Gillian Reynolds - Feedback and "witless wittering"

[Guest]

For those of you who have not seen it, here is the link to Gillian Reynolds' coverage of the forthcoming Feedback programme:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturecritics/gillianreynolds/8804758/Yet-more-witless-wittering-on-Radio-3-review.html

[Chris Newman]

The thought of retching into the future springs to mind

[french frank]

"Being realistic and thinking back to when such changes were last attempted, expect no recant for at least a year. " (Gillian Reynolds)

Yes, RW a tougher nut to crack than the civilised Stephen Hearst: he only managed 7 months before his phone-ins were dropped. Paul Donovan in the S Times also looks ahead to Feedback when the controller will appear "to answer (that is, probably, brush aside) listeners' complaints about his new autumn schedule and, in particular, the changes in the Breakfast show: banal phone-ins, snippety music, DJ prattle, endless urging to text and tweet".

Not clear whether those last bits were PD's opinion or the listeners'. But this is PD's: "Your Call is banal, tedious, diminishes the power of what is usually exquisite music and is best avoided."

I think/hope a Guardian opinion blog will have 600 words tomorrow or Thursday to add to the chorus of disapproval.

[amateur51]

I think/hope a Guardian opinion blog will have 600 words tomorrow or Thursday to add to the chorus of disapproval.

Let's hope it's by Nancy Banks-Smith and that she's been at the cooking vodka again

[DracoM]

Doesn't pull her punches, our Gillian. How central is the Telegraph to the R3 demographic?

[french frank]

Let's hope it's by Nancy Banks-Smith and that she's been at the cooking vodka again

No, I'm afraid not

A ploddingly argued piece not unlike my own style

How central is the Telegraph to the R3 demographic?

Fairly, I think.

Our problem has been getting the Guardian to take up the issues at all. Tom Service was obviously not going to do a Michael White on his own employer, and the radio critic seems to be Nu3's target audience.

[rank_and_file]

DracoM

She's the doyenne of Radio Critics and, I think, very pro BBC, and loves Radio 4. They let her do the continuity/programme intros on Radio 4 a few years ago, so I presume they think she is "on side". She is well into retiring age. See Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillian_Reynolds

[Andrew Slater]

No, I'm afraid not

A ploddingly argued piece not unlike my own style

It seems to be here.

[french frank]

Yup, that's it. I'm supposed to defend it against the Guardian blog readership - hope you don't leave me on my own!

[rank_and_file]

FF

Well argued article in the Guardian - the message IS spreading!

[doversoul1]

ff


Can you not post the link somewhere more unmissable so that some of our brave souls may join the battle?

[french frank]

ff


Can you not post the link somewhere more unmissable so that some of our brave souls may join the battle?

I'm not sure where is more unmissable . But here it is. Looks like the opposition is warming up. [Loved the witticism of 'with Friends like these who needs enemies' - I wonder if it's someone I know!]

[DracoM]

Fine article.

In what way can we effectively lobby The Guardian in supporting you?

[french frank]

Fine article.

In what way can we effectively lobby The Guardian in supporting you?

Just register and write your comments underneath .

If it hadn't been for that dissenter claiming that the changes were 'minimal' I wouldn't have got into the whole business of 'what's wrong with Radio 3' and would have stuck to the 'let's have a reasoned explanation with responses to the questions'.

How do they think that the new schedules (that is, the new programmes and styles) are being greeted by the average R3 listener, age 59, seriously interested in music (of whatever kind)? Where will the knowledgeable listeners of the future be found/educated? What is the justification for setting up a second station aimed and people with a casual interest in classical music? And so on ...



The Facebook thing now seems to have been invaded à la Arab spring by happy-clappy teens going "Wow, ah just luv u!"

[Petekelly55]

Don't know if this link has been posted already. Here is 'conservative' blog site Dale & Co's take on R3 - http://www.iaindale.com/posts/nightmare-on-elgar-street.