Tearjerker, Downtown Symphony, Piano Flow, Happy Harmonies and other Saturday padding

[french frank]

“Piano Flow” has just erupted into TTN with all the subtlety of a randy fifth former. Straight off to WQXR for me.

"Uplifting piano pieces to brighten your day": Given that very few of the target audience we will be up and listening at 5am, they mean "Here's something we broadcast earlier for you to listen to when you eventually get up (or any time thereafter)", don't they?

The 25% classical percentage seems normal, so the rest competes with Chris Hawkins at 05.00-07.00 on 6Music. Oh, and I missed something: they've now managed to produce two more Radio 1 offshoots, streaming in Sounds: Radio 1 Dance (since last October) and a "wellbeing" station Radio 1 Relax (since last month). To add to Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra.

I can't see that Radio 3 (or even a Radio 3 stream) with Piano Flow, Happy Harmonies &c &c to listen to On Demand, would provide much competition for Radio 1, Radio 1Xtra, Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1 Relax, Radio 2 and Radio 6Music.

[Frances_iom]

...Oh, and I missed something: they've now managed to produce two more Radio 1 offshoots, streaming in Sounds: Radio 1 Dance (since last October) and a "wellbeing" station Radio 1 Relax (since last month). To add to Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra....

Well the director did market Pepsi in its myriad of guises (all totally junk and generally unhealthy) - just working the same 'magic' on R1 before possibly renaming one channel "R1-classic"

[cloughie]

Well the director did market Pepsi in its myriad of guises (all totally junk and generally unhealthy) - just working the same 'magic' on R1 before possibly renaming one channel "R1-classic"

...and not being enough he needs to borrow a couple of hours of TTN to peddle his junk further!

[AuntDaisy]

"Uplifting piano pieces to brighten your day": Given that very few of the target audience we will be up and listening at 5am, they mean "Here's something we broadcast earlier for you to listen to when you eventually get up (or any time thereafter)", don't they?

The 25% classical percentage seems normal, so the rest competes with Chris Hawkins at 05.00-07.00 on 6Music. Oh, and I missed something: they've now managed to produce two more Radio 1 offshoots, streaming in Sounds: Radio 1 Dance (since last October) and a "wellbeing" station Radio 1 Relax (since last month). To add to Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra.

I can't see that Radio 3 (or even a Radio 3 stream) with Piano Flow, Happy Harmonies &c &c to listen to On Demand, would provide much competition for Radio 1, Radio 1Xtra, Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1 Relax, Radio 2 and Radio 6Music.

Yes, it's very frustrating - all we want is TTN back!!!

There was a Feedback interview with Aled Haydn Jones about the new R1 cuts that mentioned Relax and seemed to imply that they were re-using already broadcast pieces. I speculated / queried whether Tearjerker etc were being used in the same way...

[french frank]

I speculated / queried whether Tearjerker etc were being used in the same way...

Repackaged with 2021 presenters. But I don't understand this: "Piano Flow with Lianne La Havas and Happy Harmonies with Laufey both begin on Saturday 10 April on BBC Sounds." If they're on BBC Sounds, why are they taking up airtime on Radio 3 and removing 2 hours of TTN in the process?

And this we've read before: "Also broadcast on Radio 3, these two 12-part series build on the success of two previous mood-led music series, commissioned by BBC Radio 3 for BBC Sounds: Tearjerker with Jorja Smith and Downtime Symphony with Celeste. Both proved hugely popular and have been two of the most listened to music mixes on BBC Sounds this year." Again, why on Radio 3? Is it because (on a technicality) what is on Sounds must have been broadcat first, and Radio 3 was the ideal dumping ground?

[AuntDaisy]

Repackaged with 2021 presenters. But I don't understand this: "Piano Flow with Lianne La Havas and Happy Harmonies with Laufey both begin on Saturday 10 April on BBC Sounds." If they're on BBC Sounds, why are they taking up airtime on Radio 3 and removing 2 hours of TTN in the process?

And this we've read before: "Also broadcast on Radio 3, these two 12-part series build on the success of two previous mood-led music series, commissioned by BBC Radio 3 for BBC Sounds: Tearjerker with Jorja Smith and Downtime Symphony with Celeste. Both proved hugely popular and have been two of the most listened to music mixes on BBC Sounds this year." Again, why on Radio 3? Is it because (on a technicality) what is on Sounds must have been broadcast first, and Radio 3 was the ideal dumping ground?

Yes, I think so.
And where / when will it stop?

