Breakfast Alas no playlist at nearly 8am. Rucksack wins

[antongould]

Do SMP and RC have different producers/management as to me at least their playlists do tend to differ!

[french frank]

I have been informed on various previous threads that Rob Cowan and his presenter colleagues do not choose the music they play

Informed? Was that by anyone who had special knowledge of the subject? Or even Rob himself, perhaps? From what he says, the answer seems to be, 'It varies.'

Since he has so much knowledge and has such a huge collection of CDs himself, he probably has enough ideas to fill every programme if necessary. There would then be some shuffling around, with the producer modifying or substituting for one reason or another. But I don't think you're likely to get a clearer idea than Rob's own description.

[french frank]

they gave the impression they had special knowledge

Did they wink and tap the side of their nose? Don't be fooled by that

[Paul Sherratt]

>>he probably has enough ideas to fill every programme if necessary

Well in the shared shift system that's probably right - but there'd be no way he could manage the selecting job
full time. In another BBC place where there are around dozen hours to fill each week by the one presenter, outside suggestions are being
enthusiastically accepted ...

[french frank]

those wanting to blame someone for the deterioration (as they see it) of the Breakfast programme should therefore look to the presenters rather than the producers, is that correct? - or is it rather a grey area.

I can only speak personally on this and say, no, I don't think so. I don't believe it was a decision of the presenters to increase the number of pieces played (almost double them on some occasions). I believe that was the BBC deciding what a 'breakfast show' required. From that also flows, I believe, the 'necessity' to have single movements since they are often of the required length - my maths suggests that if you up the daily number from 14 works to 28 you have to find twice as many pieces each day. A policy to increase the number of works makes the use of single movements 'editorially justified'. It also means that the same pieces will get heard with increasing regularity.

Also, the regular insertion of programme trails is not the decision of presenters; nor is the introduction of 'interactivity' (emails, text messages) since they appear on all BBC stations.

The choice of non-classical items may be shared between presenter and producer, but it is not clear whether the inclusion of such works is part of the station strategy to attract a wider audience (my guess is that it is, along with the policy of raising the profile of presenters).

No, I would say the station strategy of trying to appeal to a wider audience is 'to blame' (your word), not the presenters.

[doversoul1]

ff

my guess is that it is, along with the policy of raising the profile of presenters

Now we have a trailer for Breakfast itself or rather for the presenter!! Did anyone hear it or did I dream it? (I rather hope I did)

[Suffolkcoastal]

[QUOTE=french frank;37833]I can only speak personally on this and say, no, I don't think so. I don't believe it was a decision of the presenters to increase the number of pieces played (almost double them on some occasions). I believe that was the BBC deciding what a 'breakfast show' required. From that also flows, I believe, the 'necessity' to have single movements since they are often of the required length - my maths suggests that if you up the daily number from 14 works to 28 you have to find twice as many pieces each day. A policy to increase the number of works makes the use of single movements 'editorially justified'. It also means that the same pieces will get heard with increasing regularity.

I think hearing the same old pieces on Breakfast isn't an inevitable result of the amount of short works/chunks on Breakfast, it is just lazy programming and I can't believe that this is all Rob's doing with all the knowledge he has.

I did an experiment recently and came up with 20 Breakfast 'shows' containing c20 works/movements each, using the same sort of format that Breakfast uses, that contained no repeats of works or groups of works (ie Slavonic Dances) and contained none of the regularly recycled Breakfast fare and it took me about 2 hours (including approx timings, allowing for gaps for brief intros the News etc), and which was varied and contained nothing I would have thought would have been too far out for the programme. If I can do it why can't the show's producers? Yes, you do have to allow for the some 'popular' fare to be included regularly, but there is no need to have any one work/movement etc repeated any more than say 4 times at the very most a year on Breakfast even averaging 20 pieces per programme.

[french frank]

I wonder what comments people have on the old Morning on 3 playlists?

(Of course, repetition may be part of the strategy: familiarising listeners with particular pieces makes them feel 'included' ... ?