Page 234 - ASMF Marriner 100 Coverage Book

million who have, over decades, grown accustomed to waking up, showering, breakfasting,

commuting, lunching and going to bed with particular presenters and shows.

And a fortnight ago those daily routines were messed with. On April 1, Sam Jackson, the

controller of Radio 3 and Mohit Bakaya, his Radio 4 counterpart, introduced new programming
and schedules. The R4 changes are more of a refresh, involving the movement of some key

furniture — most notably The Archers Omnibus on Sunday — and some programme extending

(The Media Show, Desert Island Discs, File on Four). Much of this seems budget-driven: new

programming will always cost more. But given Desert Island Discs’ success, a longer show

should prove popular. I certainly enjoyed hearing more of Esther Rantzen, Peter Bazalgette and
co discussing That’s Life! on The Reunion, one of my favourite R4 formats, last Sunday.

Radio 3’s changes are more seismic; the most radical in a generation. Saturday morning’s

revamp will be a marmalade-dropper for some with Andrew McGregor’s Record Review and

Jess Gillam’s This Classical Life shunted to later and the loquacious Tom Service (for many, a
Marmite presenter) given nine to noon and a new magazine format Saturday Morning.

Next, Earlier… with Jools Holland is a newcomer to R3, although the presenter needs no

introduction. Music Matters, at the later time of 1pm, is reimagined as a classical-related

documentary series. For jazzers, Saturday evening’s J to Z is no more, but the saxophonist

Soweto Kinch is presenting a more British-accented late-night Monday-Friday show, ’Round
Midnight. The most controversial weekday change is Composer of the Week (one of BBC

radio’s oldest formats) moving from midday to 4pm. Breakfast with Petroc Trelawnyand the

frothier Essential Classics have been extended. Ushering in the weekend, Friday Night Is Music

Night strikes me asa pappy import from Radio 2, although its light arrangements do showcase

the BBC’s orchestras.

Schedulers do not make alterations casually — these will be the result of months of audience

analysis. Still, for many listeners certain shows are sacrosanct, enmeshed with their routines, so

changes are discombobulating and affronting. “Well that’s Saturday mornings effectively

ruined,” one R3 listener tweeted to Jackson last weekend. Jackson has received emails from

listeners “heartbroken” they no longer have a regular lunchtime date with the erudite Composer

of the Week. Bakaya, meanwhile, had to go on R4’s Feedback to answer to fans of The
Archersapoplectic about the Sunday omnibus being pushed back an hour. (“You must be

ashamed of yourself BBC — I’m horrified.”). Bakaya argues (and I agree) that Desert Island