Controller, BBC Radio 3

[french frank]

Sam Jackson - a long time at Classic FM and it's parent companies - now Radio3 controller of music and Proms
Darren Henley - a long time at Classic FM - now Chairman of Arts Council England (for at least 7 years)

Do I detect a pattern here? And are politics involved?

The airy heights of "high arts", Radio 3 and their like have ascended to the empyrean, out of sight of the politicians - and beyond the ken most of the audiences, it seems.

Well Darren Henley was the favourite to become the Controller of R3 until ACE's latest funding round was announced and his incompetence was laid bare for all to see. Apparently the BBC had to quickly find an alternative candidate as Henley would have been a very controversial appointment after proposing ENO move to a car park in Manchester.

Fascinating little nugget!

[Ein Heldenleben]

Well Darren Henley was the favourite to become the Controller of R3 until ACE's latest funding round was announced and his incompetence was laid bare for all to see. Apparently the BBC had to quickly find an alternative candidate as Henley would have been a very controversial appointment after proposing ENO move to a car park in Manchester.

Not doubting you but do you have a reliable source for that ?

[LHC]

Not doubting you but do you have a reliable source for that ?

The generally unreliable Lebrecht reported a few weeks ago that the BBC had been all set to announce Henley, but had to change their mind and search for someone else. While I would generally take much of his gossip with a large pinch of salt, the story appears to have been corroborated by Opera Magazine. As Master Jacques reported yesterday on the ENO thread:

"There's a very good editorial in today's Opera, highlighting the shifty, contradictory vacillations of ENO's CEO Stuart Murphy, and the rabid anti-operatic bigotry of Darren Henley of ACE. From what John Allison says, it seems that the appalling Henley was being lined up to replace Alan Davey (another ex-ACE toady) as Controller of Radio 3, but that his incompetence has become so apparent over the last couple of months that he has cooked his goose as far as that little career move is concerned."

[Ein Heldenleben]

The generally unreliable Lebrecht reported a few weeks ago that the BBC had been all set to announce Henley, but had to change their mind and search for someone else. While I would generally take much of his gossip with a large pinch of salt, the story appears to have been corroborated by Opera Magazine. As Master Jacques reported yesterday on the ENO thread:

"There's a very good editorial in today's Opera, highlighting the shifty, contradictory vacillations of ENO's CEO Stuart Murphy, and the rabid anti-operatic bigotry of Darren Henley of ACE. From what John Allison says, it seems that the appalling Henley was being lined up to replace Alan Davey (another ex-ACE toady) as Controller of Radio 3, but that his incompetence has become so apparent over the last couple of months that he has cooked his goose as far as that little career move is concerned."

Henley is a consummate political player. His rise from obscure freelance radio journalist to one of the most powerful people in the Arts world is an object lesson on how to work a career. His sideways move into music education - writing govt reports on it was a stroke of genius. I’ve seen so many like him rise to the top.’ Nuff said. I’m sure he will continue to do an excellent job at ACE.

[LHC]

Henley is a consummate political player. His rise from obscure freelance radio journalist to one of the most powerful people in the Arts world is an object lesson on how to work a career. His sideways move into music education - writing govt reports on it was a stroke of genius. I’ve seen so many like him rise to the top.’ Nuff said. I’m sure he will continue to do an excellent job at ACE.

I’m sure he’ll regard ACE’s recent difficulties as but a minor perturbation in his career progression.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I’m sure he’ll regard ACE’s recent difficulties as but a minor perturbation in his career progression.

Thing is the whole idea of ACE partly running music education through the music hubs looks like a disguised cut and it’s not a field in which they have much expertise. He badly misread the political signals when putting the boot into ENO so the shine is coming off a bit isn’t it ? When you have all the liberal luvvies (like me) and Nadine D stacking up against you …

[oddoneout]

I’m sure he’ll regard ACE’s recent difficulties as but a minor perturbation in his career progression.

They are not ACE's difficulties (it's not being shut down/defunded, more's the pity ), but those of the organisations on the other end of its decisions, and as such that's of no import to whoever is at the top of ACE(not any of the others in the bloated hierarchy probably). It is after all just carrying out government policy* in respect of the Arts in this country.

*Take it as read that my views on that subject are not positive.

Another take on the appointment

https://www.marlbank.net/posts/can-the-new-controller-at-bbc-radio-3-up-the-parlous-amount-of-jazz-on-the-network-and-return-the-station-to-roger-wright-s-pioneering-template

Also just found this from 2016 - can't read more than the first couple of sentences but someone else will be able to https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/med...s-station.html
If he still holds that view of creating space between CFM and R3 it might be positive for R3?

[french frank]

However, at 39 (took me a while to discover ) Jackson has to be the youngest ever Controller R3, doesn't he? By some margin? There are reasons why one might wish him to have been older in order to take over a classical music station, and to have had a less 'diverse' musical career - unless he plans a 'hands-off' managerial style. But in view of the foregoing, I do wonder what his 'strategic thinking' is likely to be for Radio 3.

