What the forum is about

[french frank]

What's the evidence that people join, or stay, because they want to discuss politics and current affairs?

I can vouch for the fact that people have left BECAUSE of the P&CA board and the nature of the so-called discussion. More seriously, people (non-forum members) have withdrawn their support from FoR3 because of postings on the forum - even though the people responsible were, as far as I'm concerned, members of the public using the FoR3 forum and just creating a poor image of FoR3.

Given the number of forum members who used the board regularly to 'discuss politics' (perhaps 6-10?) I don't think forum membership would fall by a great deal if they all left. But if the forum provides nothing else of interest to them but the possibility of raising political matters, the decision would be up to them. Radio 3 is, and will remain, the central focus of the forum.

[Dave2002]

Seems a bit of a non-sequitur to me, dave. What's the evidence that people join, or stay, because they want to discuss politics and current affairs? I think the reverse may be the case. I may be in a minority but I for one heaved a huge sigh of relief when the P&CA board disappeared. My heart used to sink at some of the stuff on it. And as for religion and ethics, I think we manage quite well with Ideas and Theory don't we? We actually had a long and very civilised discussion on the Trinity last year which started life as I recall somewhere on the Choir board.

I don't mind whether there is a P&CA board at all, but if there are topics which we are supposed to know are "out of bounds" - or else then I have some concerns.

If, say, people post on Platform 3, and nobody wants to play, then so be it. Some of the problems with P&CA were due to the way some people did want to post, and other people did want to disagree with them, so they posted too. Flame wars, as I believe they used to be called, are not a great idea, and should be damped down, or discouraged. Some topics may also be sufficiently contentious as to attract very much unwanted attention from various people - including some undesirables, and the security services etc. - so it makes sense to nip them in the bud or ban them to avoid any potential legal issues.

If I or anyone else wants to post about (say) the use of airships for radio and TV broadcasting - which might also be combined with aerial crop spraying -[chosen to be suitably dry, and potentially boring, as an example]- on (say) the Tecchie board or P3, and consider the financial and social benefits thereof, then people who don't want to read or discuss such a topic (or anything similar) will probably ignore it and such a thread would fade away. It's the notion that there are some topics which we are not allowed to discuss and the possible intervention by "the management" which I find disturbing - though as I've pointed out, this is not a democracy. Further, even if it was a democracy in the way ours supposedly runs, the notion that in a democracy views which are not aligned with the predominant majority views would be suppressed would not, it seems to me, be in the supposed spirit of (an idealised) democracy, even if it would fit with the technical administration of such a system. Minority views should be allowed, within reason.

[Dave2002]

Radio 3 is, and will remain, the central focus of the forum.

Unfortunately I think that this may be too narrow, and it does not seem to me to reflect the forum as it is now. I understand that is what you and a few others thought when the forum was set up - initially perhaps simply in response to the BBC's decision to switch off its own message boards - but what ideals are we clinging to now? Ironically, of course, if we do want to influence the BBC, and maintain some sort of R3 service, properly funded, and not subject to undue political influence by HMG, and retaining the kind of music and in some cases drama, and other factual programmes which would seem to be the areas of interest to some here, then we get straight back into politics, allbeit of a specific and focused nature.

Many people who used to listen to R3 regularly now seem to spend most of their time listening to music on CDs, or downloading or streaming, or doing other things, such as going to theatre and cinema which may have a peripheral relationship to R3. Some of us watch BBC TV, some of which has some alignment with the idealised cultural identify manifested in this forum, but is not primarily of direct interest to R3 listeners, in so far as I can determine what an "R3 listener" actually is.

The for3.org site is more of a lobbying site, for support and/or criticism of R3, and maybe for steering it in certain, hopefully desirable directions. The forum is more loosely linked to R3, surely.

I appreciate the way the forum was set up, and the way it has evolved, but one does have to consider now what the goals were initially, and whether they are being satisfied by this forum. If not - what should change? Should new objectives be proposed, or should the forum site be allowed to dissipate more or less gracefully?

[P. G. Tipps]

I'd thought that the first of these had resigned but might be wrong about that; if I am, he's presumably just resigned himself to the fact that a majority of respondents to his posts were, shall we say, somewhat less than appreciative. As to the second, there are those here whom, as no doubt you know, seem to be convinced that he's reincarnated himself as P G Tipps, but I don't see evidence of this that convinces me. I don't remember much about the third of these. As to the final two, once again, a majority of respondents to his posts were, shall we say, somewhat less than appreciative. You may miss their contributions. I'm not persuaded that the majority here do.

