R3's service licence, that's primarily classical music, the spoken arts and arts discussion, jazz, world music, religion; with a special emphasis on contemporary music and live performance.

So far, so good. But from there on there are two divergent paths (in fact, more than divergent: they go in opposite directions):

1) who is listening to this station, how big the reach, how wide the audience, how do we persuade more people to listen to our wonderful output, how can we reach all audiences regardless of how much they know or how little they think they want to know, &c &c &c

2) given its breadth of coverage, what is it that binds all Radio 3's subject areas together, that makes it 'Radio 3 output', not Radio 2, not Radio 4, not Classic FM or any other station/channel? Who is listening depends entirely on who wants to listen.

Once you've decided on 2) you start working on the detail

[mercia]

Nit-pick touché!

in a previous life I was a greengrocer with a nice line in potato's

[amateur51]

I think this lies at the heart of the debate.

My view - and I'm still wondering whether to devote an even larger slice of my time to the question of Radio 3 by writing a paper on it - is that the rationale for Radio 3 puts the content first, at the centre. Determine first what the range of content should be: for me, and R3's service licence, that's primarily classical music, the spoken arts and arts discussion, jazz, world music, religion; with a special emphasis on contemporary music and live performance.

So far, so good. But from there on there are two divergent paths (in fact, more than divergent: they go in opposite directions):

1) who is listening to this station, how big the reach, how wide the audience, how do we persuade more people to listen to our wonderful output, how can we reach all audiences regardless of how much they know or how little they think they want to know, &c &c &c

2) given its breadth of coverage, what is it that binds all Radio 3's subject areas together, that makes it 'Radio 3 output', not Radio 2, not Radio 4, not Classic FM or any other station/channel? Who is listening depends entirely on who wants to listen.

Once you've decided on 2) you start working on the detail

That's a very impressive outline, french frank.

If you have the time, go for it. Worth squillions to them that is - some consultant or other would charge squillions, like I said.

Happy to help with comments if you think that'd be useful (say nothing! )

[Norfolk Born]

I'm listening to R3 less and less now; this lates wheeze of getting a comedian in to select pieces of music represents the nadir, but overall the chatty style, the foisting of presenters personal opinions of the music onto us, and the bland musical selections have finally driven me away. Sunday Morning is one of the worst examples, but as has been said Classical Collection is now just an extension of Breakfast.
I now find myself listening to my CDs in preference to the radio, and when I do put the radio on it's more likely to be Radio4.

I've taken the liberty of quoting a large part of your message because it precisely reflects my own experience and changes in listening habits over the last couple of years.
You may well find items of interest on Radio 7 - soon to be renamed Radio 4 Plus (or is it +?). For example, Ian Hislop's series on Middle England concludes this afternoon, and yesterday I listened to a fascinating documentary which he wrote and fronted on that famous American song 'There'll Be Bluebirds Over the White Cliifs of Dover'. For me, the highlight of the programme was his taking the part of Vera Lynn while his guest/interviewee played the first few bars of 'Over The Rainbow'.

[mercia]

ff - Thank you for addressing my bald questions. I'm sure you should write a paper (time permitting), your knowledge is second to none.

R3's service licence

Is this a published document one can access on-line?

I still find the suggestion that Radio 3 is "morphing into Radio 2" as put by someone previously, just silly, they are quite distinct in my view.

[Don Petter]

in a previous life I was a greengrocer with a nice line in potato's

I knew you'd take it in good spirit!

(I swear I once saw a market stall with a cardboard label offering SOX'S.)