Online survey 2014

[french frank]

I haven't yet done the survey but am surprised to see the layout: https://consultations.external.bbc.c...o/consultation

Only 5 questions to answer about each station? Last time there were 11, including 'Anything else?' As well as our original submission, we also sent in a very critical response (unsolicited!) to the Trust's final report, and said we felt the online survey was vague and perfunctory and there were few questions about the classical music output (Qs 3,7,8 and perhaps 5). Last time the questions were:

Survey 2011

Q1. How do you listen to Radio 3 and how often?
Q2. How long have you been a Radio 3 listener?
Q3. Radio 3’s main role is to broadcast high quality classical music ranging from the great composers to new and classical work, with an emphasis on live and specially recorded music. How well do you think that the station does this?
Q4. Radio 3 also includes other styles of music such as jazz and world music. What do you think about this programming on Radio 3?
Q5. What do you think about the variety and balance of music played on Radio 3?
Q6. What do you think of Radio 3’s speech based programming which includes drama, arts and religion?
Q7. Radio 3 should feature performances by the BBC orchestras and BBC Singers. What do you think of these performances on Radio 3?
Q8. Radio 3 should help build appreciation of music and culture, particularly amongst people with little knowledge of classical music. How well do you think the station does this?
Q9. What do you think of Radio 3’s website?
Q10. What do you think of Radio 3’s podcasts?
Q11. Is there anything else you want to say about Radio 3?

We took special exception to Q.8 which suggested that Radio 3 had a particular role (unstated anywhere else) to cater for those with little knowledge of classical music. No question was asked anywhere in the review about how well the station was catering for those with more than 'little knowledge'.

[french frank]

These are the five questions which are specific to Radio 3 - and there are some more general ones which are optional:

Q20. What do you think about Radio 3?
You may want to consider:
• What makes you listen to Radio 3
• What you like or dislike about Radio 3
• Both the music and the speech you hear on Radio 3, and how the programmes are presented
• What makes Radio 3 different and stand out from other radio stations.

Q21. Radio 3 has a range of commitments regarding the music it plays. Its main role is to broadcast high-quality classical music, ranging from the great composers to exploratory work, and should also include other styles of music such as jazz and world music. It should place an emphasis on live and specially recorded music and feature performance by the the BBC’s performing groups. Its programming should also help build appreciation of music and culture, particularly amongst people with little knowledge of classical music.

What do you think about the music that Radio 3 plays?
You may wish to consider:
• The range of music you hear on Radio 3
• What you like or dislike about the music on Radio 3
• Its live and specially recorded music and performances
• Whether you think the station helps build your appreciation of music and culture
• What Radio 3 could do better in the areas listed above that are important to you.

Q22. As well as music, Radio 3 provides a range of speech based programmes including drama and arts.
What do you think about Radio 3’s speech programmes?

Q23. Overall, what is your opinion of Radio 3? Thinking about what Radio 3 offers you, which of these statements is closest to how you feel about it?
Would you say Radio 3…
Offers me everything I need
Has a lot to offer me
Has something to offer me
Has little to offer me
Has nothing to offer me
Don’t know

Q24. Is there anything else you want to tell us about Radio 3?


All are completely open-ended, so you can say as much or as little as you wish.

[Sydney Grew]

A range of commitments . . . Its programming should also help build appreciation of music and culture, particularly amongst people with little knowledge of classical music.

A) Is that requirement or commitment just some office boy's bright idea, or is it written down - set in stone - somewhere?

B) What about all the broadcast talks the third programme used to have? Post-graduate philosophy and theology, the details of advanced music theory, and all that. Forget the common man, otherwise it's still the slippery slope for "radio three". But a little-considered attribute of slippery slopes is that those on them find the experience great fun, all things considered . . . Going down!


Addendum: I've now completed the survey, and have essentially suggested they return to the aims and principles of the late forties - announcers with scripts, no allowances for the ignorant, etc., etc. - and do better next time. They have sent me back a pdf of my responses.

