Controller, BBC Radio 3

[EnemyoftheStoat]

"putting him in charge of one of the world’s biggest classical music festivals, the Proms" (from the Times article). I'm not clear where that leaves David Pickard. Anyone know?

I no longer have anywhere near an insider view on the BBC, but I'd have thought Pickard runs the Proms but the (now to be rather less rotund) Controller is in charge overall.

[oddoneout]

I no longer have anywhere near an insider view on the BBC, but I'd have thought Pickard runs the Proms but the (now to be rather less rotund) Controller is in charge overall.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2023/sam-jackson-new-bbc-radio3-controller

He will work alongside David Pickard, Director of BBC Proms, and Simon Webb, who was recently announced as the BBC’s first Head of Orchestras and Choirs.

This made me wince

Sam Jackson begins his role as Controller in April and will report into Lorna Clarke, Director of Music for the BBC.

[My bold]. It's bad enough when trains arrive into... It also conjured up a sort of sci-fi image of data transfer and a robot called Lorna.

[BillMatters]

Record Review just played Noel Coward’s ‘Bad Times Just Around The Corner’. Was this a comment on the new Controller?

[Ein Heldenleben]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/20...io3-controller

This made me wince [My bold]. It's bad enough when trains arrive into... It also conjured up a sort of sci-fi image of data transfer and a robot called Lorna.

“Report into” I just don’t believe it. It sounds borderline illegal . What does Lorna think about it ? The phrase is surely “report to “ ( which is bad enough). In fact it usually means nodding sagely at meetings when the boss speaks and feeding them heavily spun data casting oneself in the best possible light.

[french frank]

In fact it usually means nodding sagely at meetings when the boss speaks and feeding them heavily spun data casting oneself in the best possible light.

Remind me, Helders, did you ever work for the BBC?

The whole ethos of the Third/Radio 3 seemed to be that of the 'cultured amateur' - art lovers, music lovers (PH Newby published four novels while he was at the BBC and won the first Booker Prize while controller). Now professional broadcasters/managers are appointed and performance is all about targets, metrics, efficiency, cost benefit analysis. A diametric opposite.

[DracoM]

Remind me, Helders, did you ever work for the BBC?

The whole ethos of the Third/Radio 3 seemed to be that of the 'cultured amateur' - art lovers, music lovers (PH Newby published four novels while he was at the BBC and won the first Booker Prize while controller). Now professional broadcasters/managers are appointed and performance is all about targets, metrics, efficiency, cost benefit analysis. A diametric opposite.

Absolutely top post, FF

[Ein Heldenleben]

Remind me, Helders, did you ever work for the BBC?

The whole ethos of the Third/Radio 3 seemed to be that of the 'cultured amateur' - art lovers, music lovers (PH Newby published four novels while he was at the BBC and won the first Booker Prize while controller). Now professional broadcasters/managers are appointed and performance is all about targets, metrics, efficiency, cost benefit analysis. A diametric opposite.

May well have done but have many many friends in both the public and private sectors and it’s the same the whole world over . You get no thanks for telling things as they are. The people who rise to the top are often those with the charm and not necessarily the talent. The media are I’m afraid the home of the charlatan in a way that rocket science and brain surgery can’t be .
PS this is not a reference to Radio 3 . In my very brief time working there I found it full of very competent and highly committed people -and not very well paid. I never once saw anyone lose their temper. What always struck me is how little any one talked during recordings or transmissions. Unlike news….
To address your point I don’t think Radio 3 currently is entirely about targets . I’m sure there are plenty of producers and studio managers there passionately committed to serious music and public service broadcasting and they are as cynical about your list of management blather as we are. It’s just not a good idea to say that at a meeting. It’s all an act of collective delusion. Most of the managers don’t believe it either.

[french frank]

Another take on this appointment by the D Telegraph (the shared link worked for me): S Jackson as a critic of R3 and its 'aping' of Classic FM. The trouble is much of what has been done in recent years has definitely not been imitating CFM at all. A quote from this article:

‘Mr Davey’s tenure at Radio 3 has been criticised for programming pitched at a young audience, which the BBC as a whole has been keen to attract.

This included Tearjerker, a series hosted by R&B artist Jorja Smith, that aired tracks by Justin Bieber and Kanye West on Radio 3. The series aimed to “help listeners unwind” with classically infused down-tempo hip hop”. ‘

Plus, of course singer Celeste with ' “chilled” music that would “reset your mind” …' And what will SJ make of Classical Fix and This Classical Life, the former, I would say, definitely CFM territory?

