The new controller of Radio Three, Alan Davey, was on Feedback this week (Radio Four) talking to listeners about his plans for the network. Roger Bolton, who presents, wondered if Davey was worried about ratings — Radio Three hovers around two million listeners compared with the 5.5 million boasted by its commercial rival Classic FM, or perhaps more alarmingly the two million lured to BBC upstart 6 Music. ‘Ratings aren’t a pressure for me,’ said an ebullient Davey, while admitting that he does want to find more listeners, and then to ensure they stay tuned. But how? Without going down the Classic FM route of more audience participation, more gimmicks, more cheesy competitions?
‘We have to get better at explaining what Radio Three is about …that it’s more than just classical music,’ Davey suggested. ‘We have to offer more explanation and context.’
As a start he’s abolished the phone-in on Breakfast and cut down the number of news bulletins, to give Petroc, Clemency and co.
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