As a finale to the debate on the Concert FM programming, MURRAY DUNCAN, who raised the issue, responds.
I hardly expected the views of Miles Roger about Concert FM (Arts on Monday, January 15) to align with my own, as I'm an advocate for change. But I was surprised at the highly misleading nature of what he had to say.
The rather impressive list of artists and genres, which Roger cites as all being part of the Concert FM music mix, needs closer examination. Anyone can do this. Pick up a radio/TV programme guide, which details Concert FM programme listings for the week, add up the total number of broadcast hours, the total number of classical music programmes and the total number of other genre programmes.
The Listener listings for January 20 to 26, for instance, breaks down like this: 126 hours of broadcast, 123 hours of classical music programmes and three hours of other genre (of which one hour was a repeat).
This hardly constitutes a music mix and barely qualifies as tokenism Yet Roger contends that these kind of ratios, which are typical, mine the musical riches across the spectrum - and more. My article suggests a slightly more realistic interpretation of music mix.
His quoted 285,000 listeners (10 per cent audience) would also appear at odds with Research International data indicating that 156,000 (6 per cent audience) as being a more accurate figure.
As a former radio programmer and professional musician across a wide range of disciplines, I would happily debate the role of Concert FM with Roger in any forum. Dictionary entries for "fine" include words like very good, quality, superior. My article calls for Concert FM to become a genuine fine music network across all genres, not just a classical music station.
* This debate is now closed.
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