[AuntDaisy]

Another take on this appointment by the D Telegraph (the shared link worked for me): S Jackson as a critic of R3 and its 'aping' of Classic FM. The trouble is much of what has been done in recent years has definitely not been imitating CFM at all. A quote from this article:

‘Mr Davey’s tenure at Radio 3 has been criticised for programming pitched at a young audience, which the BBC as a whole has been keen to attract.

This included Tearjerker, a series hosted by R&B artist Jorja Smith, that aired tracks by Justine Bieber and Kanye West on Radio 3. The series aimed to “help listeners unwind” with classically infused down-tempo hip hop”. ‘

Plus, of course singer Celeste with ' “chilled” music that would “reset your mind” …' And what will SJ make of Classical Fix and This Classical Life, the former, I would say, definitely CFM territory?

Thanks french frank - interesting reading.
Fingers crossed that Jackson restores Saturday's "Through the Night" & sends the repeats of "Composed" & "Piano Flow" back to R1 / streaming.
Not sure about "music runs through him like a stick of rock", sounds quite painful.

[oddoneout]

Another take on this appointment by the D Telegraph (the shared link worked for me): S Jackson as a critic of R3 and its 'aping' of Classic FM. The trouble is much of what has been done in recent years has definitely not been imitating CFM at all. A quote from this article:

‘Mr Davey’s tenure at Radio 3 has been criticised for programming pitched at a young audience, which the BBC as a whole has been keen to attract.

This included Tearjerker, a series hosted by R&B artist Jorja Smith, that aired tracks by Justine Bieber and Kanye West on Radio 3. The series aimed to “help listeners unwind” with classically infused down-tempo hip hop”. ‘

Plus, of course singer Celeste with ' “chilled” music that would “reset your mind” …' And what will SJ make of Classical Fix and This Classical Life, the former, I would say, definitely CFM territory?

Now you see, I had a somewhat different take on SJ's criticism. I can read the whole article now it's shared(how do you do that, do you register with them?) but can't cut and paste the relevant paragraph, but think there is justification for accusing Alan Davey of "aping CFM". Whether that was a conscious decision or a coincidence doesn't really matter in terms of what the listener perceives and the effect on the established audience. The fact that the trajectory has continued over the years suggests to me it wasn't coincidence, but also to my mind speaks volumes about lacking insight and understanding. The need for "clear blue water" between CFM and R3 I would agree with. For now I will take SJ's stated aim to "avoid the pitfalls of programming pitched at younger audiences" at face value and hope that things will not deteriorate further under his control than they already have under the existing set-up.

[oddoneout]

Thanks french frank - interesting reading.
Fingers crossed that Jackson restores Saturday's "Through the Night" & sends the repeats of "Composed" & "Piano Flow" back to R1 / streaming.
Not sure about "music runs through him like a stick of rock", sounds quite painful.

And not very flexible?

[Ein Heldenleben]

Now you see, I had a somewhat different take on SJ's criticism. I can read the whole article now it's shared(how do you do that, do you register with them?) but can't cut and paste the relevant paragraph, but think there is justification for accusing Alan Davey of "aping CFM". Whether that was a conscious decision or a coincidence doesn't really matter in terms of what the listener perceives and the effect on the established audience. The fact that the trajectory has continued over the years suggests to me it wasn't coincidence, but also to my mind speaks volumes about lacking insight and understanding. The need for "clear blue water" between CFM and R3 I would agree with. For now I will take SJ's stated aim to "avoid the pitfalls of programming pitched at younger audiences" at face value and hope that things will not deteriorate further under his control than they already have under the existing set-up.

Radio Three has “copied “ classic fm chiefly in its creation of brand linked presenters from 07.00 to 12.00. Also in the playing of single movements . Classic FM is prevented by its OFCOM licence from playing much of the music that R3 plays . Kanye West , even jazz would not be permitted. The whole Radio public service remit needs a long hard look at it in my view as , as far as I can see, the BBC gets a great deal of public money to transmit the same sort of fodder as the commercial stations. Meanwhile most of my explicitly public service former colleagues have been made redundant.