[french frank]

A) Is that requirement or commitment just some office boy's bright idea, or is it written down - set in stone - somewhere?

It was written into one survey question in 2010 and we complained that Radio 3 had no particular commitment to cater for people with little knowledge of classical music; certainly no more than for people with average or a great deal of knowledge. As I said in the OP: "We took special exception to Q.8 which suggested that Radio 3 had a particular role (unstated anywhere else) to cater for those with little knowledge of classical music. No question was asked anywhere in the review about how well the station was catering for those with more than 'little knowledge'."

April 2014 issue of the R3 Service Licence states:

"1. Remit

The remit of Radio 3 is to offer a mix of music and cultural programming in order to engage and entertain its audience. Around its core proposition of classical music, its speech-based programming should inform and educate the audience about music and culture. Jazz, world music, drama, the arts and ideas and religious programming should feature in its output.
The service should appeal to listeners of any age seeking to expand their cultural horizons through engagement with the world of music and the arts."

And that's it. Nothing about having to build 'appreciation of music and culture, particularly amongst people with little knowledge of classical music'.

That's an invention. Last time the reason for it was clear. It invited people to say that Radio 3 was too difficult for people with little knowledge, and then the Trust could agree that Radio 3 should try and make everything simpler.

[HARRIET HAVARD]

I have completed the survey, and really couldn't find anything positive to say about R3. I know it has all been said before but.....given the state of the station- not just Breakfast, but Breakfast does encapsulate all that has gone wrong with the station- the rot does appear to be consuming the station at an ever alarming pace.

If I were the powers to be I would seriously be asking what R2 is for. For example, most of the Breakfast content and presentational style would have not been out of place on R2 only a few years ago.

Presumably R3 has been taken down market in pursuit of the Holy Grail- audience ratings. The trouble is knowing when to stop. As far as I can remember, R3 had a core audience of around 100,000. I've no idea what it is now, but would guess a large number of previously loyal listeners, amongst whom I would have included myself, have largely deserted the station.

I can understand why the Proms has been turned largely into a trivia fest. After all, like it or not the venue needs to get bums on seats. Hence the Dr.Who, film Musak etc concerts that grow each season. But was it really necessary to degrade R3 to this extent.

There is nothing wrong with the content or presentational style of many R3 "shows". But, as has been said many times before, that style is not appropriate to R3. Put it where it belongs...R2. After all, shows like Breakfast and Essential Classics were, not so long ago, food and drink to R2/ the Light Programme. Remember Your Hundred Best Tunes.






I am sure I am missing something here, but Radio4 doesn't appear to be on the consultation list.

[french frank]

I am sure I am missing something here, but Radio4 doesn't appear to be on the consultation list.

This time it's just the music stations. Radio 3 seems to be having a second review, because last time it came with the speech programmes (Radio 4 and Radio 7/4Extra). Hopefully, it will be a revisiting on account of all the submissions of complaint we've sent to the Trust since Review 2011 was published.

Though we know that the BBC takes no notice of anything we say, according to some of our 'well-wishers' who occasionally pop up on the forum ...

[antongould]

..........After all, shows like Breakfast and Essential Classics were, not so long ago, food and drink to R2/ the Light Programme.............

Is that so? I don't remember Wogan being much like Breakfast.........

[pastoralguy]

I have completed the survey, and really couldn't find anything positive to say about R3.

Well, let's look at this weeks Radio Times...

CD Review with Andrew McGregor

Music Matters. (A repeat I'll grant you but most of them are worth hearing more than once).

Hear and Now.

Rob Cowan on Sunday Morning.

The Early Music Show. (Fascinating programme about Bassoons!)

New Generation Artists

Through The Night

Live concerts from The Edinburgh Festival @ 11.00 am every day this week.

BBC Proms Chamber Music.

Composer of the Week.

