Memorandum submitted by Mrs Judith Bramley
Can you help us stop the BBC from dumbing down
Radio 3? The present controller, Roger Wright, has already considerably
altered the output by his emphasis on "World Music",
and an increase in Jazz coverage, and we have groaned and waited
for him to move on and be replaced by someone who really cares
about classical music.
What a shock, therefore, to find that he now
intends to impose his views on the future as well by changing
the schedule from a programme "with classical music at its
heart" to a programme with a "broad range" of music.
BBC Radio has so far escaped the slide into
triviality of BBC TV, but this looks all set to change. If the
prime position of classical music is not firmly enshrined in the
schedule, its position will be chipped away day by day.
I fail to see why Jazz and world music should
not be placed on Radio 2, and I resent the lack of discussion
with which this decision has apparently taken place. Is it a coincidence
that there was no Director General or Chairman in office when
this schedule was produced?
One of the main faults of the BBC is lack of
"shareholder" control. There is no mechanism of channel
by which protesters can make broadcasters accountable. That Controllers
will make their channels express their own personal interests
is perhaps inevitable but that one should now propose to stamp
his work on the future is surely a step too far.
It is well known that the audience for Radio
3 tends to be the elderly, so this proposed change could be seen
as very discriminatory. I was particularly incensed to be told
in response to my letter to the Chairman—"who of course"
receives more correspondence than he can deal with personally—that
access to programmes "more to my taste" will be available
on the Internet. Is this fair to the older listener? Why should
not listeners to Jazz and World Music have to tune into the internet
instead?
It is claimed that listenership to the programme
has dropped a lot recently, so the Controller's proud boast of
how well his new schedule is working should be taken with a pinch
of salt.
We are not asking for all Jazz and World Music
to be removed from the output, only that the importance of classical
music should be firmly enshrined in the schedule as it always
has, so that future controllers can be held to account. Otherwise
we shall soon see this beacon of excellence slide down the hill,
just as we have seen on BBC 2 TV—which you may remember
was set up as the culture channel—slide into its present
state as a kind of "magazine".
Apparently the Minister for Arts etc. cannot
intervene, though I feel that a substantial and permanent change
of direction as this should be a matter of standards under the
Royal Charter, but perhaps you and your committee could at least
ensure some public discussions of the matter.
July 2004
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