Controller, BBC Radio 3

[french frank]

Obviously radio 3 needs to buy adverts on classic fm.

That's assuming the only aim is to get more people listening to Radio 3 (boosting ratings) - regardlass of what they're listening to. They might as well poach The Archers from R4 - that would bring more people over than advertising on Classic FM.

[Serial_Apologist]

That's assuming the only aim is to get more people listening to Radio 3 (boosting ratings) - regardlass of what they're listening to. They might as well poach The Archers from R4 - that would bring more people over than advertising on Classic FM.

Well I do admit to having at least been interested in the article Anton linked to, although I've no idea what was actually being described behind the sales talk.

Contemporising is a good word, though - I think I'll adopt it.

[Hitch]

If so many young (and not-so-young) people listen to game soundtracks, it might be a good idea to devote a weekly show to such music. A presenter could point out the traditional classical influences (if any) in the compositions and so on. R3 could place adverts on BBC1 & 2, popular YouTube gaming channels and in one or two gaming magazines and see what happens. It's worth a try.

[oddoneout]

If so many young (and not-so-young) people listen to game soundtracks, it might be a good idea to devote a weekly show to such music. A presenter could point out the traditional classical influences (if any) in the compositions and so on. R3 could place adverts on BBC1 & 2, popular YouTube gaming channels and in one or two gaming magazines and see what happens. It's worth a try.

That's sort of been done with Sound of Gaming. I listened to and enjoyed the first series, learning a lot along the way, but rather lost interest when a change of presenter led to a change of the content and style. It was not received well in these parts, and I have no idea what, if any, attempts were made to draw attention to it on the other BBC platforms.

[french frank]

That's sort of been done with Sound of Gaming. I listened to and enjoyed the first series, learning a lot along the way, but rather lost interest when a change of presenter led to a change of the content and style. It was not received well in these parts, and I have no idea what, if any, attempts were made to draw attention to it on the other BBC platforms.

I think (as in, it's my impression) that it's a waste of time putting this kind of content on R3 to lure a new audience over. Why would they want to listen to it on R3 when they can hear it on their regular listening sources? Yes, game music - or hiphop - on R3 educates the R3 audience (no bad thing), but is that the aim? We are being educated about an awful lot now (if we can be bothered to listen), but less and less about classical music. Lunchtime recitals and evening concerts are not 'education' for those who are already devoted to classical music. Nor is the odd comment thrown into an introductory link to a programme of short pieces.

[french frank]

From today's Observer: Can BBC radio thrive in a new world of podcasts?: amidst much handwringing over Radio 2 and Radio 4, "A new controller will also arrive at Radio 3 this March, a station where any change is always the focus of worry among classical music fans who already regard themselves as an endangered species."

A Radio Times writer says: "“Genres have not collapsed, but the borders between them have collapsed a little. This morning I was listening to Radio 3’s Kate Molleson playing a Crosby, Stills & Nash track to mark David Crosby’s death, and talking about the way he grew up listening to Bach before becoming this big folk-rock figure. Now it’s possible a few listeners wondered what was going on, but there’s a loosening up that has happened, and that’s great. Radio stations must recognise the population has much more eclectic tastes.”

I have no problem with R3 playing the occasional (literal meaning) CS&N track, but is it only listeners to Radio 3 whose 'eclectic tastes' include classical music? `not even to mark special occasions, like an orchestra getting a new chief conductor?

[oddoneout]

I think (as in, it's my impression) that it's a waste of time putting this kind of content on R3 to lure a new audience over. Why would they want to listen to it on R3 when they can hear it on their regular listening sources? Yes, game music - or hiphop - on R3 educates the R3 audience (no bad thing), but is that the aim? We are being educated about an awful lot now (if we can be bothered to listen), but less and less about classical music. Lunchtime recitals and evening concerts are not 'education' for those who are already devoted to classical music. Nor is the odd comment thrown into an introductory link to a programme of short pieces.

During the exchanges that the start of the series prompted, there were suggestions that there should be reciprocal incursions from R3 into the other stations. I was reminded of my preference for early dance music to be involved when listening to the jolly jigs played at the end of the Early Music Show today, featuring the tromba marina.

[oddoneout]

From today's Observer: Can BBC radio thrive in a new world of podcasts?: amidst much handwringing over Radio 2 and Radio 4, "A new controller will also arrive at Radio 3 this March, a station where any change is always the focus of worry among classical music fans who already regard themselves as an endangered species."

A Radio Times writer says: "“Genres have not collapsed, but the borders between them have collapsed a little. This morning I was listening to Radio 3’s Kate Molleson playing a Crosby, Stills & Nash track to mark David Crosby’s death, and talking about the way he grew up listening to Bach before becoming this big folk-rock figure. Now it’s possible a few listeners wondered what was going on, but there’s a loosening up that has happened, and that’s great. Radio stations must recognise the population has much more eclectic tastes.”

