The Eternal Breakfast Debate in a New Place

[Sir Velo]

In response to the point that a majority of Breakfast listeners prefer the current format of old warhorses and bleeding chunks, let's be clear that there is a distinction to be drawn between current listeners (and they would have to be very perverse indeed to listen to a programme they disliked!) and potential listeners.

Given the reach of Radio 3 is what, 2 million?, and Breakfast draws maybe 30% of that share, there are a good 70% of regular R3 listeners who give the programme a wide berth. The only way of proving which is preferable is to give something approaching the old Morning on Three a good run for its money (ie one quarter at least) and then seeing which brings in the higher audience.

[teamsaint]

In that case, team, we are entirely at one , now that you have explained No more to be said on that. ?

Excellent. It isn't always easy discussing things on a forum.

And oddly , it is often harder when people have similar views on the hoped for outcome.

[Serial_Apologist]

Excellent. It isn't always easy discussing things on a forum.

And oddly , it is often harder when people have similar views on the hoped for outcome.

Yes, the pessimism cranks up to such a degree, it's hard to accept when we've actually reached agreement!

[ardcarp]

You could have knocked me over with a feather when the Gloria from Carver's Missa L'homme armé popped up on Breakfast. Fabulous. (Even if the presenter - who? - missed the 'e acute' when she announced it.)

[antongould]

You could have knocked me over with a feather when the Gloria from Carver's Missa L'homme armé popped up on Breakfast. Fabulous. (Even if the presenter - who? - missed the 'e acute' when she announced it.)

Indeed it was wonderful IMVVHO ........

[antongould]

..... and now Mieczyslaw Weinberg ........

[seabright]

I don't know about anyone else but I find myself increasingly reaching for the off-switch when something comes on which, for me at any rate, is less than compatible with music to listen to over the muesli. This morning it was some ghastly cacophonous harpsichord piece, so off it went. Of course, it's all a question of personal likes and dislikes and doubtless others will revel in such early morning cacophony. Still, I found that some nice quiet silence for a while really didn't go amiss!

[Stanfordian]

It's the way things are going, though RAJAR's latest research says only 8% of 'live radio listening' is via portable devices (excl. laptops) so still some way to go.



Ideally the Radio 2 prairie should have a couple of wildflower meadows for listeners to wander into if they feel attracted, and if they go in far enough they come to the entrance to Radio 3 which has even more attractive flowers

Hiya frenchfrank,

I'm not sure if you have seen this changing identity of Radio 2 owing to this recent revamp. Reported in the 'i' newspaper on Thursday 11th.

To be Axed or "Rested" (BBC Speak):
Nigel Ogden - The Organist Entertains
Frank Renton - Listen to the Band
Paul Jones - Blues Show

New slots for:
Cerys Matthews
Sara Cox
Jo Whiley

This axing of the older men in favour of younger women is OK is not the problem with me but its the "generational shift" in style of music from pipe and slippers to attract younger age listeners that in my view is evolving R2 into something of a middle-age Radio 1.

[BBMmk2]

More to what i was thinking. The BBC are forgetting about that there are still loads of joe public out there of the over 60's(), who still would want to hear these programmes?

[french frank]

Hiya frenchfrank,

I'm not sure if you have seen this changing identity of Radio 2 owing to this recent revamp. Reported in the 'i' newspaper on Thursday 11th. [ … ]but its the "generational shift" in style of music from pipe and slippers to attract younger age listeners that in my view is evolving R2 into something of a middle-age Radio 1.

Yes, I saw it, Stan, and agree with you. Popular music for the young to 'middle youth' rules now on 92.35% of BBC music radio, and will still have a small way to go by seeping gradually into Radio 3/the Proms, first the presentation style, then the content

I don't know about anyone else but I find myself increasingly reaching for the off-switch when something comes on which, for me at any rate, is less than compatible with music to listen to over the muesli. This morning it was some ghastly cacophonous harpsichord piece, so off it went. Of course, it's all a question of personal likes and dislikes and doubtless others will revel in such early morning cacophony. Still, I found that some nice quiet silence for a while really didn't go amiss!

Research suggests you mean the 4-min William Albright piece. Hmm, virtuosic but not particularly attractive to me (did the use of the harpsichord improve it?). Not sure that I found it a 'cacophany' but, if you like the Breakfast selection generally, perhaps just lowering the volume on the cacophanous items would be an alternative solution?

[Zucchini]

Research suggests you mean the 4-min William Albright piece. Hmm, virtuosic but not particularly attractive to me (did the use of the harpsichord improve it?). Not sure that I found it a 'cacophany' but, if you like the Breakfast selection generally, perhaps just lowering the volume on the cacophanous items would be an alternative solution?

Quite so. He's being stupid. Does he throw his muesli in the sink if he finds a raisin (say) in it?

[cloughie]

Hiya frenchfrank,

I'm not sure if you have seen this changing identity of Radio 2 owing to this recent revamp. Reported in the 'i' newspaper on Thursday 11th.

To be Axed or "Rested" (BBC Speak):
Nigel Ogden - The Organist Entertains
Frank Renton - Listen to the Band
Paul Jones - Blues Show

New slots for:
Cerys Matthews
Sara Cox
Jo Whiley

This axing of the older men in favour of younger women is OK is not the problem with me but its the "generational shift" in style of music from pipe and slippers to attract younger age listeners that in my view is evolving R2 into something of a middle-age Radio 1.

I pointed to this in #7120, we're living longer and been abandoned by the BBC!

[french frank]

You could have knocked me over with a feather when the Gloria from Carver's Missa L'homme armé popped up on Breakfast. Fabulous. (Even if the presenter - who? - missed the 'e acute' when she announced it.)

It would be less of a problem, I imagine, if it were written down correctly (i.e. if it had an acute accent). Though she also said Skohn Abbey rather than Skoon. Surprised at a BBC type getting that wrong

[oddoneout]

I don't know about anyone else but I find myself increasingly reaching for the off-switch when something comes on which, for me at any rate, is less than compatible with music to listen to over the muesli. This morning it was some ghastly cacophonous harpsichord piece, so off it went. Of course, it's all a question of personal likes and dislikes and doubtless others will revel in such early morning cacophony. Still, I found that some nice quiet silence for a while really didn't go amiss!

As you say, personal taste. For some I daresay a bit of less than restful music might be an advantage at that time of day.I suspect that tolerance levels for sounds, volume etc are lower for many at the beginning of the day, I know they are for me(regardless of the night before...) and I might find myself turning down or off something that later in the day would be OK. Wouldn't go so far as to use the term 'cacophony' though.
Which reminds me of rehearsing a long time ago the Symphony of Psalms, which a less than enthusiastic choir member insisted on calling Cacophony of Psalms.

[underthecountertenor]

Which reminds me of rehearsing a long time ago the Symphony of Psalms, which a less than enthusiastic choir member insisted on calling Cacophony of Psalms.

Which reminds me of someone who recently told me that she refused to take part in a performance of Walton's Belshazzar's Feast because it was 'atonal'. She claimed to be a music graduate too.