Hello, I have been in private despair at what feels like a dumbing down of Radio 3 in the last year. I thought I was alone when I quietly seethed at Sarah Morh Peach who seems to think we must "enhance our listening experience" by tweeting each other excitedly like a flock of starlings whenever we enjoy a piece of music, and at Rob Cowan who seems to have a kind of forelock tugging obsequiousness when talking about music that must surely make him favourite for the Henry Kelly award for overblown musical sycophancy. Even Petrock Trelawney now exorts me (reluctantly I hope)to let him know how much I enjoyed a piece in 140 characters or less of over excited drivel. Why? Does it matter to him or the rest of the nation what I think, or vice versa?
For the last year I have felt like a carer watching helplessly as a much loved relative regresses into childhood, but relieved when I realised I was not alone. I became suspicious when every time I turned on at random I recognised the "familar bit" from a popular overture, and realised that instead of providing me an endlessly renewed banquet to sustain me through my life, Radio 3 has at some point decided to feed me sweets instead. I understand that many of the quality newspapers have also raged against this transmutation into a kind of sub Classic FM. I don't understand why a publicly funded broadcaster with a mission to provide the highest standards in what it does, chooses instead to copy commercial stations to increase listener ratings in a pointless exercise that I can only put down to the Controller's vanity. I apologise for the rant but I have kept this in for a year and just had to unburden it somewhere.
Should I pick up my hat and leave again, or am I amongst friends?
For the last year I have felt like a carer watching helplessly as a much loved relative regresses into childhood, but relieved when I realised I was not alone. I became suspicious when every time I turned on at random I recognised the "familar bit" from a popular overture, and realised that instead of providing me an endlessly renewed banquet to sustain me through my life, Radio 3 has at some point decided to feed me sweets instead. I understand that many of the quality newspapers have also raged against this transmutation into a kind of sub Classic FM. I don't understand why a publicly funded broadcaster with a mission to provide the highest standards in what it does, chooses instead to copy commercial stations to increase listener ratings in a pointless exercise that I can only put down to the Controller's vanity. I apologise for the rant but I have kept this in for a year and just had to unburden it somewhere.
Should I pick up my hat and leave again, or am I amongst friends?
)
well, usually witty) banter, as well as finding a sounding board for your feelings about R3
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