Radio 3 Programming - Problems & Solutions

[antongould]

I couldn’t in all honesty claim any of them as Quality

Sorry Bryn replying to wrong response

[french frank]

Is that "opinion" or "fact" ?

If you know differently, produce your evidence . Note that I explicitly said 'the vast majority': that does not preclude there being musical events (eg Indian classical music) which goes on for hours, and that some people who don't ever listen to western classical music listen to them with rapt attention. I think I would have heard about such occasions if the vast majority of people were attending them all the time …

[MrGongGong]

If you know differently, produce your evidence . Note that I explicitly said 'the vast majority': that does not preclude there being musical events (eg Indian classical music) which goes on for hours, and that some people who don't ever listen to western classical music listen to them with rapt attention. I think I would have heard about such occasions if the vast majority of people were attending them all the time …

I wasn't being entirely serious
But I do know that the context for extended listening is rarely the radio

[french frank]

.... and in your honest opinion, which I respect, would that increase the number of listeners ... ???

Might there not be other ways of increasing listeners? And is Radio 3's main task to increase its own audience? How large should it aim to make its audience?

[french frank]

But I do know that the context for extended listening is rarely the radio

Isn't that because most people don't - and don't want to - listen to classical music on the radio? Does that mean that those who do want to listen to classical music, and full-length works, should be treated as if they don't?

[MrGongGong]

Isn't that because most people don't - and don't want to - listen to classical music on the radio? Does that mean that those who do want to listen to classical music, and full-length works, should be treated as if they don't?

Not sure
BUT when I want to listen to "full-length" works I wouldn't choose the radio as a format to do that.
It was interesting to hear the bit of Walton on R2 where it was talked about enthusiastically and knowledgeably

[french frank]

BUT when I want to listen to "full-length" works I wouldn't choose the radio as a format to do that.

So what do you listen to on the radio?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

.... and in your honest opinion, which I respect, would that increase the number of listeners ... ???

Treating listeners as intelligent beings? I believe there’s a good chance that it would.

[MrGongGong]

So what do you listen to on the radio?

Recently i've been doing lots of long journeys
so have been listening to R3 a fair bit
I don't plan but just turn it on and am often pleasantly surprised
I even listened to "In Tune" last week but someone I work with was on playing in a Clarinet / Cello duo by Phyllis Tate so it was nice to stumble accross

[Serial_Apologist]

.... and in your honest opinion, which I respect, would that increase the number of listeners ... ???

It might attract the sorts of listeners who don't want to be condescended to, while at the same time not forfeiting those who feel they are and are therefore no longer Radio 3 listeners. Much less of my time now is spent on Radio 3 than was the case 20 years ago, and that is dwindling each year.

[teamsaint]

It might attract the sorts of listeners who don't want to be condescended to, while at the same time not forfeiting those who feel they are and are therefore no longer Radio 3 listeners. Much less of my time now is spent on Radio 3 than was the case 20 years ago, and that is dwindling each year.

Good points. But 20 years ago Youtube and streaming( and iplayer) hadn’t even been thought of,and weren’t options for our listening hours.The challenge for BBC bosses, in terms of keeping acceptable numbers of people listening is great. But commercial organisations have such challenges, and have to respond in creative ways, keeping close to core markets, whilst looking for breakouts into wider audiences, by offering high quality.
Treating your core market badly is never a route to success.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

May I take the opportunity humbly to make my regular suggestion of a "Radio 3 Extra", so that those of us who are repelled by the Itsy-bitsy, presenter-focussed programming can have the sort of content that R3 provided in, say, the 1970s - say, a repeat of Through the Night from 6:00am - Noon, repeats from the archive of Discovering Music, and Talking About Music; archive recordings from specialist festivals such as Huddersfield, and Early Music, Jazz, World Music ... festivals ... specialist recordings of Early Music, afternoons and evenings set aside for Sorabji, Feldman etc etc etc. In other words, Music-focussed, with the Beeb proudly proclaiming that they are the only Broadcaster that provides such repertoire for as many people as want to hear it - but being happy to have audiences in their tens of thousands.

Meanwhile those who enjoy the current offerings can continue with their pleasures unperturbed ...

[Bryn]

May I take the opportunity humbly to make my regular suggestion of a "Radio 3 Extra", so that those of us who are repelled by the Itsy-bitsy, presenter-focussed programming can have the sort of content that R3 provided in, say, the 1970s - say, a repeat of Through the Night from 6:00am - Noon, repeats from the archive of Discovering Music, and Talking About Music; archive recordings from specialist festivals such as Huddersfield, and Early Music, Jazz, World Music ... festivals ... specialist recordings of Early Music, afternoons and evenings set aside for Sorabji, Feldman etc etc etc. In other words, Music-focussed, with the Beeb proudly proclaiming that they are the only Broadcaster that provides such repertoire for as many people as want to hear it - but being happy to have audiences in their tens of thousands.

Meanwhile those who enjoy the current offerings can continue with their pleasures unperturbed ...

Plus the return of serious science programmes and, indeed, high class comedy. Oh, why bother?

[greenilex]

I do think itsy-bitsy is the perfect word for it...yellow polka-dot presentation.

[antongould]

Good points. But 20 years ago Youtube and streaming( and iplayer) hadn’t even been thought of,and weren’t options for our listening hours.The challenge for BBC bosses, in terms of keeping acceptable numbers of people listening is great. But commercial organisations have such challenges, and have to respond in creative ways, keeping close to core markets, whilst looking for breakouts into wider audiences, by offering high quality.
Treating your core market badly is never a route to success.

Agree ts but in what creative way do you feel R3 should respond .... ???

As to will a change back to the morning programmes of old increase listener numbers surely the answer is to try it on say Sunday morning