So what's wrong with Radio 3 Breakfast?

[Norfolk Born]

Well, speaking personally...
I was a permanent listener to R3, switching on at 7.30 and leaving it on throughout the day or if travelling picking up the programmes on the car radio. Gradually over the last 2 years I have become so bored by the incessant repeats and unnatural chuminess of the presenters that I found that tuning away from 91.3 was not the end of the world as I thought it might have been. R4 has some very interesting programmes - there was one on the Kinder Scout trespass last week which was fascinating - and bit by bit I have got out of the habit of tuning to R3. And, as market researchers will tell you, once a listener/viewer gets out of the habit and finds the programme(s) uninteresting then it is all downhill from thereon. I had gone back to R3 for 12 noon onwards but then Katie Dereham steps in with her vocal acrobatics on non-British names and her ever-gushing "wonderfuls" that I began to feel that none of this is aimed at me any more.

So, the choice is now silence (which is quite nice to be honest) or the CD collection to which I add on a weekly basis - spurred on by other sources (many from these boards).

R3 has virtually nothing to say to me now.

This has been my experience over the last few years.

[Don Petter]

This has been my experience over the last few years.

I'm afraid B-o-D has summed up my position perfectly, as well.

[kernelbogey]

I was a permanent listener to R3, switching on at 7.30 and leaving it on throughout the day[...]R3 has virtually nothing to say to me now.

Roger Wright ought to be ashamed that formerly loyal listeners are writing comments like this on the Radio 3 Forum, but I suspect that they slide off his teflon-coated exterior.

[Word]

The last time someone was held up as the ideal Radio 3 presenter, an all to oft repeated meme in certain quarters (though thankfully this was quite a few months ago), I made a point of listening to said individual's presentation and, perversely, quite enjoyed it in a 'so bad it's good' way. Though no stumbles nor, to the best of my limited knowledge, mistakes were made, so 'bad' is unfair, only one single adjective was used throughout the programme and that was in the trail encouraging us to listen to the following week's programme.
It was a little like listening to the speaking clock.

[Panjandrum]

The last time someone was held up as the ideal Radio 3 presenter, an all to oft repeated meme in certain quarters (though thankfully this was quite a few months ago), I made a point of listening to said individual's presentation and, perversely, quite enjoyed it in a 'so bad it's good' way. Though no stumbles nor, to the best of my limited knowledge, mistakes were made, so 'bad' is unfair, only one single adjective was used throughout the programme and that was in the trail encouraging us to listen to the following week's programme.
It was a little like listening to the speaking clock.

I always find "wonderfuls", "iconics" and "brilliants" are so insightful, aren't they?

[Word]

I always find "wonderfuls", "iconics" and "brilliants" are so insightful, aren't they?

In my recent experience Afternoon on 3 comments tend to be limited to how the performance was received by the audience.

[Frances_iom]

In my recent experience Afternoon on 3 comments tend to be limited to how the performance was received by the audience.

Penny Gore has been on this week - are we talking about KD as I switched her off quite a bit in previous week - maybe you could name the supposed ideal presenter who you found mechanical

[teamsaint]

this mornings "Breakfast" was interesting. international womens day, so everything was written by or performed by women.

Hate to criticise, but WHAT a wasted opportunity. SMP ended by apologising for missing out a large number of composers, , some of whom she named.

Given that its not really a problem getting to hear women performers, it would have been great to have programme of works written by women . a shame really.

[James Wonnacott]

<rant>
I just catch the beginning of "breakfast" before I arrive at work. Every morning the same thing, word for word: "on ninety to nintety three ef em, online, on digital, you're listening to breakfast on radio three with me sara mohr pietsch. at just after eight thirty we'll have another half wit calling in to tell us about his cat's favourite tune..." (O.K I made up the last bit).
Hasn't she even got enough intelligence to say the same things in a different order?! At least the other fellow doesn't go through exactly the same thing word for word every day.
</rant>

[kernelbogey]

"on ninety to nintety three ef em, online, on digital, you're listening to breakfast on radio three with me sara mohr pietsch[...]

I suspect this may be laid down in standing orders. The same sequence is said on other networks.

I've begun to notice, in my rare half hours tolerating the ghastly Breakfast 'Show', that works and/or performers are frequently - always? - chosen in order to provide the material for a trail-link. E.g. just now, Imogen Cooper playing Schubert: '...and Imogen Cooper is part of our Schubertfest starting here on Radio Three etc etc'.

[Panjandrum]

I've begun to notice... that works and/or performers are frequently - always? - chosen in order to provide the material for a trail-link. E.g. just now, Imogen Cooper playing Schubert: '...and Imogen Cooper is part of our Schubertfest starting here on Radio Three etc etc'.

[hmvman]

Well, speaking personally...
I was a permanent listener to R3, switching on at 7.30 and leaving it on throughout the day or if travelling picking up the programmes on the car radio. Gradually over the last 2 years I have become so bored by the incessant repeats and unnatural chuminess of the presenters that I found that tuning away from 91.3 was not the end of the world as I thought it might have been. R4 has some very interesting programmes - there was one on the Kinder Scout trespass last week which was fascinating - and bit by bit I have got out of the habit of tuning to R3. And, as market researchers will tell you, once a listener/viewer gets out of the habit and finds the programme(s) uninteresting then it is all downhill from thereon. I had gone back to R3 for 12 noon onwards but then Katie Dereham steps in with her vocal acrobatics on non-British names and her ever-gushing "wonderfuls" that I began to feel that none of this is aimed at me any more.

So, the choice is now silence (which is quite nice to be honest) or the CD collection to which I add on a weekly basis - spurred on by other sources (many from these boards).

If I'm at home in the mornings, I've recently taken to listening to WDR3 (streamed at 256 kbps via iTunes). They play complete works and the presenters just tell us what the music is and who is performing it (any more than that I wouldn't be able to understand anyway!) There doesn't appear to be any 'waffle'. Just yesterday they played a 'cello suite by Saint-Saens that I'd not heard before and greatly enjoyed. Like B-o-D I've pretty much given up on R3 in the mornings (Saturdays excepted). Every time I tune in to 'Essential Classics' I hear Sarah Walker wittering on about 'her' b****y brain-teaser!

The problem for me with these playlist programmes which have become the norm almost the world over, presumably since the advent of the internet, is that there's no room for the little gems that used to appear when there was an unexpected gap between scheduled programmes. It all feels so mechanical now. To a degree, Radio 4 does still have room for the 'little gems' as there are often 15-minute slots in which they broadcast readings or short documentaries.

[cloughie]

<rant>
Every morning the same thing, word for word: "on ninety to nintety three ef em, online, on digital</rant>

What's the point you've tuned in you know whetherv you're on FM or whatever, unless it's to remind you to change from the twaddle!

[James Wonnacott]

I've recently taken to listening to WDR3

Thanks for that hmvman, it'll make a change from "listen again" to Through the Night.

James

[DublinJimbo]

If I'm at home in the mornings, I've recently taken to listening to WDR3 (streamed at 256 kbps via iTunes).

Thanks for that recommendation. I've added it to my Radio list in iTunes and will definitely drop in regularly. Their web site gives an impressive overview of programming and content, which seems excellent (a bit like the late-lamented, pre-Kenyon/Wright BBC R3).