'O, wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as others see us!
It wad frae monie a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion.'

Rabbie invariably got it spot on, ahinton!

[MrGongGong]

I think the irony being alluded to was that voting has a certain political taint to it.

Indeed

[MrGongGong]

You are weird.

I hope you are self aware enough to realise how funny this is?


P&CA is still here (with amps that go to 11?)

http://www.for3.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?91-Politics-amp-Current-Affairs

[Beef Oven!]

I hope you are self aware enough to realise how funny this is?

I'm afraid my post went over my head.

[doversoul1]

Unfortunately I think that this may be too narrow, and it does not seem to me to reflect the forum as it is now. I understand that is what you and a few others thought when the forum was set up - initially perhaps simply in response to the BBC's decision to switch off its own message boards - but what ideals are we clinging to now? Ironically, of course, if we do want to influence the BBC, and maintain some sort of R3 service, properly funded, and not subject to undue political influence by HMG, and retaining the kind of music and in some cases drama, and other factual programmes which would seem to be the areas of interest to some here, then we get straight back into politics, allbeit of a specific and focused nature.

Many people who used to listen to R3 regularly now seem to spend most of their time listening to music on CDs, or downloading or streaming, or doing other things, such as going to theatre and cinema which may have a peripheral relationship to R3. Some of us watch BBC TV, some of which has some alignment with the idealised cultural identify manifested in this forum, but is not primarily of direct interest to R3 listeners, in so far as I can determine what an "R3 listener" actually is.

The for3.org site is more of a lobbying site, for support and/or criticism of R3, and maybe for steering it in certain, hopefully desirable directions. The forum is more loosely linked to R3, surely.

I appreciate the way the forum was set up, and the way it has evolved, but one does have to consider now what the goals were initially, and whether they are being satisfied by this forum. If not - what should change? Should new objectives be proposed, or should the forum site be allowed to dissipate more or less gracefully?

Dave, the aim of the forum is clearly stated, and it was our choice to join it. We only use it without contributing to its running. In other words, we simply use the forum where it suits us. If what we want to do does not fit in with the stated aim of this forum, there are plenty of other forums we can join without leaving this forum. I can’t see why you are so keen on discussing, or the idea of discussing politics on this particular forum which has a very specific (narrow) aims/purpose. .

[richardfinegold]

Dave, the aim of the forum is clearly stated, and it was our choice to join it. We only use it without contributing to its running. In other words, we simply use the forum where it suits us. If what we want to do does not fit in with the stated aim of this forum, there are plenty of other forums we can join without leaving this forum. I can’t see why you are so keen on discussing, or the idea of discussing politics on this particular forum which has a very specific (narrow) aims/purpose. .

I strongly favor leaving Politics out of a music forum. This is supposed to be a refuge from politics. Plenty of other forums out there for those who wish to play in that sandbox

[ahinton]

Ha! Caught out at your own game by bigger boys!

Excuse me? Not "caught" by anyone, no "game" involved or being played and no relevance in the size of "boys" who are surely not the only kind of people who might be concerned about the subject matter...

Mon Dieu!...

[ahinton]

'O, wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as others see us!
It wad frae monie a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion.'

Rabbie invariably got it spot on, ahinton!

Maybe, but does it actually help here, specifically? - and, if so, how, in your view?

[cloughie]

Radio 3 is, and will remain, the central focus of the forum.

But Hafod's bargain tip offs a close second!

[ahinton]

I'm afraid my post went over my head.

Did you observe the nature, timing, speed and any other relevant considerations in respect of its flight?

[MrGongGong]

I strongly favor leaving Politics out of a music forum. This is supposed to be a refuge from politics. Plenty of other forums out there for those who wish to play in that sandbox

https://thesamplerblog.wordpress.com/2015/06/22/chris-garrard-on-music-politics-and-ethical-sponsorship-part-3/

[doversoul1]

https://thesamplerblog.wordpress.com...orship-part-3/

So what are you saying? If you can’t talk about music without separating it from politics, you still have a lot of learning to do.