[Frances_iom]

Yes, I think so.
And where / when will it stop?

It won't - the BBC will I suspect shunt much of its music output, including R3, to Sounds which has considerable attractions for the future in enabling paid-for subscriptions - what you have in tear jerker etc is Muzak for the masses - many it seems can't exist within their own skin without constant noise(?muzak) - maybe it drowns out the voices in their heads or substitutes for thought?

[oddoneout]

Repackaged with 2021 presenters. But I don't understand this: "Piano Flow with Lianne La Havas and Happy Harmonies with Laufey both begin on Saturday 10 April on BBC Sounds." If they're on BBC Sounds, why are they taking up airtime on Radio 3 and removing 2 hours of TTN in the process?

And this we've read before: "Also broadcast on Radio 3, these two 12-part series build on the success of two previous mood-led music series, commissioned by BBC Radio 3 for BBC Sounds: Tearjerker with Jorja Smith and Downtime Symphony with Celeste. Both proved hugely popular and have been two of the most listened to music mixes on BBC Sounds this year." Again, why on Radio 3? Is it because (on a technicality) what is on Sounds must have been broadcat first, and Radio 3 was the ideal dumping ground?

The dumping ground conclusion is the one I've always favoured as a reason for the incursion, a view reinforced by "the most listened to...on BBC Sounds" which means that dumbtime patently isn't listened to in real time on its broadcast station - so any attempt to link it with R3 whether new audience drive or anything else is spurious.
I suppose mixed media origin precludes this, although as an ignoramus on the matter I don't see why a soundtrack can't be put out on Sounds, but BBC4 has plenty of vacant time, perhaps it should be broadcast on there in the wee small hours, sans graphic content or perhaps with a static pretty picture, to fulfill the " previously broadcast" requirement, since it's obviously irrelevant where/when it's broadcast as the target audience won't be listening/watching at the time anyway.
There was a plug for one of the dumbtime offerings immediately after one of the Pennine Way programmes on BBC4 during the week.

[french frank]

so any attempt to link it with R3 whether new audience drive or anything else is spurious

Except that the programmes, according to the mediacentre release, were commissioned by Radio 3. Knowing the weasel words used in BBC press releases, it's not clear whether Tearjerker/Downtime Symphony have been two of Radio 3's most listened to mixtapes on Sounds, or two of the BBC's most listened to mixtapes. The first I can believe, the second I can't. How many mixtapes are on Sounds anyway?

Every Radio 3 controller wants to leave his [sic] own distinctive mark on the station, and I can well believe that the current controller imagined that his new 'mixed genre offers' will make his name and be well-received by the top brass looking for a tag cloud of lively diversity young pop cool

[AuntDaisy]

Anyone else fancy commenting on Twitter?
4 hours!!!

https://twitter.com/BBCRadio3/status/1393324273490661377

[AuntDaisy]

Every Radio 3 controller wants to leave his [sic] own distinctive mark on the station, and I can well believe that the current controller imagined that his new 'mixed genre offers' will make his name and be well-received by the top brass looking for a tag cloud of lively diversity young pop cool

Sad, but probably true.
I'd be happier if he [sic] was remembered for driving the No. 12 bus.

[oddoneout]

Well an advert I heard this morning suggests that "they" know dumbtime is unpalatable to R3 listeners. It referred to a "weekly dose of piano music". Nasty medicine indeed.

[Bryn]

I wonder what proportion of those claimed to be of the many listeners were one-tome listeners who tuned in to hear what the fuss was about and never returned.

[cloughie]

Except that the programmes, according to the mediacentre release, were commissioned by Radio 3. Knowing the weasel words used in BBC press releases, it's not clear whether Tearjerker/Downtime Symphony have been two of Radio 3's most listened to mixtapes on Sounds, or two of the BBC's most listened to mixtapes. The first I can believe, the second I can't. How many mixtapes are on Sounds anyway?

Every Radio 3 controller wants to leave his [sic] own distinctive mark on the station, and I can well believe that the current controller imagined that his new 'mixed genre offers' will make his name and be well-received by the top brass looking for a tag cloud of lively diversity young pop cool

And his epitaph will be ‘NEVER MIND THE OLDIES THEY’LL SOON BE DEAD’

[AuntDaisy]

I wonder what proportion of those claimed to be of the many listeners were one-tome listeners who tuned in to hear what the fuss was about and never returned.

Probably, or perhaps BBC R&D have developed a SOUNDS Bot that does the listening to bump up the figures?

Are you suggesting that TearJerker... listeners only have one book?