Different strokes for different folks?

[LMcD]

I would venture to suggest that there are basically 4 different groups of Radio 3 listeners.

Group 1 tends to rely on it to provide a pleasant but also informative background to other activities and will listen to Breakfast and some of Essential Classics. Some of this group may return for In Tune and the Mixtape.

Group 2 is ready for more substantial fare after a while - some folk sooner than others - but has to wait until the afternoon concert or opera and the evening concert.

Group 3 can't or don't tune in at all during the day, and relies on Radio 3 to get it through all, or much, of the evening.

Group 4 tends to to listen to more specialized, less 'mainstream' offerings which are unlikely to be scheduled during the day.

Some people may belong to more than one of these groups, but perhaps very few belong to all. It seems to me that very little effort is made by programmers to encourage listeners who belong to just one or two groups to experiment and broaden their musical interests. There's no smooth transition from morning to afternoon or from afternoon to evening, and I suspect that repeated 'trails' do more to irritate listeners than encourage them to try something different.

Composer of the Week and the Lunchtime Concert, which I often listen to with much pleasure, are excellent in themselves but I don't think they necessarily encourage listeners to stay for the afternoon concert. (I was tempted to introduce a fifth, '12 till 2' group). In Tune and the Mixtape clearly seek to keep Group 2 listeners on board while re-engaging with some Group 1 listeners, but I suspect that Group 3 listeners are more likely to wait until 7.30 p.m.

Speaking for myself, this 'compartmentalization' of Radio 3's output merely encourages me to engage in DIY programming via my CD and DVD collections and the internet. While this doesn't bother me that much, I do wonder whether it means that Radio 3 will fail to encourage to people to discover, and then EXPLORE, classical music.

[french frank]

I do wonder whether it means that Radio 3 will fail to encourage to people to discover, and then EXPLORE, classical music.

That's what I've always maintained. It was Nicholas Kenyon (he of the Gambaccini Experiment) who first moved Composer of the Week from its traditional 9am slot to midday on the grounds that 9am was a vital 'switching' point when people such as R4's Today listeners might be encouraged to switch from R4 to R3 if there was 'easier listening' at 9am. Gambaccini actually said that he had a 'specific mission' to attract those Today listeners and discourage them from switching to CFM.

If people hear programming which they enjoy, that's what they want to listen to; remove it and they'll stop listening. That's why Essential Classics lasts for 3 hours: the hope is that people will continue listening to it for as long as they're able to, with no incentive to switch off until Composer of the Week at 12 which is 'too dry'.

[cloughie]

That's what I've always maintained. It was Nicholas Kenyon (he of the Gambaccini Experiment) who first moved Composer of the Week from its traditional 9am slot to midday on the grounds that 9am was a vital 'switching' point when people such as R4's Today listeners might be encouraged to switch from R4 to R3 if there was 'easier listening' at 9am. Gambaccini actually said that he had a 'specific mission' to attract those Today listeners and discourage them from switching to CFM.

If people hear programming which they enjoy, that's what they want to listen to; remove it and they'll stop listening. That's why Essential Classics lasts for 3 hours: the hope is that people will continue listening to it for as long as they're able to, with no incentive to switch off until Composer of the Week at 12 which is 'too dry'.

No doubt that is also why they removed the ‘Full work’ in the last hour.
LMcD - you forgot Group 5 - the Jazzers, World Music, Alternatives and the Unconnected! Actually I think I’m unclubbable, not fitting any groups - and something of a station switcher - and don’t tell anyone on the Forum but I even listen to CFM sometimes, making a rare foray into Talk Sport yesterday evening.

[french frank]

No doubt that is also why they removed the ‘Full work’ in the last hour.

Yes, too taxing. That started out as a much vaunted feature.

LMcD - you forgot Group 5 - the Jazzers, World Music, Alternatives and the Unconnected!

And Group 6 - those who don't listen any more - don't count.

[LMcD]

No doubt that is also why they removed the ‘Full work’ in the last hour.
LMcD - you forgot Group 5 - the Jazzers, World Music, Alternatives and the Unconnected! Actually I think I’m unclubbable, not fitting any groups - and something of a station switcher - and don’t tell anyone on the Forum but I even listen to CFM sometimes, making a rare foray into Talk Sport yesterday evening.

Aren't they my Group 4? Classic FM is good for nodding off to, as the only real alternative for me at that time - local radio - in unlistenableto.

[cloughie]

I stand corrected -yes Group 4 - must be my concentration span - should have read the thread through.

[Bryn]

None of the above, really. Radio 3 has mainly become a music resource to be plumbed via Sounds.

[Nick Armstrong]

None of the above, really. Radio 3 has mainly become a music resource to be plumbed via Sounds.

Same here.

Composer of the Week, and parts of the lunchtime, afternoon or evening concerts and Through the Night, will sometimes get a listen live on the DAB radio (or even recorded onto the SD card therein for repeat listening) if a prior look at the online schedule (or RT) reveals interesting programming.

[gurnemanz]

With so much alternative availability of classical music Radio 3 has become one of many sources I value and frequently tune to. Surely no one keeps it on all day.

Breakfast - occasionally, eg via bathroom radio while showering, brushing teeth etc
Essential Classics - also occasional. so not so essential. Not as bad as sometimes portrayed.
Composer of the Week - nearly always
Lunchtime concert - mostly, especially song recitals
Afternoon Concert - if programme appeals. Quite often via headphones while gardening.
In tune - usually tune in ..... Interviewees can be interesting.
Mixtape - hardly ever.
Evening concert - only if programme catches my eye. Evening tends to be TV, whether footie, scheduled, recorded, streamed or film.
Through the Night - asleep, as is my fellow snorer.

