The Eternal Breakfast Debate in a New Place

[Eudaimonia]

Eudaimonia
You obviously have much, much more faith in the independence and indeed competence of consultants, as a wide generic term, than I have!

Well, I suppose it's because I was trained (brainwashed?) that way. I did three years of coursework towards a PhD in in policy analysis (list of classes here: http://www.prgs.edu/curriculum/course-menu.html) and believe that with the right analytic tools, truly objective, independent arts policy research is possible...even if no one is too terribly interested in reading the results. So often, studies are used as nothing more than a prop to support preconceived notions--and if you aren't delivering what the client wants, you have less than zero impact and shouldn't have bothered.

FF is completely right about the Trust somewhat building their conclusions into their methodology: off the top of my head, I can't say what I would have done differently, but it bears thinking about.

[antongould]

If they gave you the job/project then I would have a high level of trust!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I know we knock Breakfast, but I used to love "Your 100 Best Tunes" with Alan Keith on Radio 2 on a Sunday evening.

[Don Basilio]

I know we knock Breakfast, but I used to love "Your 100 Best Tunes" with Alan Keith on Radio 2 on a Sunday evening.

Until then I wish you well. And now, a very good night to you all. (Swoop into what the wonderful Mr Keith no doubt knew as the Londonderry Air.)

I loved it. The Alistair Cooke of the Light Promgramme.

[Suffolkcoastal]

Or at the start "Hello, Good evening and welcome". He often used to start with music by Fucik or as he pronounced Foodjick with powerful emphasis on the F, a piece called 'The Old Grumbler' each title or sentence had a slight crescendo built in to the penultimate syllable and a diminuendo on the final syllable. Your hundred best tunes was one of my introductions to classical music from the ages of 10 to 16 from time to time, though I eventually got bored with the same format and the endless repeats of a ghastly little song called 'Listen to the Mockingbird' which was endlessly requested by listeners. Still it served a purpose and I have some fond childhood memories of the programme.

[bach736]

I was driving a hire car yesterday morning and thought the radio was tuned to Classic fm. It turned out to be R3.
Could not 'Breakfast' be allowed the use of a short musical ident or signature sting which, if repeated at regular intervals, would help listeners tell the difference?

[Norfolk Born]

'You'll wonder where whole pieces went
When you tune in to the 'Breakfast' gent'

[Nick Armstrong]

I was driving a hire car yesterday morning and thought the radio was tuned to Classic fm. It turned out to be R3.
Could not 'Breakfast' be allowed the use of a short musical ident or signature sting which, if repeated at regular intervals, would help listeners tell the difference?

April Fool?

.....

Good on Charlie Higson for supporting and getting some air-time for Malcolm Arnold's 5th this morning!

The third movement is a perfect April Fool piece. Great music!!!

[french frank]

'You'll wonder where whole pieces went
When you tune in to the 'Breakfast' gent'

(Very t(r)opical for me - the other morning a mystery visitor deposited on my doorstep - and everyone's in the street - at some unearthly hour, a pack of two bottles of Tropicana orange juice, one with whole pieces, one without. And come to think of it, I chose the one with whole pieces first )

[Suffolkcoastal]

But the Arnold was just the repeat of what he chose and was already broadcast on Monday.

[kernelbogey]

I suppose that the introduction of these 'Comedy Classics' turns of a Desert Island Discs nature is an attempt to woo a younger audience.

I've also noticed a new marketing device on Breakfast. There being no nine o'clock news on R3, music often used to span that time. Now, music is timed to end at nine, and Sara has been saying 'Welcome if you've just tuned in'. Presumably this is in response to listeners anticipated to be switching from over on Radio Four. Perhaps there's now a corresponding R3 plug at 08:59:30 on R4.....

[french frank]

Now, music is timed to end at nine, and Sara has been saying 'Welcome if you've just tuned in'. Presumably this is in response to listeners anticipated to be switching from over on Radio Four. Perhaps there's now a corresponding R3 plug at 08:59:30 on R4.....

Nine o'clock has always been considered a 'switching time'. Paul Gambaccini said in an interview with Radio Times when his 9am programme, Morning Collection, started on R3: "I had a specific mission to invite Today listeners to stay with the BBC rather than go to Classic FM".

Nothing changes, then

[salymap]

Who was responsible for one of my 'pet hates' on today's Breakfast? I was in another room but made record time, for my age, to switch off. My parents had the 78 until I accidentally broke it at the age of about 6.
Charles Penrose, 'The Laughing Policeman'. I can think ofmuch funnier records.

[Norfolk Born]

Are you sure you 'accidentally' broke it, salymap? It certainly occupies a leading position in the 'Cringeworthy Novelty Numbers' chart.

[french frank]

Strauss/Rosenkavalier, Kodaly, The Laughing Policeman, Arensky, Purcell: after that it's hard to think of anything that would constitute a 'surprise' ...

Anyone catch a weekend presenter's comment that, since Sibelius didn't die until 1957 'he will have listened to Elvis'?

[Wife to 90-year-old Sibelius: 'Jean, drop what you're doing and come quickly, they're playing Elvis on Radio 1.'
With apologies to Barry Fantoni]