BBC Radio coverage Folk

Subject: BBC Radio coverage Folk
From: GUEST,ray padgett
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 04:13 AM

Folk Chat on BBC message board is currently carrying a thread on the closure of Ali Anderson's, folk music radio programme in the North East

The attitude of the BBC and the demise of folk music programmes Nationally and regionally is I feel a threat to the music of the British Isles.

This constant erosion by the establishment by such actions, and ridiculous laws which stop live acoustic music which hurts no one needs to be highlighted

State your opinions where it is best felt and make your views known

Ray

Subject: RE: BBC Radio coverage Folk
From: stallion
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 04:41 AM

The music will not die out but will maybe struggle to win a new audience. I will not pretend to understand all the calculations and tests for programming that others in this place have explained at length, 700,000 listeners to Ali Andersons prog seems like a lot to me, bearing in mind that in all probability they were actually listening, as opposed to the million and a half who probably only have it as musak and couldn't be arsed to the move the dial to another prog. A test of a prog is if people deliberately and religiously tune in for that one show - like The Archers, Just a minute (wife's poison!) My guess is, like me, one listened to that specific programme, I listened to North Yorkshire Folk because I got to listen to unknown local performers in the live sets and found out what was going on locally as well interviews with MC et al.
So do the producers and station managers want to produce programs for mules to wend there days not listening or carefully directed progs to interest specific sections of the community, like Football, Opera, Folk Music, country music and Pop. For it to be in a mixed bag of general programming is a nonsense, maybe I will be corrected but I have never seen a commercially marketed compilation with Opera, Country Music, Folk, Pop and brass band music on it, not many people would buy it, got no future, so, why do the station managers want to include "minority" music in general programming, they are pissing up all our backs!

Subject: RE: BBC Radio coverage Folk
From: peregrina
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 04:49 AM

Ray--please tell us where this Folk Chat message board is so we can write in (it seems not to be the same as the 'Folk and Acoustic' message board).

I share Stallion's perceptions about North Yorkshire Folk...and I'd like to think that there is a place for folk programmes on local radio, not just internet radio...So many people have at least one folk or folk-rock type track on their Desert Island Discs amid all their other favourites--that says something.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio coverage Folk
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 05:04 AM

A short piece on this was on primetime BBC Feedback last week. Go to the BBC listen again facility. Discussions on Folk progs in North East and Merseyside

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Subject: RE: BBC Radio coverage Folk
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 05:04 AM

1 Google

2 Folk Chat

3 Then BBC room Folk ~ easy

Ray

Subject: RE: BBC Radio coverage Folk
From: Folkiedave
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 05:41 AM

It is headed "Feedback on Radio 4" and will be available on listen again at least until tomorrow.

I have tried to link the "listen again" feature to this page but for some reason my computer crashes. So go BBC.co.uk then Radio then "Listen Again" then Radio 4 and last of all "Feedback" .

The item you want to hear is the last one of all and starts about seven minutes from the end of the programme.

Also on, making the case for more folk music as well as Stan Ambrose from Radio Merseyside is Rachel McShane.

It would be good if people made their feelings known on there, especially (sticking to the thread) for more folk on local radio.

I declare an interest in that the bloke who did the original complaint was me.

Dave Eyre

Subject: RE: BBC Radio coverage Folk
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 05:49 AM

Nice one Dave!

Ray

Subject: RE: BBC Radio coverage Folk
From: Folkiedave
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 06:11 AM

Thanks Ray - now go and bump the BBC thread please!!

Subject: RE: BBC Radio coverage Folk
From: GUEST,Graham Bradshaw
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 06:15 AM

THis is all par for the course, and indicative of the general trends in broadcasting over the past years

Between 1983 and 1993, I used to do the folk programme on what was then Mercia Sound (now Mercia FM) in Coventry. Even though I say so myself, it was very popular, and the audience figures were always very healthy. At one time, according to the official figures, the prog attracted around 50,000 listeners - a number only surpassed by one other slot on the station - that being the drivetime show at teatime.

However, Mercia was swallowed up by one of the big broadcasting megaliths, and my prog was chopped along with all the other so-called specialist shows. I had a meeting with the then Programme Controller, Stuart Linnell, who said that, and I quote, "These people who make these decisions have absolutely no interest in music in general, and don't know what folk music is at all. They are only interested in selling advertising and making a profit. If they could get away with broadcasting a test signal 24 hours a day, and STILL sell the ads, they would!" Says it all really.

