The BBC Radio blog

Now for Growth

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:30:00 +0000

Dame Nellie Melba, in Britain's first advertised public broadcast, gives a song recital from Marconi's works in Chelmsford.

Recently I was lucky enough to see a piece of radio history: the microphone into which Dame Nellie Melba, the formidable Australian soprano, sang a live recital on 15th June 1920.

She was in a makeshift studio in Marconi's Chelmsford factory and it was the first broadcast by a professional singer. Indeed, her dulcet tones were heard from Iran to Newfoundland. Looking at the primitive microphone, made from a telephone receiver and pieces of old cigar box , I was struck by the conflicting feelings that often characterise any examination of the radio's pioneering days.

One gets a sense that so much has changed, and so little. Of course, technology has moved beyond our imagination but the simple appeal of a human voice, transmitted live to a listener, remains undimmed.

Much has been written about the resilience of radio during a period when traditional media has been thrown into the realities of digital convergence.

The recent growth of listening has taken many by surprise as they thought that slow, inexorable decline was the only possible future. It is not overstating it to say that a few years ago the radio sector was suffering a crisis of confidence as it looked over the fence at its media neighbours and saw the explosive growth of internet services.

Also, the world began its obsession with new brighter, flashier screens: tablets, HDTVs, games consoles, smart phones and more. The industry became worried by its lack of scale and there were concerns that what radio had to offer may be dated or, at a minimum, viewed as dated. However, although the sector is not completely out of the woods (young listening and fragile commercial economics remain a challenge), the overall strength of radio is excellent with over 90% of people tuning in each week and growing listening hours.

In summary, it has proved that it can sustain itself in a world of infinite online choice and sharper, smarter screens. This is not only down to radio's innate strengths (e.g. mobile, live, personal) but also due to a number of other factors: the outstanding quality of programme makers who recognise that intelligent, human curation is actually of higher value in a confusing world; the strengthening of national commercial radio under new leadership; and the beginnings of serious digital innovation.

So radio has proved it can survive in a digital age but now can it hope for more? Could it actually convince itself and others that it can deliver continuing growth over the coming years?

It was a question that I posed at a recent session at the Radio Festival, our industry get-together in Manchester. Growth would attract more money into the commercial sector and drive listening as a whole, building new audiences and increasing money into programme making.

I have offered possible seed funding for ideas that could build radio as a whole and we are now assessing a number of ideas. As an example, on-demand or catch-up radio is still only less than 1% of all listening. We know that while much of our programming is best consumed live, we have attracted new listeners by driving people through the iPlayer or podcasts to find programmes after their first broadcast.

Certain programmes have achieved over 10% of their listening via catch-up and this is incremental. Imagine if we achieved that across radio. At the BBC, we are looking at a concept that we call the "audiopedia" which could dramatically increase our already successful archive of old programmes.

We have already had millions of people download episodes of programmes such as Desert Island Discs or In Our Time. Imagine if we could take this approach across much more of our output.

This is just one area to explore among many.

Perhaps you have other thoughts about how we can grow radio as a whole?

Tim Davie is Director of Audio & Music

Read An Archive for the Future on the BBC Radio blog

Digital radio: Signs of a tipping point?

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:53:22 +0000

With the completion of a full switchover to digital television now imminent, focus is likely to increase on radio and its progress in the digital world. The story of digital radio in the UK is one of slow, steady progress, and lively debate, rather then breakthrough.

We have reached a point where over a quarter of all listening is via digital but there is a lot to do before the majority of listening moves off analogue, and a switchover would be accepted, and welcomed, by listeners.

As most people are aware, there are significant barriers to change.

Firstly, many listeners remain very content with their current analogue radios and see no real need to change. Indeed, radio listening has held up rather brilliantly in recent years despite the explosion of choice in a digital world.

Secondly, even if people have shown interested in upgrading radios, coverage has remained too patchy to guarantee a robust signal when travelling across the country.

Thirdly, digital radio has lacked unified, knockout communication which has made a compelling case for the benefits of digital radio.

