Radio 3 Schedule changes

[french frank]

I’ve not been able to find the figures for Radio but for some TV progs on demand viewing (not on the day catch up ) is 25 to 50 per cent of total viewing - hugely significant.

I think TV is different because, with so many channels, catch-up is more programme-driven in a way that radio - particularly R3 - isn't. Weekday R3 programmes/formats are mainly stripped across the week so the idea of 'not missing an episode of Breakfast/Essential Classics' doesn't apply as if it were an episode of Doctor Who, a soap or an interesting one-off programme.

[It would also be logical to infer that eg some 6Music listeners use catch-up to hear EA's Unclassified but don't listen to anything else on R3 because they're listening to 6Music.]

[Ein Heldenleben]

I think TV is different because, with so many channels, catch-up is more programme-driven in a way that radio - particularly R3 - isn't. Weekday R3 programmes/formats are mainly stripped across the week so the idea of 'not missing an episode of Breakfast/Essential Classics' doesn't apply as if it were an episode of Doctor Who, a soap or an interesting one-off programme.

[It would also be logical to infer that eg some 6Music listeners use catch-up to hear EA's Unclassified but don't listen to anything else on R3 because they're listening to 6Music.]

I’m not so sure about that in relation to R3 . Not saying I’m typical but I have Radio 3on 08.30 ish to 21.00 (even when I’m out as an intruder deterrent)
That is : Except for about 7 hours a week of on demand listening to Through The Night , Opera On Three and the R3 In Concert. The latter two are often interrupted when live so this is a more concentrated listen.

[Barbirollians]

That brief for Essential Classics - basically means “ copy Classic FM “

[Pulcinella]

I’m not so sure about that in relation to R3 . Not saying I’m typical but I have Radio 3on 08.30 ish to 21.00 (even when I’m out as an intruder deterrent)
That is : Except for about 7 hours a week of on demand listening to Through The Night , Opera On Three and the R3 In Concert. The latter two are often interrupted when live so this is a more concentrated listen.

Good grief!
That would be torture for me and I'd confess everything!


Good suggestion to have on as an intruder deterrent though.

[french frank]

Not saying I’m typical but I have Radio 3on 08.30 ish to 21.00 (even when I’m out as an intruder deterrent)

That though was my point about radio listening being different from television viewing. People tend to sit down and choose what they're going to watch (and with an increasing choice on different channels).

Radio has become an all-day background noise which makes it far less important that every hour is devoted to good quality content. If people listen in that way they don't want more than aural wallpaper, so why provide it? They're only listening with half an ear - if at all.

[Ein Heldenleben]

That though was my point about radio listening being different from television viewing. People tend to sit down and choose what they're going to watch (and with an increasing choice on different channels).

Radio has become an all-day background noise which makes it far less important that every hour is devoted to good quality content. If people listen in that way they don't want more than aural wallpaper, so why provide it? They're only listening with half an ear - if at all.

Yes but if you see the second part of my post around 10 percent of my listening is on demand (probably higher as for several hours I am out of the room) and I suspect for other Radio 3 listeners it is considerably higher. There are some on the forum who seem to listen to TTN on demand on a very regular basis. That makes a bit of a nonsense of the whole “art “ or “science “ of scheduling,
It’s been the case for decades that music Radio stations are essentially background . I saw some internal research in the 80’s which suggested that 80 to 90 per cent of people are doing something else when the radio is on . That’s now happening with TV of course - with people screen scrolling while watching a programme.
The days of people sitting down and giving a radio programme their undivided attention went out with the demise of the radiogram (bulky and in the living room) and the rise of the transistor radio.

[smittims]

I used to listen to Radio 3 all day. Then along came Roger Wright...

Yes, I admit that some of it was 'background'. i.e. hearing rather than listening. But that was in the days when I had to (in Larkin's words ) waste a third of my life on work, so havig music on was more of a treat. Now I can have it all day I'm more selective and listen more carefully. And now less and less of Radio 3 is worth listening to.