Radio 3 Lunchtime concerts.

Oh, and a little thing called The Proms. (I admit that the BBC do keep very quiet about them...)

And that's just the stuff that appeals to ME.

That's before the religious programmes, the Jazz, the philosophy stuff...

Need I go on?!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The one that really gets on my nerves is the About You section, pigeonholing people into separate artificial categories, and trying to be inclusive but ending up being patronising and insulting.

[pastoralguy]

The one that really gets on my nerves is the About You section, pigeonholing people into separate artificial categories, and trying to be inclusive but ending up being patronising and insulting.

Yes, but it IS the BBC...

[french frank]

Well, let's look at this weeks Radio Times...

That seems like a glass quarter full rather than three quarters empty, though. The main point is that, if you do the survey, are you going to pick out the good stuff and ignore the rest? That would be very gratifying for the BBC!

[pastoralguy]

That seems like a glass quarter full rather than three quarters empty, though. The main point is that, if you do the survey, are you going to pick out the good stuff and ignore the rest? That would be very gratifying for the BBC!

Mmm, I see your point but, since most of us have some degree of gainful employment we don't have time to spend 24/7 listening to the radio, nice though that would be...

[Honoured Guest]

There is nothing wrong with the content or presentational style of many R3 "shows". But, as has been said many times before, that style is not appropriate to R3. Put it where it belongs...R2. After all, shows like Breakfast and Essential Classics were, not so long ago, food and drink to R2/ the Light Programme. Remember Your Hundred Best Tunes.

Yes, but Radio 2 has moved on and Your Hundred Best Tunes has no place on Radio 2 today, although Friday Night is Music Night remains there, every week at 20:00.

However, I'd make a similar comment about some Radio 3 Drama. I understand why Radio 3 commissions The Wire - new drama by emerging writers - but last night's repeat of the excellent Mother of Him would have been ideal for Radio 4's 21:00 Friday Drama slot, where it would have been heard by many more listeners.

[Russ]

However, I'd make a similar comment about some Radio 3 Drama. I understand why Radio 3 commissions The Wire - new drama by emerging writers - but last night's repeat of the excellent Mother of Him would have been ideal for Radio 4's 21:00 Friday Drama slot, where it would have been heard by many more listeners.

Point taken (and agreed), although The Wire doesn't always fit into a convenient 60-minute R4 slot, and in anycase, the strand is unfortunately mothballed. There is scope for some better linkages in Drama between R3 and R4, but I think the danger is in suggesting, inadvertently, that there should be less Drama on R3, which is what the Trust might interpret such a message to be, particularly in the context of a Review that is focused on 'Music'.

I can't see Gwyneth Williams being happy to have R3 content occupying a regular R4 slot without demanding the budget to do it herself.

Russ

[french frank]

Mmm, I see your point but, since most of us have some degree of gainful employment we don't have time to spend 24/7 listening to the radio, nice though that would be...

It would - I have an elderly friend who shuns Breakfast, and looks at the Radio Times to see what will be the full length work on Essential Classics. If that interests him he listens, otherwise he shuns that programme. But he hardly leaves his flat all day so if he looks at the RT and sees something that interests him he listens, and otherwise he can play his CDs.

If most people can't do that, they either have to rely on the programmes being broadcast at times when they can listen - or use Listen Again as a substitute. The amount the people use the OD facility varies - some people use it more than live radio, others don't use it at all. I suppose I would look at it: Do you think you're getting a radio service with station X, or are you just getting a few programmes here and there, and if you're prepared to use LA? Listening patterns vary from station to station but most if not all have the same basics: breakfast time gets most, afternoons have a daytime low at about 3.30pm, teatime drivetime picks up, evenings get less, gradually tailing off to near nothing (Radio 3 keeps its early evening audience better because of the concert).

On the whole, people WILL feel disgruntled if the times which are most convenient for them to listen become no-go areas. They don't want to sit at their computers for their main listening.