Finally, there has not been broadscale industry, political and industry consensus about the way forward. Indeed, many people still believe that DAB is a technology that is unnecessary because internet enabled devices will make broadcast technology redundant. It is a question that I asked hard on taking this job but it is clear that radio, like television, will need a broadcast "backbone" for many years to come if it is to deliver robust free reception to a morning traffic jam on the M6. There is much comment on the BBC's obsession with DAB but our objectives are simple: ensure cost effective, universal access to our services (including the digital stations) while stimulating competition and innovation which helps grows radio as a whole.

Last week we hosted a meeting of car manufacturers at the BBC and we heard from Ed Vaizey, Minister of Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, as well as other senior industry voices.

Even hardened cynics saw that progress has been made since we started pulling together as an industry to build a digital future.

Specific news included:

The government confirmed its commitment to move radio to digital and to plan the move towards a switchover via a Digital Radio Action Plan which is endorsed by the BBC and the major commercial radio companies.
We announced that we would build out DAB coverage for our national stations from just over 90% to 97% of the UK population between now and 2015. This will cover all towns with a population of 5000 or more as well as delivering more robust coverage of the 25 large cities and towns. The whole motorway network will have very good coverage, and we are aiming to get close to FM for all primary roads.
The car industry indicated that DAB will (or has) become part of the standard spec in all new cars by the end of 2103 at the latest. (So far this year, 18% of new cars have DAB as standard versus 5% last year)
Absolute Radio announced two more new digital stations (Absolute 60s and 70s) and the BBC confirmed that as well as supporting current digital stations, it would launch a special temporary digital service to provide increased coverage of the Olympics.
Finally the industry confirmed that it would launch a much more unified approach to marketing digital radio.

There is much to do, but radio deserves to benefit from a digital future with increased choice and better functionality.

DAB is part of the story, not all of it, as we must innovate on the internet and ensure that listeners can benefit from the better digital functionality (catch-up, programme information etc).

As for an FM switchover, it will only happen if we make a clear case to listeners on the benefit of change, because evidence shows that when they switch to digital they like it and don't want to go back.

However, my sense is that what seemed unlikely to most people two years ago is now looking possible and may well become inevitable.

Tim Davie is Director of Audio & Music

John Myers' review of the BBC's popular music stations

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 09:42:00 +0000

Today we are making public a report which looks at potential synergies and savings within Radio 1, Radio 2, 6 Music and 1Xtra.

Last year, I asked John Myers - CEO of the Radio Academy and one of the most respected figures in the radio industry - to review how our popular music stations are run and how they work together. The key challenge was to identify possible ways of sensibly reducing costs while protecting the quality of our programmes.

The findings of the report will help us with our current planning as we look to save costs. John's extensive experience in commercial radio meant he could take an informed and objective view of our operations.

He spent six weeks in the networks: interviewing, observing and generally digging around. He was given unrestricted access and met people at all levels of the organisation.

We welcome John's broadly positive report and its acknowledgement of the distinctive, high quality services we offer. It is very good to read John's praise of the outstanding people who work at the radio stations.

Importantly, the report recognises that BBC stations have to deliver against detailed service licences which require significant resources and lead to distinct challenges to those producing commercial radio. In John's words, attempting to simply compare the demands on BBC and Commercial Radio is meaningless: "akin to comparing apples and oranges".

However, this doesn't mean that we can't and shouldn't learn from external best practice - this is the very reason that I commissioned the review. The report has some valuable insights and recommendations which have been fed into our discussions around Delivering Quality First (DQF) - the BBC name for the work that is underway to develop a plan for the period of the next Licence Fee settlement.

While it is too early to speculate on specific outcomes (which would all require BBC Trust approval), our commitment to principles such as simplifying the organisation, reducing unnecessary compliance processes and finding new ways of working has already been stated in public.

Helpfully, John has identified some clear areas where we can look to do things more efficiently, such as improving co-ordination and reducing unnecessary duplication where appropriate.

Just like any big organisation, there are always ways of doing things better and BBC radio should continue to demonstrate that it is brilliant value for money. I want to achieve this while ensuring that we do not see a dilution in quality or a reduction in clear station leadership which is at the heart of our editorial success. This will mean better value for Licence Fee payers while not threatening the programmes that listeners love.

