The Eternal Breakfast Debate in a New Place

[kernelbogey]

The thing is, our generation were educated, in part by Radio 3 As She Was, to listen and learn discriminately....

[Ein Heldenleben]

I've mentioned all this to an old acquaintance and he shrugged his shoulders and said 'if you've got CDs, you don't need Radio 3'. Bunker-mentality or not, that is where thinking people are going.

yes but they’re playing Walking The Dog for the millionth time today and I don’t have that in my CD collection. (thankfully)

just listening to what I initially thought was the worst performance of the Chopin Op 25 C minor etude I’d ever heard only to realise it’s the Godowsky version for left hand only - played superbly . Now that’s precisely the experience that can’t be repeated from a CD collection .

[cloughie]

So much of Radio 3's music programming has now become so disconnected and de-contextualised that it makes little sense, thus it would come as no surprise if Radio 3 tuners merely had it on as a kind of musical wallpaper.

Or maybe bland beige emulsion! I think it probably is - can’t confirm as I rarely bother to switch it on nowadays.

[LMcD]

I've mentioned all this to an old acquaintance and he shrugged his shoulders and said 'if you've got CDs, you don't need Radio 3'. Bunker-mentality or not, that is where thinking people are going.

Your reference to a bunker brought to mind Wolfgang Busch, the resident stormtrooper on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In whose appearances were, of course, always 'very interesting'.

[smittims]

I've mentioned all this to an old acquaintance and he shrugged his shoulders and said 'if you've got CDs, you don't need Radio 3'. Bunker-mentality or not, that is where thinking people are going.

[Serial_Apologist]

I'm afraid that seems to be increasingly the case chez moi. However, thanks to the Forum, I know that Yle Klassinen and other broadcasters are on hand to provide more nutritious fare, to which I pay due attention.

The thing is, our generation were educated, in part by Radio 3 As She Was, to listen and learn discriminately, so we are probably listening out for some morsel that distinguishes itself by seeming novel, original or never heard before. Those being groomed by the new schedulings and not blessed with that pre-given will be led to hear merely a succession of excerpts.

[LMcD]

So much of Radio 3's music programming has now become so disconnected and de-contextualised that it makes little sense, thus it would come as no surprise if Radio 3 tuners merely had it on as a kind of musical wallpaper.

I'm afraid that seems to be increasingly the case chez moi. However, thanks to the Forum, I know that Yle Klassinen and other broadcasters are on hand to provide more nutritious fare, to which I pay due attention.

[Serial_Apologist]

This is why R3 was unpopular with the BBC hierarchy. How many hours a week does the average R3 audience member listen for? O be joyful! The last Rajar figures had people 'listening' for longer than they ever had in the past. Because they keep the radio switched on, regardless of whether they're listening or not. So it may well be that people have the radio switched on for longer but are actually listening less than they were ten years ago.

People used to switch on specially to listen to a selected programme. Now 'stripped' programming (same time, same programme, same presenter, across the week) and longer - 3 hours or more - programmes with a standard format and little information of the music to be played are the usual radio broadcasting. Aim? as many people as possible listening for as long as possible; and strategies for achieving this are more important than content or quality.

So much of Radio 3's music programming has now become so disconnected and de-contextualised that it makes little sense, thus it would come as no surprise if Radio 3 tuners merely had it on as a kind of musical wallpaper.

[french frank]

Ah well, it was Sir John Reith who said switching off the wireless was as important as switching it on!

This is why R3 was unpopular with the BBC hierarchy. How many hours a week does the average R3 audience member listen for? O be joyful! The last Rajar figures had people 'listening' for longer than they ever had in the past. Because they keep the radio switched on, regardless of whether they're listening or not. So it may well be that people have the radio switched on for longer but are actually listening less than they were ten years ago.

People used to switch on specially to listen to a selected programme. Now 'stripped' programming (same time, same programme, same presenter, across the week) and longer - 3 hours or more - programmes with a standard format and little information of the music to be played are the usual radio broadcasting. Aim? as many people as possible listening for as long as possible; and strategies for achieving this are more important than content or quality.

[smittims]

Ah well, it was Sir John Reith who said switching off the wireless was as important as switching it on!

[LMcD]

I don't listen to it that much so I bow to your judgement on this. I agree it is a pity if the unusual is getting less and less.

.... and I find myself switching on later and switching off earlier.

[hmvman]

I think that, overall, there's definitely less 'more unusual and interesting fare' - which is a pity.

I don't listen to it that much so I bow to your judgement on this. I agree it is a pity if the unusual is getting less and less.

[LMcD]

It seems to me to vary. Some mornings I think they're trotting out all the old warhorses and others there's more unusual and interesting fare. Would this be down to different producers?

I think that, overall, there's definitely less 'more unusual and interesting fare' - which is a pity.

[hmvman]

Which is a shame. There also seems to be increasing quantities of 'listener input', as in lengthy messages from same read out. I hope that's just a misperception on my part or, if not, that it's just a temporary blip. I have stuck with Breakfast for the better selection of music, and that listener input has been limited, brief and to the point, but if that changes noticeably then so will my listening.

It seems to me to vary. Some mornings I think they're trotting out all the old warhorses and others there's more unusual and interesting fare. Would this be down to different producers?

[oddoneout]

The Breakfast playlist is now stuffed so full of 'favourite tunes' that I'm half expecting to switch on one day and find that the programme has a new host in the form of an AI-generated Alan Keith.

Which is a shame. There also seems to be increasing quantities of 'listener input', as in lengthy messages from same read out. I hope that's just a misperception on my part or, if not, that it's just a temporary blip. I have stuck with Breakfast for the better selection of music, and that listener input has been limited, brief and to the point, but if that changes noticeably then so will my listening.