Radio 3 Schedule changes

[Ein Heldenleben]

If there was one thing that the Friends were criticised for it was being too polite! I always thought of it as an intellectual exercise: work out the arguments, provide the evidence and so on. I had very civilised meetings with both Roger Wright and Alan Davey, I don't think either were entirley straight with me (I may be cabbage-looking but I'm not ...&c ).

I think they regarded it as part of their role to 'engage' with listeners but not to concede any points. Except in the case of Alan Davey who agreed with the point about single movements not being very R3-like and he would 'see about it'. But we all 'saw about' it too. Zilch. If only one could get them to be honest about why it was necessary to play short pieces, to avoid a whole symphonies and concertos outside concert programmes. Tell us who they're pandering to?

The general media theory is that people’s attention spans are dropping so for example Panorama which used to be 50,mins is now 30. Item length in magazine programmes is shortening as well. The problem for the dumbing downers is there is a whole raft of countervailing evidence - complex multi episode podcasts ; demanding multi plot drama series like the Wire and Billions that need a wiki summary in hand to make head or tail of. And indeed wiki itself : an unparalleled source of free information and in the case of the science entries pretty intellectually demanding. This leaves Radio 3 out on a limb chasing a nebulous “popular “ classical audience between 06.30 and 13.00 that CFM has almost hoovered up.

The cynic in me thinks that the presenters and producers and producers might prefer shorter pieces - it gives you more to do creatively than just slapping on another Beethoven symphony for 25 mins. The one thing that struck me about gram and link programmes is how tedious they must be to produce (after a time) compared to live concerts , music recording or documentaries and current affairs. Another reason I got out of radio - that and the dead man’s shoes career progression . On the other hand other people absolutely love it - really dedicated people .

[LMcD]

What will be interesting is whether there are any reasons given for some of these keys changes.

It's just snobbery. It's nothing like Classic FM. We’re doing something utterly different [What are you doing, if it's not a rude question?].

Often it’s snobbery against commercial radio [in reality, many people think CFM does it better than R3].

We should never do things just because it’s what other people might want. We have to do what is right. [And in the words of Pope's Essay on Man: 'Whatever is, is right.'] A feeble response from CR3.

I see R3's Facebook page is awash with criticisms, though largely swamped by the R3 adverts. And here's another fantastic R3 prog coming up ...

Isn't somebody confusing snobbery with reasoned disapproval?
I suspect that, if the ratings don't improve, young Jackson will do a Liz Truss and blame everybody and everything except himself, and if they do he'll feel justified in taking Radio 3 further in the same direction, or be told to do so.

[oddoneout]

The Rule Britannia argument must be kept quite separate from the wider concerns about Radio 3 . I don’t care if I never hear the tune again* but I do care that mediocre composers are overplayed on the station (amongst other things).
* except in Beethoven’s excellent piano variations on it .

I think the tune is the innocent party - it's the words that are the troublemakers.

[oddoneout]

Isn't somebody confusing snobbery with reasoned disapproval?
I suspect that, if the ratings don't improve, young Jackson will do a Liz Truss and blame everybody and everything except himself, and if they do he'll feel justified in taking Radio 3 further in the same direction, or be told to do so.

I think he already is. I get the feeling he is permanently on the defensive that his brilliant ideas(and therefore him?) aren't being feted as brilliant, or the breath of fresh air he claims.

It's just snobbery. It's nothing like Classic FM. We’re doing something utterly different

Sounds like the kind of thing that is said many times a day by politicians - swearing blind that up is down or whatever(the phrase I was about to use is now perhaps contentious) as if the public can't see the lie.
An explanation of what is being done that is "utterly different" from CFM would be helpful. To my way of thinking it would mean something approaching previous versions of R3 - complete concerts/musical works, and intelligent talk contributions. But of course that's backward looking and our Sam is all about looking forward - at this rate to a R3 that has lost its existing audience and not gained a replacement.

[french frank]

No, but we must wait for the refreshed schedules to bed in. Mustn't just be against change on principle

[Pulcinella]

No, but we must wait for the refreshed schedules to bed in. Mustn't just be against change on principle

The trouble is, we're more comatose than refreshed.

[oddoneout]

No, but we must wait for the refreshed schedules to bed in. Mustn't just be against change on principle

Stuff principle - being force-fed more of what I've already indicated I don't like or want won't alter my opinion of the (lack of) worth of the changes.

[french frank]

Stuff principle - being force-fed more of what I've already indicated I don't like or want won't alter my opinion of the (lack of) worth of the changes.

Just waiting for someone from R3 to explain in answer to complaints that the new schedules have to "bed in". To which the reply is, "Why do they? Can't they just be ditched?" Of course, what it really means is: 'They'll get used to anything after a while'. And "they" usually do

[kernelbogey]

Just waiting for someone from R3 to explain in answer to complaints that the new schedules have to "bed in"....

Was wondering if this is a gardening metaphor - or an image of someone not bothering to get out of bed...?

[oddoneout]

Was wondering if this is a gardening metaphor - or an image of someone not bothering to get out of bed...?

My mind went to gardening and continued, to come to the conclusion that by the time bedding in had occurred my opposition would have become entrenched,.

[Serial_Apologist]

My mind went to gardening and continued, to come to the conclusion that by the time bedding in had occurred my opposition would have become entrenched,.

Carpet bedding, then!

[AuntDaisy]

My mind went to gardening and continued, to come to the conclusion that by the time bedding in had occurred my opposition would have become entrenched,.

As the new head gardener, is Sam J mulching or adding manure?

[Cashew]

I think the likes of Petroc Trelawny, Georgia Mann, Sean Rafferty, Katy Derham, and Ian Skelly hit the right balance on R3 between accessibility and expertise. And, despite its new time slot, Donald Macleod is still worth tuning in for. But I'm getting very fed up with the new smiley/happy/puppy-dog 'Blue Peter'-presenter style of presentation across some of the rest of the new schedule. As I say, there are still consummate broadcasters in the mix. But the new generation, in particular, is testing my patience. I used to have R3 on throughout most of the day as I work from home, but I'm already noticing my hours of listening decreasing as my threshold of shallow, bubbly presentation is reached. In the absence of anything better, I'm finding myself turning increasingly to YouTube.

[LMcD]

I think the likes of Petroc Trelawny, Georgia Mann, Sean Rafferty, Katy Derham, and Ian Skelly hit the right balance on R3 between accessibility and expertise. And, despite its new time slot, Donald Macleod is still worth tuning in for. But I'm getting very fed up with the new smiley/happy/puppy-dog 'Blue Peter'-presenter style of presentation across some of the rest of the new schedule. As I say, there are still consummate broadcasters in the mix. But the new generation, in particular, is testing my patience. I used to have R3 on throughout most of the day as I work from home, but I'm already noticing my hours of listening decreasing as my threshold of shallow, bubbly presentation is reached. In the absence of anything better, I'm finding myself turning increasingly to YouTube.

I used to have Radio 3 on for much of the day when I worked from home, but now I've switched off by 0930 and very rarely tune in again until 0630 the following morning (Sunday to Friday) unless I can't sleep. in which case I drift in and and out of Through The Night. The only regular exceptions to this general pattern of (no longer) listening are the Monday Lunchtime Concert and Private Passions.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I think the tune is the innocent party - it's the words that are the troublemakers.

I must modify my remarks. It’s a great tune and very unusual in that the the chorus starts on a dominant seventh in the tonic key . I don’t even have a problem with the words once they are understood in their historical context which few ever bother to look up. It’s all the flummery at the Proms I can’t stomach and the argument over it is so tedious I must apologise for entering into it.