What I am about to tell you will give you a nasty shock: soon, there may be an alternative. There are some moments in history when, after oppression by a gigantic monolith, the individual is finally given a choice. The fall of communism, springs to mind, as does the arrival of the chocolate Hob Nob. Now, at last, an end to Radio 4’s monopoly, which began with the Home Service in 1939.
Ouch. There's more.
A new Radio 4? Never, the fans cry, the old one is already too targeted at the “metropolitan elite”, junks too many traditions, panders too much to youth. On all counts, my first response is: if only. And secondly: that’s exactly what any rival should do. This year every adult in the UK listened to an average of two and half hours of Radio 4 per week, and about one in ten of us regularly tunes in. But these figures are nothing for the BBC to crow about. Many of us switch on not because we want to, but because we don’t have any choice — there is only one national channel that is not reliant on music or cheap live chat. To the words “smug” and “cosy” that are associated with Radio 4, I would add “complacent”. Millions are ready to defect.
Millions have already defected and thanks to the blogsphere, millions more will.
I like the ending.
Instead, they should leave the schedules preserved exactly as they are, as they always have been, seal the gates of Radio 4 and throw away the key. If that is what the traditionalists want, give it to them. The rest of us can tiptoe next door.
Don't stop at Radio 4, lock the whole damn BBC up and throw away the key.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment