Controller, BBC Radio 3

[Frances_iom]

the 'developing interest' might include KD at which point we will get a suprlative, stupendous estatic R3 or even to appeal to the teenage mind(sorry for the oxymoron) CBH (she has the necessary patronage)

[vinteuil]

The new Controller, Radio 3 may now be a foregone conclusion. On 1 July, the BBC announced that a very popular broadcaster, who earlier this year admitted publicly to a developing interest in classical music and who recently appeared in a week of programmes on Radio 3, will be moving on from hosting their current BBC radio show to explore new ventures.

... yep, sounds about wright -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Bacon_(broadcaster)

[Andrew Slater]

R3 is Now Rudderless!

According to this article in the Guardian, RW leaves the BBC today, with no successor(s) in place or announced. Does this reflect the low priority the BBC gives to R3 or their difficulty in filling the post?

[french frank]

I saw something by Andrew Clements in the Telegraph (oops! sorry A.C. I meant The Guardian!!!) which suggested the shortlist will close at the end of next month, I think. I don't think they do need anyone instantly (someone will be 'in charge'). That said, the post is hard to fill; it always has been. There may be several people who would like it, but it doesn't mean they would be suitable. Clements said they would take their time - they haven't replaced Patten as chairman, either, but it doesn't mean that's a low priority.

[This is the article I read yesterday, of course!]

[Richard Tarleton]

Article by Richard Morrison in today's Times, following RW's departure today - entitled "Who next to run the Proms", as whoever gets R3 will then go on to appoint someone to run the Proms (but who could in theory recommend themselves thus reuniting the 2 jobs)....he lists a number of interesting names, suggests looking further afield....

[Honoured Guest]

Most of us can't read The Times because it has a paywall. Who are Richard Morrison's interesting name suggestions for Proms Director?

By "looking further afield", I suppose you mean an international appointment? Would that risk the new Director not understanding the peculiar culture of the Proms, and cocking up the job, like Australian Ross Stretton did with the Royal Ballet?

[french frank]

as whoever gets R3 will then go on to appoint someone to run the Proms (but who could in theory recommend themselves thus reuniting the 2 jobs)

When the new controller is appointed, he will have a new contract. It's not to say it will include sole responsibility for appointing the Proms Director, surely?

If one person holds both jobs, what's to stop the Proms Director raiding Radio 3's budget to do whatever he wants to, since as R3 Controller he holds the purse strings. Pouring prestige money into the Proms means less money available for Radio 3, and the various stories of 'budget cuts' and 'we can't afford that'.

[Honoured Guest]

The vacancy details linked at the top of this thread said:

"The Controller, BBC Radio 3 ... is also responsible for ... the annual BBC Proms, through the Director of the BBC Proms, who the new Controller will appoint and manage."

One "Role Responsibility" of the Controller is "To provide central oversight and management of the BBC Proms".

So, yes to "sole responsibility" for appointing and managing the Proms Director, subject to appropriate BBC appointment procedures of course, and to centrally overseeing the Proms.

The Board might protect Radio 3's non-Proms budget, or they might give the Controller total freedom in spending their total budget between the Proms and non-Proms.

[MrGongGong]

When the new controller is appointed, he will have a new contract.

HE ?

I hope not

[french frank]

HE ?

I hope not

Gillian Moore?

[MrGongGong]

Gillian Moore?

Gets my vote

(or Jonny Trunk )

[Zucchini]

Most of us can't read The Times because it has a paywall. Who are Richard Morrison's interesting name suggestions for Proms Director?

Internal: Edward Blakeman, Jessica Isaacs, Peter Maniura. Outside he suggests the big guns are Gillian Moore (Southbank, The Rest is Noise), Stephen Maddock (CBSO ex BBC, international contacts), Anthonk Sargent (Sage), John Gilhooly (Wigmore H)), Kathryn McDowell (LSO).

He then says that every decade or so the Proms need a fresh perspective and a shake up and to explore new ways of visually presenting classical music.He mentions Pierre Audi (Holland Festival), Jonathan Mills (departing EIF).

His ideal would be Deborah Borda of LAPO "...who's at the forefront of the drive to bring orchestral music to socially and ethnically diverse audiences in different ways..." But she might have to take a million dollar paycut!

He tells us that if Wright isn't miffed by something, he's giving a good impression of someone who is...

[french frank]

Internal: Edward Blakeman, Jessica Isaacs, Peter Maniura. Outside he suggests the big guns are Gillian Moore (Southbank, The Rest is Noise), Stephen Maddock (CBSO ex BBC, international contacts), Anthony Sargent (Sage), John Gilhooly (Wigmore H)), Kathryn McDowell (LSO).

Blakeman can probably do it standing on his head by now. Anthony Sargent would be interesting. A couple of others must be considered for Radio 3, though I bet they'd prefer the Proms.

He tells us that if Wright isn't miffed by something, he's giving a good impression of someone who is...

??? What does seem to have happened is that RW's Classical Music Board (of which he was Chairman) seems to have been combined with Shennan's post as Controller of Popular Music - and Shennan got the combined post of Director of Music. But I wonder what 'signs' Morrison has perceived - other than the obvious one of leaving for Aldeburgh (which I actually thought quite a nice move after 15 years in the same post).

[Honoured Guest]

Thank you, Zucchini, for relaying those names. None of them sounds very far afield to me. I presume that the candidates for Controller, Radio 3 will be required to tell the selectors their vision for the BBC Proms, and that the nature of the new Director of the Proms, and the degree of refreshment, will depend upon the outlook of the newly appointed Controller. After all, the Proms account for over eight weeks of live concert programming on Radio 3 and the season is a keystone of the station.

[french frank]

After all, the Proms account for over eight weeks of live concert programming on Radio 3 and the season is a keystone of the station.

I would view it differently: the Proms are a keystone of the BBC, a prestige/high profile 'brand' to show that the BBC is a serious, 'distinctive' publc service broadcaster. Radio 3 could find alternative live concerts for two months, at a much lower cost to its budget, especially now that the evening concert is publicised as including chamber music as well as orchestral concerts.

They don't publish the exact (net) cost of the Proms, but a member of the Trust Unit revealed that, in 2009/10, £4.3m came out of Radio 3's £40.8m service licence expenditure - over 10% of the annual total for 8 weeks Proms broadcasts (plus some repeats). And the rest of routine daily schedules still have to be paid for, 52 weeks a year.