The Eternal Breakfast Debate in a New Place

[LMcD]

It may be the case that Radio 3 is not trying to attract 'younger' listeners, which leads me to wonder what will happen when its 27 remaining listeners have a combined age of, let's say, 2500.

[Stanfordian]

Yes - but I think its reduction demonstrates that the idea that R3 is trying to attract a "younger" listener doesn't hold water. I'm not at all sure what kind of audience the Beeb imagines is suitable for R3 (beyond the "mythical/semi-mythical" one that I mentioned) - as I find myself attracted to less and less on the station, he policy often seems to me (in my no-doubt paranoid, elitist manner) to be "make the listener ratings so tiny that we can justify getting rid of it completely".

I only very rarely listen to R3 and when I do it's for Record Review which I occasionally hear on listen again. I can't stand the trails, the lack of basic preparation, the bleeding chunks and the silly tweeting games etc. I tend to use my own collection now for classical music and opera. The radio I listen to is Talk Sport, Radio 4 for current affairs, sometimes CFM, Jazz FM in the evening and more recently Bru Zane Classical Radio.

[oddoneout]

I only very rarely listen to R3 and when I do it's for Record Review which I occasionally hear on listen again. I can't stand the trails, the lack of basic preparation, the bleeding chunks and the silly tweeting games etc. I tend to use my own collection now for classical music and opera. The radio I listen to is Talk Sport, Radio 4 for current affairs, sometimes CFM, Jazz FM in the evening and more recently Bru Zane Classical Radio.

The majority of that is in the morning. Do you not find anything of interest in the afternoon or evening concerts?

[french frank]

Last time I knew anything the average age of the LJ audience was 53, not vastly younger than the average R3 listener. So. What I speculate is a slightly changed strategy to gain younger listeners for something closer to “classical” music than LJ - which has succeeded in attracting new listeners only to itself. And the daytime programmes haven’t succeeded either. So the late evening slots have presenters like CBH and Elizabeth Alker drafted in.

I don't know (or "know of") any "younger" listeners who would be attracted to what's on daytime R3 - nor do the examples of texts and tweets sent in sound to me as if they come from anyone under about 60. The decision to reduce the number of Late Junction broadcasts suggests exactly the opposite approach from that of "luring younger listeners" - instead, it strikes me that some kind of (mythical/semi-mythical?) "older", late middle-aged, middle-class, ClassicFM-type is being imagined by the corporation as the R3 ideal.

[cloughie]

It is mostly about the careers of those involved. So it’s a new plot, rather than a lost one.

If they really want to attract younger listeners, a cross station collaboration with 6 Music to keep the LJ strand alive and strong might have been a good idea.

I agree with that ts but I also think that the mix on Radio 2 should be better with a few more interesting bits of music thrown into the constant diet of 80s and later pop - and not always the same old records played over again. Local radio couls play a part in this also whose basic fayre is Radio 2 stuff.

[cloughie]

It may be the case that Radio 3 is not trying to attract 'younger' listeners, which leads me to wonder what will happen when its 27 remaining listeners have a combined age of, let's say, 81000.

Or when even anton says I’ve had enough of this when Skellers leaves!

[antongould]

Or when even anton says I’ve had enough of this when Skellers leaves!

Don’t worry cloughers we are both in it for the long run .........

[teamsaint]

I agree with that ts but I also think that the mix on Radio 2 should be better with a few more interesting bits of music thrown into the constant diet of 80s and later pop - and not always the same old records played over again. Local radio couls play a part in this also whose basic fayre is Radio 2 stuff.

Yep, agreed. Those evening slots were important.

[cloughie]

Don’t worry cloughers we are both in it for the long run .........

Spoken as a true Hangers hanger on!

[oddoneout]

Don’t worry cloughers we are both in it for the long run .........

And me! Not least because R3 is the only radio I listen to and (non-internet)radio is the only way I listen to music, apart from the occasional foray into my very small collection of CD or vinyl alternatives.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I switched on this morning, as I drove to catch a train to London. Absolutely brilliant. Intelligent, informative presentation and interesting music. I felt as though I was learning something new, rather than putting up with the usual drivel.

Then I realised. The time was 5.30 a.m. It wasn't the sickening Breakfast programme I thought I was listening to. It was the end of Through the Night. It shows that R3 can still deliver the good when it chooses to.

[antongould]

I switched on this morning, as I drove to catch a train to London. Absolutely brilliant. Intelligent, informative presentation and interesting music. I felt as though I was learning something new, rather than putting up with the usual drivel.

Then I realised. The time was 5.30 a.m. It wasn't the sickening Breakfast programme I thought I was listening to. It was the end of Through the Night. It shows that R3 can still deliver the good when it chooses to.

Hope you are listening now Alpie - a Geordie rock musician ...... it doesn’t get any better surely ....

[cloughie]

Hope you are listening now Alpie - a Geordie rock musician ...... it doesn’t get any better surely ....

Was it Mark or Sting?

[antongould]

Was it Mark or Sting?

Even more prestigious - the lead singer of Maximo Park ....... !!!!!!!

[cloughie]

Even more prestigious - the lead singer of Maximo Park ....... !!!!!!!

Not on my radar, anton!