Tim Davie is Director of Audio & Music

Download John Myers' report as a PDF: john_myers_report_june_2011.pdf
Read The Telegraph story: BBC enlists commercial sector help to shake up radio from 28th November 2010.

New digital programmes - and a new name for Radio 7

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:00:44 +0000

Today we announced a series of new programmes which will be appearing on our digital radio stations. Also, we confirmed that we are changing the name of BBC Radio 7 to BBC Radio 4 Extra in April. You can find all the details in the press release.

Some people have questioned why we are altering a much-loved service: is this just unnecessary management tinkering? Firstly, let me offer a few words of reassurance. Radio 4 Extra will not be fundamentally different to Radio 7. The vast majority of the programming will remain much-loved archive productions, and we will continue to focus on comedy, drama and entertainment rather than offering news or current affairs. The primary reason for change is not to sell digital radios but to ensure more Radio 4 listeners are aware that we offer more of what they love. We'll be offering a more direct link between Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra. For example, we have confirmed that The Now Show and The News Quiz will offer extended versions on Radio 4 Extra featuring some of the bits that we have had to edit out to fit the programmes into their 30-minute slot on Radio 4.

As you can see we do not intend to take away people's favourite programmes from Radio 4. Perhaps the best example of how we see Radio 4 Extra working, as well as how we can see the digital world as offering a better service to listeners, is our plan for Desert Island Discs. On top of the ongoing Radio 4 programme, we will offer extended programmes on Radio 4 Extra as well as old editions. Meanwhile online we'll launch an amazing archive of 500 programmes that listeners can explore and download.

I hope that even if you have not caught Radio 7 yet, you do take the chance to take a listen to Radio 4 Extra when it launches in April.

Tim Davie is Director of Audio & Music

The picture shows Roy Plomley and his guest Noel Coward on the occasion of the twenty-first anniversary of Desert Island Discs in 1963. Coward had been on the list of guests drawn up by Plomley when he devised the programme in 1941.

The enduring value of live radio

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:04:47 +0000

It is rare that passionate radio listeners overwhelmingly and immediately support the scheduling changes that we make to a well-loved BBC radio station. However, having just announced that Radio 3 will broadcast live concerts every weekday at 7.30 p.m. for 46 weeks of the year, the reaction has been almost universally positive. It is welcome news for UK performing groups and listeners who will enjoy an invitation to so many outstanding classical performances. What is perhaps less apparent is that it represents a deliberate move across BBC radio to keep building the percentage of live output that we air on our stations. For some, this approach may well seem counter-cultural as it comes at a time when digital evangelists continue to predict the media will move inexorably to time-shifted, on-demand content. This is true but, paradoxically, this very trend is driving the value of live experience.

Of course, on-demand does offer benefits, such as making available valuable archives like the In Our Time back catalogue, or a chance to catch-up on recent programmes, but surely it is time to declare that the appeal of live radio is not only here to stay but is going to grow. Even beyond radio, live seems to be where the action is. Whether we are watching an X-Factor final, the One Show or attending a concert, live seems to be a common factor in so many recent triumphs in areas that have been consigned by many to a future of inevitable decline. Radio is particularly advantaged by this trend as so much of what makes it successful is the drama and immediacy of live broadcast.

In what some see as a gravity-defying performance, radio listening remains buoyant and in the latest listening figures, it was 5 live that hit new record numbers. The thrill of England keeping the Ashes combined with a busy news agenda provided a steady flow of compelling live stories. Also, over Christmas we deliberately focused on ensuring many of our broadcasts remained live rather than playing pre-recorded programming while the nation indulged itself.

Behind these successes, there may lie a deeper and more enduring need for wider communal experiences. The explosive growth of computers, tablets and smartphones has lead to a huge amount of solo activity with either no interaction, or communication being restricted to a small group of friends. Live broadcast experiences, although not offering the visceral experience of a live event, still offer a chance to be connected to something much bigger than a social network.

You may be listening alone but you know that thousands of people are connected together in one story. This is nothing new. I remember hearing my neighbours screaming with joy when Dennis Taylor sank that black in 1985, or looking into another car as I saw someone as emotionally moved as I was by the story of the collapse of the Berlin Wall on the radio news. For programme makers and presenters, live tends to bring out the very best.

