Trad Music on TV

Subject: RE: Trad Music on TV
From: GUEST,DB
Date: 06 Mar 06 - 04:36 AM

Has anyone else noticed that the arseholes who currently run the world always have good excuses for why they have to destroy/erode/despoil it ("doesn't fit the demographic" etc.)?

Subject: RE: Trad Music on TV
From: greg stephens
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 05:20 PM

Hwy I had my picture in Classic Boat magazine. Did you ever see it? Playing on the quay in Inverary.

Subject: RE: Trad Music on TV
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 05:06 PM

A few editors ago, in Classic Boat magazine, the 'Baltic Trader' issue arose. This was the editor who had to cover the whole pantheon of 'old' boats, from square riggers through to Riva motor boats, salt water and fresh, motor, sail and oar. The inevitable letter lands on the editor's desk (actually, I think it was a reader's survey response), asking why there aren't more articles on Baltic Traders in Classic Boat.

There aren't many programmes on Bhangra, chess or pigeon-fancying, and there are no doubt websites dedicated to those churches asking exactly this question, and Greg is entirely right (Gregs usually are!), in that these scared little programming executives are 'fitting the demographic', and won't favour any minority interest over any other, whilst soaps and reality TV are 'what the people want'.

Subject: RE: Trad Music on TV
From: greg stephens
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 03:11 PM

Alas, DMcG is absolutely right, in the suggestion that they will try to hive folk off to obscure specialist channels. All broadcasters who try to work in the mainstream promoting a varied kind of music will come against this problem. Take John Peel as an obvious example: he got himself so popular that he became nearly untouchable, but they still tried to destroy his vision. For example, he would want to play a bit of reggae, mixed in with his other favourites. Like a falcon swooping on its prey, the controllers would instantly say"hey, let's set up a specialist reggae programme, and cut Peel's bit"
I used to live in Lancashire near the coast in the 70's, and listen to radio from Ireland. where the folk and everything was mixed up together. This is anathema to current thoughts on the BBC. You've got to fit the demographic,
   Even only ten years ago, on BBC2 TV, I got to be on a documentary about the band I play with, looking at traditional music, and musing why it didn't get much of a look in in England. We got an audience of two million, OK not Big Brother but not bad. But would that happen now? No sir.   There is an ongoing discussion elsewhere on Mudcat about what gets on the BBC "Folk Britannia" series. It is intriguing, but difficult to see a solution. Unfortunately, the media people/journalist types are now the people who like the all inclusive"Broad definition" folk, where long hair or acoustic guitars or world rhythms or whatever rule the roost. Which would be fine, I'm all for a bit of friendly inclusivenss, but they don't actually find any interest in the "core" music. And of course the blossom, the leaves, and the bark, and the birds and the caterpillars need a tree trunk to support them: a fact that the powers that be often forget.

Subject: RE: Trad Music on TV
From: autolycus
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 02:11 PM

Reason ther's so little trad. on tv - lack of pressure from fans.

Ivor

Subject: RE: Trad Music on TV
From: DMcG
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 01:43 PM

I don't know if it is sensible, but here's my answer: there is! When BBC4 broadcast the sessions of Martin Cathy and others from the Union Chapel, they got more emails and messages than they (BBC4) had for any other music program. That will have helped persuade the BBC to broadcast more, such as the Folk Britannia series. And strong feedback to that - providing its not too negative - will make putting more on easier in its turn.

As to getting off BBC4 onto more mainstream channels - I'm not sure it will happen because folk is still a minority interest however you cut it. But with growing availability of the free digital channels, I'm not sure that's so important any more anyway.

Subject: RE: Trad Music on TV
From: GUEST,DB
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 12:52 PM

Good question but don't think you'll get a sensible answer.

Subject: Trad Music on TV
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 07:59 AM

How come there's not more considering the vast number of messages on this subject on this website and the BBC ones (Bob Copper, Sidmouth Fest, Folk Britannia etc., etc.)?