[french frank]

Thanks french frank - interesting reading.
Fingers crossed that Jackson restores Saturday's "Through the Night" & sends the repeats of "Composed" & "Piano Flow" back to R1 / streaming.
Not sure about "music runs through him like a stick of rock", sounds quite painful.

It points to one aspect which I had meant by 'target' - that R3 was angling for a young[er] audience "which the BBC as a whole has been keen to attract". When the BBC sets its strategic goals, Radio3 is usually required to report its contribution to the effort and seems to have passed that one with flying colours. I'm afraid controllers to tend to become BBC apparatchiks once appointed.

[french frank]

Radio Three has “copied “ classic fm chiefly in its creation of brand linked presenters from 07.00 to 12.00. Also in the playing of single movements . Classic FM is prevented by its OFCOM licence from playing much of the music that R3 plays . Kanye West , even jazz would not be permitted. The whole Radio public service remit needs a long hard look at it in my view as , as far as I can see, the BBC gets a great deal of public money to transmit the same sort of fodder as the commercial stations. Meanwhile most of my explicitly public service former colleagues have been made redundant.

Yes, I agree with that. The article doesn't actually mention the programmes which do 'ape' CFM, instead mentioning the ones which don't. It's to be hoped that neither kind of programming meets with SJ's approval. Of course, the transformation in the media/entertainment world since the launch of the Third necessitates changes in R3. It's not the fact that changes are made which causes concern, it's the nature of the changes.

PS odders: the link was shared with me by someone who, I assume, has a subscription.

[Ein Heldenleben]

This is the Telegraph article. Interestingly commenters on Radio 3 stories on the hoover tend to be quite supportive. Annoying the that Telegraph like the Times has just massively increased their digital subscriptions. Still better value though.


“RADIO 3 has been accused of being out of tune with its listeners, but one of its sternest critics has been appointed to lead the station in a move that may bring it back into harmony with its core audience.

Sam Jackson, the former Classic FM managing editor, who once derided the BBC for “aping” his accessible classical output in an attempt to attract younger listeners, has now been hired by the broadcaster.

Mr Jackson was yesterday named as controller for Radio  3, and insiders have suggested his clear understanding of the station’s remit will be “pleasing for more traditional listeners” who have balked at a perceived recent trend of “dumbing down”.

It has been suggested that he will aim to reinvigorate the BBC’s home of jazz and classical, which has suffered recent slump in audience numbers, while not “betraying the purpose of the station”.

Mr Jackson will take over from Alan Davey, who was his rival while working at Classic  FM. Mr Davey’s tenure at Radio  3 has been criticised for programming pitched at a young audience, which the BBC as a whole has been keen to attract.

This included Tearjerker, a series hosted by R&B artist Jorja Smith, that aired tracks by Justin Bieber and Kanye West on Radio  3. The series aimed to “help listeners unwind” with “classically infused down-tempo hip hop”.

The station, with an audience largely aged 65 and over, again drew criticism for lurching towards a younger cohort by recruiting singer Celeste to present a series of shows promising listeners “chilled” music that would “reset your mind”.

Mr Jackson himself criticised the apparent intention of Radio  3 to become more like Classic  FM, which had successfully attracted younger listeners under his leadership, saying that Mr Davey was “aping” Classic  FM’s more accessible programming.

He argued that Radio  3 should not try to “duplicate” its rival, but instead should put “clear blue water” between the two stations.

It is understood that while Mr Jackson is the youngest ever controller of Radio  3 at just 39, he will aim to maintain the distance between the two classical stations, and seek to avoid the pitfalls of programming pitched at younger audiences.

Speaking after his appointment as controller of Radio  3 and the BBC’s Proms output, he said: “BBC Radio  3 is unlike any other station: a network delivering ambitious, unique content, with live classical music at its core.

“This ambition, quality and diversity must stay at the heart of everything Radio  3 and the BBC Proms deliver.

I’m thrilled to be tasked with driving both Radio  3 and the Proms forward, with the help of brilliant people across the BBC and the wider music sector.”

Insiders have commented on Mr Jackson, saying that “music runs through him like a stick of rock” and that his rise in the world of music broadcasting at Classic FM, Smooth, and Gold has been “meteoric”.

At Classic FM he oversaw the station’s output.

Classical music radio suffered a decline in listeners last year, according to Rajar, the audience ratings body. BBC Radio  3’s audience reach fell almost 20 per cent to 1.7 million average weekly listeners in October last year, from 2.1 million in October the year before.”