I have no problem with R3 playing the occasional (literal meaning) CS&N track, but is it only listeners to Radio 3 whose 'eclectic tastes' include classical music? `not even to mark special occasions, like an orchestra getting a new chief conductor?

And how many mentions of Crosby's death on other stations included that information. There was a TV programme or series - I think one of Howard Goodall's - that dealt with the everyday nature of "classical" music influences, pointing out that many people know more such music than they think and that similarly many of the non-classical musicians people listen to are more involved with such influences and encounters than might be expected or assumed. Mind you that was some years ago and I wonder how much of it holds true today; adverts still filch (usually wholly inappropriate) chunks, but how many of today's popular musicians have had any exposure to wider influences, given the shrinking of music in the national curriculum.

[oddoneout]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jan/22/the-guardian-view-on-radio-3s-new-leader-a-tough-challenge-ahead

[Bryn]

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...hallenge-ahead

Is The Guardian using an AI writer these days?

[french frank]

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...hallenge-ahead

"And in good time, here comes ..." In other words, a welcome for the Guardian's concern over Radio 3. But I could pick holes in most of what was written which would result in an article twice as long

Bryn's reply appeared after I'd started mine, but I deleted most of what I'd written - too much information.

[Hitch]

I note that some of the replies to the Guardian article are appreciative of "Sound of Gaming". However, if game soundtracks aren't suitable for R3, how about R2? I've always thought that that station should be a bridge between R1 and 3 - or would that be stating the bleedin' obvious?

[smittims]

I was about to suggest that game soundtracks belong on Radio 2, but I remembered that Radio 2 listeners are as territorial as we are when it comes to having things foisted onto them.

In my Utopia Radio2 woould be the home of all the musical genres between 'classical' and 'pop' (the use of quotation marks is intended to imply a casual colloquial use of those terms): Jazz, Folk, so-called 'World' music, welsh male voice choirs, brass and military bands, fairground organs, Broadway musicals, bell-ringing, etc.

This would give all those genres a lot more air-time than they get now and leave Radio 3 free for classical music, classic drama, discussions on the arts and sciences and informative talks (I'm thinking particularly of talks aimed at informing the normal intelligent but unspecialised listener about the many recent developments in science which, in a democratic society, voters need to know about).

[oddoneout]

Now I've had a chance to read the comments on the article ( not open when I first saw it) it strikes me that several BTL haven't listened recently or in fact don't listen at all. The latter group is inevitable and probably falls into the same category as those who decry the closing of village amenities but don't themselves use them - it's the idea that matters, not reality; however I wonder how many of the first group are those who listened in the past but no longer do so, due to successive changes?

[french frank]

I was about to suggest that game soundtracks belong on Radio 2, but I remembered that Radio 2 listeners are as territorial as we are when it comes to having things foisted onto them.

Ten or so years ago R2 was branded as the station with the widest range of music - including pop, smooth jazz, light classical &c. Then it became 'Middle of the Road' pop. It kept the jazz but all light classical was cast out and programmes like Brian Kay's Light Programme were adopted by R3. As I gather from reading posts here, there have been no similar complaints about a dilution of Radio 3 jazz output. Reorganisations at R1 and R2 have resulted in various sorts of music being found a place on R3. And 'new' genres like world music and now game music seem to be the latest arrivals on R3. Plus also the overspill from 6 Music in the form of the 'Unclassified'/uncategorisable genre. No wonder there's no room for programmes like Discovering Music or serious talks. The new listeners who might have an interest in easier listening programmes like Breakfast, Essential Classics, don't want programmes devoted to classical musical analysis.

Anything viewed as 'minority' interest (i.e. not mass audience) is moved over to R3 so that the mass audience stations can concentrate on mass audience programmes and keep their listening figures up. No matter if R3 loses listeners overall: if the worst comes to the worst …

In my Utopia Radio2 would be the home of all the musical genres between 'classical' and 'pop' (the use of quotation marks is intended to imply a casual colloquial use of those terms): Jazz, Folk, so-called 'World' music, welsh male voice choirs, brass and military bands, fairground organs, Broadway musicals, bell-ringing, etc.

Despite my lack of interest, I would make an exception for jazz because a) there's a clear distinction between smooth jazz and jazz for the real enthusiasts (cf with classical music) and b) it's been on R3 for a very, very long time. I would also positively welcome a discussion programme or short series on any other kind of music - rap, hiphop, triphop, video games music as long as it was aimed at a curious R3 audience, but not a regular slot aimed at listeners already enthusiasts for such genres.

I also think there should be a clearer distinction between R3 drama and R4 drama, but confess I haven't listened since the days when I was an almost invariable weekly listener.