[LMcD]

At the risk of sounding perverse, I don't really want a 2-and-a-half or 3-hour concert during the afternoon any more than I want a fragmented diet of nothing but shorter pieces - or extracts from longer works - during the morning. The 'gear change' from one to the other means that I rarely tune to Radio 3 after 2.00 p.m during the 'working week'. If neither Composer of the Week nor the Lunchtime Concert appeals, I'm down to 3 hours or so from 0630 Sunday to Friday - and I CERTAINLY don't tune in on Saturday mornings. My weekend Radio 3 listening is usually limited to Private Passions and Jazz Record Requests.

[french frank]

At the risk of sounding perverse, I don't really want a 2-and-a-half or 3-hour concert during the afternoon

Not at all perverse … the reason the afternoons get the 'concert' is because it fits well with known listening habits. The afternoons represent the 'trough' of listening, between the high audience mornings and drivetime. Not many people want to listen then, so slot the concerts in.

any more than I want a fragmented diet of nothing but shorter pieces - or extracts from longer works - during the morning.

Now that's perverse! Mornings are peaktime radio listening, so it gets the easier listening to maximise the audience.

[Ein Heldenleben]

With so much alternative availability of classical music Radio 3 has become one of many sources I value and frequently tune to. Surely no one keeps it on all day.

Breakfast - occasionally, eg via bathroom radio while showering, brushing teeth etc
Essential Classics - also occasional. so not so essential. Not as bad as sometimes portrayed.
Composer of the Week - nearly always
Lunchtime concert - mostly, especially song recitals
Afternoon Concert - if programme appeals. Quite often via headphones while gardening.
In tune - usually tune in ..... Interviewees can be interesting.
Mixtape - hardly ever.
Evening concert - only if programme catches my eye. Evening tends to be TV, whether footie, scheduled, recorded, streamed or film.
Through the Night - asleep, as is my fellow snorer.

Yes I do keep it on all day 09 -00 to 22.00 with the exception of :
Saturdays - Jess Gillan - don’t like voiced over music , The game music show - truly terrible stuff , Music matters if it’s yet another whinge , World Music if I don’t like the music ,
Also off - Sunday morning if there is too much chat, Private Passions if I don’t like the music, Listening Service if I think I’m going to be told something I already know, The Sunday Feature if it’s too self-consciously and uninformingly woke or a whinge (though there have been some very good ones recently ) and The Drama unless it is ,or likely to be , a classic.
Weekdays In tune if there’s too much chat.
Otherwise pretty much on all the time...easily get the licence fee back just in Radio listening...

[Nick Armstrong]

My weekend Radio 3 listening is usually limited to Private Passions and Jazz Record Requests.

I forgot these. I will usually download Private Passions to the iPad if the guest looks interesting, and listen in due course (ditto Martin Handley’s Sunday morning programme, which provides background listening at odd moments during ensuing weeks).

I systematically download JRR to the phone, along with Sound of Cinema and certain Choral Evensongs - these are my habitual soundtracks for cycling constitutionals.

Record Review will always get a listen too, in the days following broadcast. Recordings I like the sound of will be added to my favourites list on Qobuz, and provide the bedrock of listening during the following week (or more if it’s really good). Currently streaming: Brautigam’s BIS recording of Weber concertos etc for piano & orchestra

[gradus]

Yes I do keep it on all day 09 -00 to 22.00 with the exception of :
Saturdays - Jess Gillan - don’t like voiced over music , The game music show - truly terrible stuff , Music matters if it’s yet another whinge , World Music if I don’t like the music ,
Also off - Sunday morning if there is too much chat, Private Passions if I don’t like the music, Listening Service if I think I’m going to be told something I already know, The Sunday Feature if it’s too self-consciously and uninformingly woke or a whinge (though there have been some very good ones recently ) and The Drama unless it is ,or likely to be , a classic.
Weekdays In tune if there’s too much chat.
Otherwise pretty much on all the time...easily get the licence fee back just in Radio listening...

Our kitchen radio is on all day and veers between 3 and 4 according to preference - sometimes neither. The only extra station is Radio Suffolk on a match afternoon for the (currently) regular dose of gloom with added nostalgia for the days of Bobby and Sir Alf.

[LMcD]

[QUOTE=Heldenleben;841982]Yes I do keep it on all day 09 -00 to 22.00 with the exception of :
Saturdays - Jess Gillan - don’t like voiced over music , The game music show - truly terrible stuff , Music matters if it’s yet another whinge , World Music if I don’t like the music ,
Also off - Sunday morning if there is too much chat, Private Passions if I don’t like the music, Listening Service if I think I’m going to be told something I already know, The Sunday Feature if it’s too self-consciously and uninformingly woke or a whinge (though there have been some very good ones recently ) and The Drama unless it is ,or likely to be , a classic.
Weekdays In tune if there’s too much chat.
Otherwise pretty much on all the time...easily get the licence fee back just in Radio listening...[/QUOTE]

Has a licence fee ever been charged for listening to the radio?
When listing my preferred Radio 3 programmes, I forgot to mention the peerless Martin Handley's Sunday Breakfast programme.
Whether it's a matter of age I'm not sure, but I listen to Radio 4 quite a bit more than I used to - The News Quiz, Just A Minute, From Our Own Correspondent, Dead Ringers, the 6 p.m. news and the first 40 minutes or so of the Today programme. Sadly I've given up on Counterpoint, which seems have to developed into some sort of pop quiz.