[Pulcinella]

I sent this to the Record Review contact email earlier:

Good morning
I see that the website does not yet identify the 'winner' (and any other recommendations) of last Saturday’s programme on Brahms 3.
I hope that this is simply an oversight, but perhaps, given that you know that many listeners have abandoned listening to the programme live because of its new time slot, you have decided to keep the suspense going and to encourage catch-up listening on Sounds.
You are no doubt aware of the weekly threads on The Radio 3 Forum (to which Nigel often contributes, whether or not he is the reviewer). Here is a link to the one on Brahms 3.

BaL 13.04.24 - Brahms: Symphony 3 - The Radio 3 Forum for3.org

You may also like to read the comments on this thread:

Why on earth is record review moving - The Radio 3 Forum for3.org

and some general comments about R3’s schedule changes here:

Radio 3 Schedule changes - The Radio 3 Forum for3.org

You will see that they have not gone down well.
With best wishes and a hope for some reconsideration of the schedule (maybe after the Proms).

I've had this reply:

Sometimes it can take a while for the added details of the recommended winner/s to publish but the details are definitely there now!

Also, if you would like to send any comments about the schedule change here is information about where to send complaints:
Complaints about the BBC are handled centrally. This allows us to make the most efficient use of the licence fee. To be guaranteed a reply please send your complaint to the BBC through our complaints website at www.bbc.co.uk/complaints (or alternatively by post to BBC Complaints, PO Box 1922, Darlington DL3 0UR or by phone. You can record your comments 24 hours a day: 03700 100 222* 03700 100 212* (textphone) (*charged as geographic numbers)

Full details of our complaints service are available on the website.

I will post this on the 'Why on earth...' thread too.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I sent this to the Record Review contact email earlier:



I've had this reply:

[FONT=Calibri][COLOR=#000000]

I will post this on the 'Why on earth...' thread too.

Well they could always copy and paste my summary posted approx 30 secs after the review concluded…

[Pulcinella]

Well they could always copy and paste my summary posted approx 30 secs after the review concluded…

[french frank]

It’s been the case for decades that music Radio stations are essentially background . I saw some internal research in the 80’s which suggested that 80 to 90 per cent of people are doing something else when the radio is on .

I've now thrown away all my FoR3 stuff but I do remember that Radio 3's research showed that Radio 3 listeners (some, I presume) still sat down to listen to the evening concert - unusual even at that time but illustrating that Radio 3 listening didn't conform: in general fewer people listen to radio at all in the mid-evening when Radio 3 has a relative 'peak' for the live concert.

So what happens to the British Broadcasting Corporation given that On Demand/Listen Again/Catch Up aren't technically 'broadcasting' at all? They're narrow-casting.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I've now thrown away all my FoR3 stuff but I do remember that Radio 3's research showed that Radio 3 listeners (some, I presume) still sat down to listen to the evening concert - unusual even at that time but illustrating that Radio 3 listening didn't conform: in general fewer people listen to radio at all in the mid-evening when Radio 3 has a relative 'peak' for the live concert.

So what happens to the British Broadcasting Corporation given that On Demand/Listen Again/Catch Up aren't technically 'broadcasting' at all? They're narrow-casting.

well I’ll give you a clue it’s a Latinate word starting in s and ending in n.
They’ve been talking about it internally for years but there has to be universal coverage first.
….and possibly discounts linked to council tax bands….which throws up another can of worms of course…

[arubin]

As someone who listens mostly on demand through BBC sounds I am finding it rare since the schedule changes to find a programme that I want to listen to. Part of this is what seems to be the increasing use of single movements or bleeding chunks of music rather than whole works.

[LMcD]

I used to listen to Radio 3 all day. Then along came Roger Wright...

Yes, I admit that some of it was 'background'. i.e. hearing rather than listening. But that was in the days when I had to (in Larkin's words ) waste a third of my life on work, so havig music on was more of a treat. Now I can have it all day I'm more selective and listen more carefully. And now less and less of Radio 3 is worth listening to.

Sadly true. The only regular programmes I still make a point of listening to and try not to miss are 'Breakfast' (excl. Saturdays), and Private Passions Now that CotW has moved to 4.00 p.m. I forget to check and see whether the week's subject might be of interest.

[cloughie]

Not very keen on Bal being timed to coincide with EFL kick off at this time of the season.