I still got the chop, and so did he shortly afterwards.

OK, you might say, but that is the world of commercial radio. But it seems that the Beeb runs by the same rules these days. The people who make the decisions have no interest in, and don't understand, folk, jazz or any other specialist genre (although they DO understand classical music). Rock will always do OK, because the big record companies are a powerful lobby group.

As Stuart also said at the time, "If you want folk music on the radio, the only way you are going to get it is to run your own radio station". Unfortunately, not easy as Radio Britfolk knows only too well.

But wait a minute, isn't the Beeb OUR radio station? We fund it, and we should be fairly represented in the total mix. After all, more people go to folk festivals each year than the total of ALL the other genres put together (and that includes Glasto et al).On that basis, folk music should be the predominant genre, with maybe the odd jazz or classical track thrown in occasionally for good measure!!!

It's a thought. Make a noise. Protest. Write songs about it.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio coverage Folk
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 06:24 AM

The BEEB is our Radio station and should reflect what we want NOT what they think WE want, WE DO FUND IT

It is the POLICY makers that are at fault, big NANNIES

Should be driven by the sort of folk music being created and sang and played IN folk clubs and at Festivals

England is being led by the NOSE the RING is in the BEEBS nose

I am NOT knocking current programmes, they are simply doing what they set out to do

POLICY needs to be changed to reflect FOLK better and what is going on in England

Ray

Subject: RE: BBC Radio coverage Folk
From: Alan Day
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 06:28 AM

If you listen to any Irish Radio programmes, apart from the programmes dedicated to Folk Music like the excellent programme of Radio Ulster,Folk Music and song forms part of the normal music selection.It is integrated into general music listening and in this way their tradition is not lost.I complained many years ago on the Daily Mail that our Folk Tradition was not being covered by the BBC and within days Terry Wogan played The Worzels song on his programme,which completely missed the point I was making.
Al

Subject: RE: BBC Radio coverage Folk
From: KeithofChester
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 06:38 AM

Here is the rest of the discussion from only a week ago

109 posts on the other thread

Subject: RE: BBC Radio coverage Folk
From: peregrina
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 06:54 AM

109 posts on that thread--so if Feedback, Radio Newcastle, Radio York etc. all received one message per mudcat-post (even if that means some of us writing twice) would that make any impression?

Subject: RE: BBC Radio coverage Folk
From: Folkiedave
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 07:36 AM

Excellent post Graham and lovely to see you at Warwick.

There is a difficulty complaining to the BBC at the moment.

1. You cannot complain directly to the BBC governors (now Trust)without exhausting the complaints procedure.

2. The complaints procedure is really aimed at people complaining about a single programme.

3. Thus it is hard to complain about the lack of folk music across the BBC.

However there are some lights in the tunnel.

The first one is that the BBC is very vulnerable at the moment to complaints and I suspect they may be taking them more seriously than in the past.

Secondly the BBC has a clear remit - it has ignored it in the past but it seems to be taking things more seriously now - and this is stated in its "Purpose and Values"

I quote one of them:

Stimulating creativity and cultural excellence: the BBC enriches the UK's cultural life by bringing talent and audiences together to break new ground, to celebrate our cultural heritage, and to broaden the national conversation.

As I said on the programme quoting this - "Not by closing down folk programmes it doesn't".

But we need to kick up a stink and carry on doing so. I am just one lone voice and by now they probably think I am some sort of eccentric. (Secretly I do hope so!!)

I went through this years ago and have just found the inspiration to start doing so again.

I suppose it's the resurgence of interest in things folk and seeing all those wonderful young musicians I see at festivals ignored by the BBC.

Subject: RE: BBC Radio Folk/News re N Yorks Folk News
From: peregrina
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 07:58 AM

Just heard today that BBC Radio York is about to restore 30 whole (!) minutes of folk per week by a non-folkie presenter. A quotation from a message from [e-mail] is below.

Please e-mail her or [e-mail] to let them know your suggestions...strike while the iron is hot! I think that they've restored folk coverage in response to e-mails....

quote:
'At BBC Radio York we have started a new Monday night show now presented
by Sandie Dunleavy, and we're introducing a half-hour folk and acoustic
music sequence in it from 8.30pm next week.'