It is interesting that while BBC executives like myself are often thought to be intent on limiting risk and prefer the control of pre-recorded output, the truth tends to be the opposite. This is not to say that the art of pre-built radio in genres such as current affairs and drama is not to be nurtured as a precious skill, but even in these areas, live output can play an exciting and growing part. So while you will see the radio industry ensuring that it is part of the on-demand revolution, we remain champions of the wonders of live. On May 3rd, we begin our Radio 3 broadcasts. As the musicians begin to play, I hope that you will be there, at home, next to them.

Tim Davie is Director of Audio & Music at the BBC

The picture shows I AM KLOOT performing live on Steve Lamacq's 6 Music show at the Lowry Centre in Salford in October 2010.
Edward Blakeman, an Editor at Radio 3, wrote about the station's new committment to live performance on the Radio 3 blog.
BBC media correspondent Torin Douglas interviewed 5 live Controller Adrian Van Klaveren about his station's improved RAJAR figures on the 5 live blog.
Tim responded to the public reaction to the BBC Trust's recent report about Radio 3, Radio 4 and Radio 7 in The Radio Times yesterday.

Immerse yourself in The Archers

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:28:44 +0000

Unless you have kept well clear of the media this week, you will have seen or heard that we have been marking the 60th anniversary of the world's longest running continuous drama. The Archers has been a central part of listener's lives since 1951 and, if nothing else, the past few days have proved that it is precious and in rude health.

As you may be aware, debate is raging, particularly over the instantly infamous death of Nigel Pargetter in the special double-episode that ran on Jan 2nd. Even before his extended scream as he fell from the roof of Lower Loxley Hall, the messageboards and Twitter were buzzing. The reaction has spanned many emotions: listeners are angry, supportive, underwhelmed, overwhelmed, shocked, sad and enthralled. Above all, what is clear is that they care, deeply, about what happens in Ambridge.

I understand that some listeners think the special episode received too much attention, but we do need to be able to showcase and highlight the wonders of radio drama. The Archers is quite different to other dramas and I agree that we should let audiences quietly find the plot (too much 'sell' can be counter-productive), but this was a special occasion and we view it as a very rare set of circumstances. We should resist the sense that there is a growing need to sensationalise to build impact.

Also, those that do not believe that recent revelations were big enough to have "shaken Ambridge to the core" (the words of the Archers' editor, Vanessa Whitburn) should listen for a year or two to see just how big these events are: not in comparison with TV spectaculars but for the residents of Ambridge (and the loyal listeners).

Meanwhile, if you have not heard the programme or want to read the comments from listeners, here are some links for you to explore. Now is a good time to immerse yourself.

Tim Davie is Director of Audio & Music at the BBC

Listen to the dramatic anniversary double episode on the Radio 4 web site and to a full day of Archers episodes from the archive on the Radio 7 web site.
Archers scriptwriter and web site editor Keri Davies has put together a round-up of media reactions to the anniversary episode for the Archers blog.
The Archers web site was recently relaunched. The site hosted the weekend's celebration of the 60th anniversary, including a day-long live blog and a special 'tweetalong' during the big episode.
The Archers messageboards are among the busiest at the BBC (over one million comments per year). There is a new Archers blog, a Facebook page and a Twitter account (the hashtag is #TheArchers). All have been hugely busy during the build-up to and the aftermath of the anniversary episode.
Nigel Pargetter was played for 27 years by Graham Seed. He was interviewed on Today on Tuesday.
The phrase "shake Ambridge to the core" first occurred in a formal BBC document called the 'statements of programme policy' where it was picked up and popularised by listeners. The hashtag #SATTC has been widely used.
The picture shows the Pargetter family. Left-to-right: Nigel (played by Graham Seed), Lily, Elizabeth (played by Alison Dowling) and Freddie.

Test Match Special - the best way to watch the cricket

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 11:31:06 +0000

Of all the highs and lows of my job, visiting the Test Match Special commentary box at Lords in July last year must rank as one of my most memorable and uplifting moments. As I listened to Aggers, Blowers, CMJ and the rest of the team analyse the quality of each delivery while conveying the whole glorious mood of the occasion, from stray pigeons to the sunburnt crowd, I was struck by the preciousness of the whole enterprise.

