The Tom Whitwell link doesn't work.

but surely the natural conclusion when radio programming is done by a ombination of computers and market research. I wonder whether marketing people ever realsie that playing someone 30 seconds of music and asking for a score isn't actually the same as listening to the radio.

"I suspect it's primarily a "sound" issue, with many of these songs simply sounding very dated alongside the better produced sounds of the Eighties, onwards!"

It's worrying if someone at the BBC is actually being paid to write stuff like this.

...don't listen to (much) music radio......
Hey ho.
* sorry, JJ, I am referring to the trend for this blog to feature elderly misspent youths.

The memo doesn't claim that Snow Patrol or Will Young are better than The Rolling Stones or The Beatles, just that they score higher when played to whatever audience demographic profile they're aiming at. That's not their fault is it.
There's surely no serious music fan who gets their fix from listening to local radio, it's for pensioners, builders and soccer mums isn't it? (yes I realise that made me sound like a terrible snob but, hey).

The Beeb still produces the finest specialist music radio in the world. It's unlikely that Radio Two Djs like Mark Radcliffe, Mike Harding, Bob Harris and Mark Lamarr, Radio One DJs like Annie Mac and Bobby Friction and all the other knowledgable respected specialists on Radio 3, 6Music and the Asian Network recieved this particular memo.

We're talking about daytime BBC local radio. It's purpose is to inform the listeners about traffic jams and school closures, plug local events and host 'have your say' phone ins.
The music is way, way behind any other ingredient; it's all play-listed and presented to the host on a single disc - the only the influence the presenter has is to change the running order if he needs to. Does anyone who is tempted to complain here actually listen to the lcoal BBC station unless they want to know if the kids' school boiler has bust or if there is an end in sight to the traffic jam in which they are sitting?

I don't listen to the radio, but this is my idea of a good programme:

Two or three hours of a knowledgeable DJ (with tastes that I sympathise with) playing songs he/she likes, admires or has a strong opinion about. They play the songs (no matter how long) in their entirety with no talking over the music. And he/she discusses the music they're playing in detail (ie."I love the album this comes off, but they chose the wrong single to release, so instead I'm going to play my favourite track"). Does a programme like this exist or is this some insane fantasy? Or is it only for obscure sub-genres were the ratings don't matter?

you heard 'Strawberry Fields' on a local BBC radio station anyway?

You never are more than 30 mins from a Beatles song on BBC Radio Merseyside!

There are some great specialist shows on there though:

Spencer Leigh's On The Beat and Roger Hill's PMS are both excellent shows.

Or Radio Two as you know it, improved when it put Sing Something Simple and David Jacobs out to grass. However in time all our current favourite shows and presenters will be shunted into the bathchair slot when they bring in middle aged hip cats like Chris Moyles and whoever else are too old for wunnerful Radio One.

we all want the BBC to do two oposite things (we being the general public ). We want interesting, challenging shows that stretch and entertain and then most of us ignore them to watch My Family or listen to Moyles. As long as one of the measures is audience size and not audience satisfaction, it will always be like this. And as audience satisfaction is difficult to measure, size will always win. We're getting the BBC we deserve.

"and employ Doctor Fox to pump out Leona Lewis all the live-long day. And will we care?"

at first I was very jealous of Dr Fox pumping Leona all day, at least that might stop her warbling.....

I just listen to my stereo and ipod. That way I don't get annoyed by George Lamb or shit like this.

Every day starts with Search and Destroy, as it should.

I don't listen to much radio because I just don't want DJs at all. This makes Last.fm a boon, but sometimes I like to hear something more unexpected.
My favourite for this is http://www.kcrw.com/music Eclectic music with minimal intervention from DJs (and even then usually just a namecheck for the last few songs played).

you read that misplaced comma so it reads in the imperative:

"very dated alongside the better produced sounds of the Eighties, onwards!"

http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7508196.stm

"Daniel Powter's track Bad Day has been the most played song in the UK over the last five years, the society that collects royalties says.

Kelly Clarkson's Because of You was the second most played followed by James Blunt's You're Beautiful, the Performing Right Society (PRS) found.

I Don't Feel Like Dancin' by the Scissor Sisters and Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars made up the top five."

Not in my house...

I have a lot of time for Tom Morton - I particularly liked his book on whisky distilleries way back when - but I can't stand the way he breathes in so noisily all the time. And he does seem to genuinely believe that Annie Lennox and Runrig are great.

I have some form with local BBC stations so to speak. The problem is there's no programme budget to speak of and BBC local stations are mostly are run by people who prefer speech and news as opposed to music. This results in very obvious music programmes (where there is any) and a lot of phone ins. BBC London and Radio Scotland have some fine specialist shows (look em up online, I especially recommend Vic Galloway on Radio Scotland) but apart from a few pretty good folk music programmes most of BBC local radio is straight to the middle of the road due to a lack of staff and money. If an adventurous music show gets on, unless it gets the listeners in, gets press or gets a reputation as a discoverer of big new bands it won't last.

Also local BBC is mainly in competition with local commercial stations as opposed to Moyles et al. The thinking seems to be if they copy the playlists there, people who aren't too adventurous in their musical taste will go for the BBC seeing as there's no adverts to interrupt all the Coldplay and Snow Patrol.

It's sad I know. Now back to my current day job, those burger's ain't gonna flip themselves...

I can see why local BBC stations have stuck with older music for so long - when I did work experience at our local station a few years ago, I was told the demographic was generally 50+. But there comes a time when things need to move on, particularly when the Beeb is facing tough competition from local commercial stations.

That memo seems ridiculous, though. Do these people know anything about music...?

had a fine blues and R&B show called 'True Blues' but it was axed in favour of some tripe about rugby. Now they have no serious music programmes at all.

Romantic view, but pure fiction.

...used to listen to that a lot too, some good stuff. There was a guy called Adam Walton who had a very eclectic show on Sunday nights, was excellent. Think I heard the aforesaid blues one too.

OK, Finally move dto make a comment on the subject of radio and the Beeb particularly. Having been a resident in the great state of Arizona for over 18 years now, I want to let you know just how bad you could have it. Words typically fail me whenever i attempt to describe the banalities of commercial radio in the states. Although we have Public radio, it is funded by endless donation drives, and, typically lives from hand to mouth.
So, cherish the Beeb, I know its not what it was, but, incalculably better than pretty much anything going out here in the heat (but its a dry heat)!

I have to travel to USA about 3 times a year for 2 week trips and the music on commercial radio is shocking beyond belief. I know we have issues here in uk but let's get it into perspective. Both the BBC TV and the Radio can be (emphasise CAN) the best anywhere in the world. The rest of the World covets the BBC and all it stands for - I dont see how it is all drivel. Yes the muppet who wrote the directive that spurned this thread needs a good kicking but not everything the Beeb does is rubbish by any stretch of the imagination.