BBC Radio 3 listeners revolt
DiscussieBBC Radio 3 Listeners
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2alaudacoraxM
Oh dear! What I find much more depressing than playing Justin Bieber is Davey's defence of it. I have no idea how you could attract youngsters to Radio 3, but it seems fairly clear that Davey has even less idea than I do. Actually, the idea that you can attract youngsters by throwing in the odd Justin Bieber track has a touchingly pathetic naivety to it. Yes, I can totally imagine all these young kids saying, "Let's listen to Radio 3, they're playing Justin Bieber!"
Anyway, it seems clear to me that trying to attract youngsters to Radio 3 is a hopeless exercise. You need to attract youngsters to classical music first, then they'll find Radio 3 for themselves. Why on earth would they listen to a classical music station unless they were already attracted to the music? It would probably make more sense to try to persuade Radio 1 to play the odd chunk of Mozart or Wagner. You never know—it might intrigue somebody.
Anyway, when he's attracted his youngsters they might end up like me—when I hear Justin B or the like I semi-automatically switch from Radio 3 to a CD or YouTube play list or some such and probably don't go back for hours, if at all that day. Actually, it's only 8:35am and I've already switched off Radio 3 ... because of those damned hourly news bulletins—bloody Reithian Puritanism ...
Anyway, it seems clear to me that trying to attract youngsters to Radio 3 is a hopeless exercise. You need to attract youngsters to classical music first, then they'll find Radio 3 for themselves. Why on earth would they listen to a classical music station unless they were already attracted to the music? It would probably make more sense to try to persuade Radio 1 to play the odd chunk of Mozart or Wagner. You never know—it might intrigue somebody.
Anyway, when he's attracted his youngsters they might end up like me—when I hear Justin B or the like I semi-automatically switch from Radio 3 to a CD or YouTube play list or some such and probably don't go back for hours, if at all that day. Actually, it's only 8:35am and I've already switched off Radio 3 ... because of those damned hourly news bulletins—bloody Reithian Puritanism ...
3alaudacoraxM
And now I've fogotten why I logged-in here in the first place ...
4antimuzak
I completely agree. Radio 1 playing some classical - a good idea and why not but it will not happen in a culture that increasingly plays to the lowest culltural denominator and elevates the popular over the difficult or challenging. The idealisation of mediocrity I call it.
I visited Crook Public Library in County Durham last week - a dispiriting experience. I'd say that around 85% of the books were fiction but all of the pulp fiction variety. Where were the classics, literary fiction, Booker Prize winners? Not one to be seen - no Dickens, Trollope, not even a Jane Austen to be found. The small non-fiction section consisted mainly of popular, non-serious volumes. There were no Philosophy, Sociology, serious political books but plenty of cookery, travel guides, etc. There were about 5 music books, all about pop music and a few sheet music books, all pop. Durham libraries as a whole across the County seem to have abolished all music books apart from popular pop books.
Where then, is anyone to get exposure to culture that expands horizons, that challenges, educates, and develops wider perspectives rather than pandering to the comfortable and what is known and familiar. Cultural perspectives, the ability to think and debate then becomes degraded.
I visited Crook Public Library in County Durham last week - a dispiriting experience. I'd say that around 85% of the books were fiction but all of the pulp fiction variety. Where were the classics, literary fiction, Booker Prize winners? Not one to be seen - no Dickens, Trollope, not even a Jane Austen to be found. The small non-fiction section consisted mainly of popular, non-serious volumes. There were no Philosophy, Sociology, serious political books but plenty of cookery, travel guides, etc. There were about 5 music books, all about pop music and a few sheet music books, all pop. Durham libraries as a whole across the County seem to have abolished all music books apart from popular pop books.
Where then, is anyone to get exposure to culture that expands horizons, that challenges, educates, and develops wider perspectives rather than pandering to the comfortable and what is known and familiar. Cultural perspectives, the ability to think and debate then becomes degraded.
5spiralsheep
>4 antimuzak: Re: young people experiencing a wider variety of music.
My local concert series, which is successful enough to be self-supporting from yearly subscribers (before single concert ticket sales are added in), always has spare seats even for the most famous international musicians so they offer all subscribers two free tickets for every concert for young people of sixteen and under. This often results in grandparents bringing their grandchildren, or people like me being used as a free child-sitter for a few hours by my friends.
The music department of the nearest secondary school, which is within walking distance of the hall, is also offered free tickets for students in exchange for doing minor duties suitable for unaccompanied teens such as handing out free programmes at the door.
It doesn't make a noticeable difference but I like to think the benefits ripple outwards slowly.
I note there's no dress code and regulars such as myself often wear smart casual trousers and jumpers, so I warn my friends' kids that they can wear jeans or joggers if they want but they'll stand out and I've discovered they like having an excuse to dress up a little when it doesn't involve being pressured by their parents or judged by their peers. In my experience kids like playing at being a bit more adult and their behaviour reflects this when they're given appropriate opportunities.
My local concert series, which is successful enough to be self-supporting from yearly subscribers (before single concert ticket sales are added in), always has spare seats even for the most famous international musicians so they offer all subscribers two free tickets for every concert for young people of sixteen and under. This often results in grandparents bringing their grandchildren, or people like me being used as a free child-sitter for a few hours by my friends.
The music department of the nearest secondary school, which is within walking distance of the hall, is also offered free tickets for students in exchange for doing minor duties suitable for unaccompanied teens such as handing out free programmes at the door.
It doesn't make a noticeable difference but I like to think the benefits ripple outwards slowly.
I note there's no dress code and regulars such as myself often wear smart casual trousers and jumpers, so I warn my friends' kids that they can wear jeans or joggers if they want but they'll stand out and I've discovered they like having an excuse to dress up a little when it doesn't involve being pressured by their parents or judged by their peers. In my experience kids like playing at being a bit more adult and their behaviour reflects this when they're given appropriate opportunities.
6antimuzak
This sounds an excellent way of exposing young people to classical music. I'm not aware of anything similar in my region although Sage Gateshead has good educational programmes, mostly non-classical however apart from a classical choir.
7alaudacoraxM
>5 spiralsheep:
Conflicting emotions this morning. On the one hand, I found your post very heartening—evidence of heartening policies somewhere. On the other hand, I switched on Radio 3 to go with my wake-up cuppa to find something called 'Happy Harmonies with Laufey' playing a sort of bland, middle-of-the-road ... well, I was going to say 'pop music', but that's not right—I'll say 'pop music for the irredemiably middle-aged'.
Edited to add ... Takes all the fun out of being a Grumpy Old Man when you suddenly spot you've posted a glaring spelling mistake ... 'irredeemably'!
Conflicting emotions this morning. On the one hand, I found your post very heartening—evidence of heartening policies somewhere. On the other hand, I switched on Radio 3 to go with my wake-up cuppa to find something called 'Happy Harmonies with Laufey' playing a sort of bland, middle-of-the-road ... well, I was going to say 'pop music', but that's not right—I'll say 'pop music for the irredemiably middle-aged'.
Edited to add ... Takes all the fun out of being a Grumpy Old Man when you suddenly spot you've posted a glaring spelling mistake ... 'irredeemably'!
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