Brian Sewell joins the throng!

[french frank]

I think SM-P only began today - Petroc did two weeks in a row. However, I think Sewell trawled this earlier article in the Mail for some of his 'facts'.

I do wish people who have a public platform to express their opinions wouldn't sink to the level of ranting about what (and who) they do and don't like. It just plays into the hands of the BBC because everyone has different preferences and 'You-can't-please-all-the-people-all-the-time!'

[Nick Armstrong]

I'm afraid that I read 'thong' for 'throng' and now have to sponge down my screen which is pebble-dashed with AllBran

Thongs aren't what they used to be....

[Serial_Apologist]

Thongs aren't what they used to be....

"Just a thong at twilight..."

[mercia]

a public platform to express their opinions

is that what this forum is?

[french frank]

is that what this forum is?

I meant a mass media platform . I presume the print version of the Mail will be carrying the story too.

[BetweenTheStaves]

I meant a mass media platform . I presume the print version of the Mail will be carrying the story too.

That's where I read it. [Note: I had a choice between the DM and the Gruniad at Cafe Nero this morning. Neither are my preferred reading !]

[amateur51]

That's where I read it. [Note: I had a choice between the DM and the Gruniad at Cafe Nero this morning. Neither are my preferred reading !]

Neither The Beano nor Bunty comes out on a Monday

[amateur51]

And there we were, having a perfectly civil discussion and then along comes old big 'ead having yet another poke. Grow up, amdram51.

Quelle délicatesse!

[Suffolkcoastal]

I don't think that it is necessarily the fault of many of the presenters, they are under clear instructions by RW and his Politburo to do as they are told, some clearly are terrified of losing their jobs so comply. Others like KD clearly relish what she's been ordered to do hence why she's being given even greater airtime as a reward. I would have thought that Rob C would have been able to make a living outside of R3, but then perhaps he can't and is as terrified of the R3/BBC Politburo as many others.

[amateur51]

I don't think that it is necessarily the fault of many of the presenters, they are under clear instructions by RW and his Politburo to do as they are told, some clearly are terrified of losing their jobs so comply. Others like KD clearly relish what she's been ordered to do hence why she's being given even greater airtime as a reward. I would have thought that Rob C would have been able to make a living outside of R3, but then perhaps he can't and is as terrified of the R3/BBC Politburo as many others.

I'm sure that Classic FM would have Rob back in a flash doing his CD Review programme for them again.

Alternatively he could make a good living setting up his own website offering reviews and samplers of new & historical CDs akin to Jancis Robinson's rather splendid wine website:

http://www.jancisrobinson.com/

Only an idea Rob

[french frank]

But in the end, let's be very clear about this, we need to be ready take hard decisions based on real value to the community, not just on nostalgic sympathies.

"But I thought Radio 3 was a classical music station?" I heard someone ask. Well, it has never been just a classical music station - it has been broadcasting jazz for almost 40 years and it is also the only network on which you can hear long form drama. So it's perfectly natural for the new Radio 3 to have expanded its drama, its cultural debates, jazz and world music and given them all a higher profile.

Just one example of this is my decision to create the Radio 3 World Music Awards which will take place at Hackney's vibrant new venue Ocean in January.

And has the traditional audience revolted and marched upon Broadcasting House? No! Rather it has accepted this exciting new agenda for the network, and the audience is now listening to the network for longer than ever before and flooding to our website (an additional 40,000 people just for the London Jazz Festival in the last fortnight).

It is access in the best sense - not a dumbing down but a smarting up.

But for the most part we are nervous of addressing this issue in these qualitative terms. It's curious that we are happy to hear reference to "Elite" armed forces entering Afghanistan and recoil at the term "elite" when it is used in reference to the world of culture.

We should then celebrate the achievements of the artists of all types who challenge, stimulate and entertain us.

The public will, I think, respond and care and the long quick march to a greater artistic freedom and real excitement in the arts will have begun.

[Plan A, November 2001]

[amateur51]

Crikey french frank, I thought msg #42 heralded the return of cavatina

I'm having a small sal volatile moment as I trype

[french frank]

Crikey french frank, I thought msg #42 heralded the return of cavatina

I'm having a small sal volatile moment as I trype

I think the jazz and world music listeners will be doing a double take on some of those comments. Me, I'd pick on the phrase: 'and recoil at the term "elite" when it is used in reference to the world of culture', from someone who some years later (2009) was declaring himself an 'anti-elitist'.

Another load of garbage. Wright didn't increase the amount of jazz on R3 so FoR3 didn't object to it. He certainly didn't introduce world music either (that came in the early 90s under John Drummond) and didn't increase the amount significantly. So another straw man to join the many who line up in support of the controller whenever the Radio 3 'critics' are discussed in the mass media (how many more straw men can you find in that article?). And, yes, he has cut down on his expenses recently ...

[DracoM]

I hope that has all gone to Chris Patten. ff? I would dearly love to know what a publicly declared high culture man is saying about the current R3 behind the scenes and round his own dinner table?

[aeolium]

I think the jazz and world music listeners will be doing a double take on some of those comments.

My double take was on the words 'it's perfectly natural for the new Radio 3 to have expanded its drama'. Eh???? Even in 2001 IIRC it was only one play a week. Now it's one play a week except when the Proms is on, and quite a lot of them are recent repeats. If this is expansion, what's rationing?

Edit: Oh, of course there was The Wire - how easily forgotten