[Ein Heldenleben]

They are not ACE's difficulties (it's not being shut down/defunded, more's the pity ), but those of the organisations on the other end of its decisions, and as such that's of no import to whoever is at the top of ACE(not any of the others in the bloated hierarchy probably). It is after all just carrying out government policy* in respect of the Arts in this country.

*Take it as read that my views on that subject are not positive.

Another take on the appointment
https://www.marlbank.net/posts/can-t...ering-template

I did a double take when I read Hans Koller (sic) was head of Trinity Laban ! What a difference a vowel makes .

[Ein Heldenleben]

However, at 39 (took me a while to discover ) Jackson has to be the youngest ever Controller R3, doesn't he? By some margin? There are reasons why one might wish him to have been older in order to take over a classical music station, and to have had a less 'diverse' musical career - unless he plans a 'hands-off' managerial style. But in view of the foregoing, I do wonder what his 'strategic thinking' is likely to be for Radio 3.

It won’t be hands off . These guys don’t do hands off. I suspect marketing will be a strategic priority . Identifying and targeting growth areas with particularly ref to digital ( ie non linear download) , monetising the archive, deriving more commercial revenue from the bands and more partnership funding esp from ACE and Welsh / Scots governments etc . Not to mention reducing production costs .Radio 3 has avoided the 20 to 30 per cent cuts that other BBC services have gone through in the last 5-7 years . Not sure how long that can last .

[Bryn]

I did a double take when I read Hans Koller (sic) was head of Trinity Laban ! What a difference a vowel makes .

Ah, easily confused with the late feetball[sic] fanatic. certainly.

[oddoneout]

However, at 39 (took me a while to discover ) Jackson has to be the youngest ever Controller R3, doesn't he? By some margin? There are reasons why one might wish him to have been older in order to take over a classical music station, and to have had a less 'diverse' musical career - unless he plans a 'hands-off' managerial style. But in view of the foregoing, I do wonder what his 'strategic thinking' is likely to be for Radio 3.

But if attracting a younger audience to R3 is the aim doesn't having a younger Controller make sense? Looking at it from "their" POV you understand.
However I'm not convinced that age ( or perceived lack of) is necessarily such an important factor, it's what the person does in post that's the relevant bit. Greater age can also mean less inclination to change views or consider alternative approaches.

[Nick Armstrong]

Well, who knows? I thought Alan Davey would be a good controller. I have immediate doubts about Mr Jackson's credentials, so I could be wrong again.

….. is he from Stockton …… ??????

……. and where does he stand on French Fancies……??????

[Serial_Apologist]

Trinity Laban, under the excellent Hans Koller [sic], is one of the better educational facilities hosting a jazz course. If that has rubbed off in any way positively on Mr Jackson, we can entertain some positive hopes for the immediate future of Radio 3, I would think.

[AuntDaisy]

However, at 39 (took me a while to discover ) Jackson has to be the youngest ever Controller R3, doesn't he? By some margin? There are reasons why one might wish him to have been older in order to take over a classical music station, and to have had a less 'diverse' musical career - unless he plans a 'hands-off' managerial style. But in view of the foregoing, I do wonder what his 'strategic thinking' is likely to be for Radio 3.

39 seems rather elderly to attract all those youngsters that R3 is desperate seeking - why not a teen influencer from TikTok?


BTW, the Third Programme had 3 controllers close to that age - 1946-48 George Barnes, ~42; 1948-52 Harman Grisewood, 42; 1959-67 PH Newby, ~41.

I enjoyed Humphrey Carpenter's comments in "The Envy of the World"... I wonder how he'd sum up Jackson's appointment?

"George Barnes had been allocated offices in the former Langham Hotel opposite Broadcasting House, which the BBC had taken over during the war. Whereas the Light Programme and Home Service were run by Controllers, he had been designated merely 'Head of Third Programme', and had been allocated only nine staff, seven of whom were clerks and secretaries." p. 14

"On 8 February 1948, Grisewood had been appointed Acting Controller, Third Programme, replacing George Barnes. (The title 'Controller' had been granted to the Third's head a short time earlier, bringing its status in line with the other networks.)" p. 76

"Grisewood was confirmed as the Third's new Controller on 18 March 1948. A magazine article written three years later describes him as:
short, eager, and [he] walks with a stoop. His large hazel eyes have a furrow between them, which probably comes from regarding the lesser-known works of seventeenth-century philosophy as light reading. He is an unorthodox dresser in the usually immaculate BBC, a colleague affectionately remarking that he wears period clothes, 'not only in style, but when they were made'.
He has a house in the country, where he takes his homework - the listener research figures and the two French plays he reads a week with an eye for translation. He rarely listens to the radio - 'except professionally'. He has a taste for good wine and cognac." p. 77

'Newby says that when he took over as Controller, Third Programme late in 1958, he found the staff 'in a state of shock' from the cuts, feeling that the BBC 'had no confidence in them'. He knew it was 'necessary to build up morale'. He was 'anxious to increase the audience, of course', and he told the Manchester Guardian that he was concerned to meet his listeners and 'sound out their views'." p. 191