Like many ideas that prove a triumph for radio, ball-by-ball cricket commentary was considered by many to be too slow to be a compelling proposition. Indeed, the very idea of communicating something so visual on radio was seen as largely impossible (rather like some of the initial concerns about the recent series A History of The World in 100 Objects). Segments of ball-by-ball commentary began in the mid 1930s following the launch of cricket reporting in 1927. In 1957 the first full day of cricket commentary was broadcast leading to TMS becoming fully-ingrained in English culture in a way that is perhap unparalleled in broadcasting.

This year as the first test begins in Brisbane (with a slightly wobbly English first innings), I hope that everyone with the vaguest interest in how the Strauss vs Ponting battle develops will find time to sit quietly listening to TMS. Even if you are able to watch it on television, let my offer a friendly challenge to sit listening to an hour of TMS after watching the television. I suspect that the most vivid pictures that will be created in your head by the likes of Geoff Boycott, Michael Vaughan or Ian Chappell.

Below you will find details of our coverage (including not only TMS but our excellent 5Live programming) as well as the link to a rather good Ashes archive for your to explore. Enjoy the cricket.

Tim Davie is Director of Audio & Music at the BBC

Join the discussion of The Ashes on Twitter. Follow BBC cricket people and use the hashtag #BBCAshes.
The schedule of commentaries on 5 live Sports Extra and a blog post about Radio 4's LW coverage by Andrew Caspari.
BBC Sport's Ashes archive is full of clips from television and radio coverage over the decades - going back to 1938.
The Test Match Special blog brings together posts from all of the BBC's cricket blogs.
Adam Mountford, Test Match Special producer, has written about the BBC's Ashes coverage on his blog.
The picture shows Trevor Bailey and Brian Johnston - the Test Match Commentary Team - in action at Lords in 1981.

A Sunday evening fixture evolves

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 15:02:48 +0000

Like most fathers, watching how my young sons spend their time reminds me how far technology has advanced in 30 years. As a child of the 70s and 80s, playing Jetpac on my ZX Spectrum was as cutting edge as it got. The type of graphics that can now be generated on handheld machines was beyond imagination. Now I find myself regularly looking at the latest Nintendo console or staring at my iPod shaking my head and muttering cliches like "whatever next". Therefore, it is exciting to stumble on something that has proved itself more timeless.

With this in mind I was intrigued to see the word "Rihanna" and other artists scrawled on a pad of paper sitting next to our kitchen radio. On quizzing my 10 year old he said that he wanted to get down the name of this week's Top 5 so that he could download a few of them from iTunes (unfortunately for Rihanna, she did not make the final download list). His interest in the chart and his almost encyclopaedic knowledge of the Top 20 was identical to mine over 30 years ago and it speaks to the timeless appeal of a simple concept. Perhaps the only difference is that I would spend Sunday afternoons making my weekly tape by sitting my basic cassette recorder next to a radio, shamefully trying to capture the records and not the links.

The chart can be dated back to 1952 when NME collated a Top 12 based on data from 12 record shops. By the time Radio One started broadcasting in 1967, Pick of the Pops broadcast the Top 20 on Sunday afternoon with Alan Freeman at the microphone. At that point it broadcast simultaneously on Radio 2. Now Reggie Yates is hosting the programme, still revealing the number one just before seven, just as his predecessors have done for decades.

There was a time a few years ago when it seemed like the charts' glory days had faded forever. When downloads really took hold, and some believed that weekly information could be viewed as ancient history, there were those that questioned the validity of a Sunday run down. Also the end of Top of the Pops was a signal that a simple run down on prime time television can struggle to get an audience when YouTube can serve up any number of videos on request.

But at BBC Radio we are more optimistic about the chart countdown than we have been for years. Not only are we enjoying strong listener numbers to the Sunday show but increasing visitor numbers to our website. It is attracting over 700,000 unique users a week. This has been achieved not only by sticking to a brilliant formula but also adding new ideas. Recently, we've added the Mid-week Update with Greg James and added 30-second extracts of tracks to the website. We intend to keep bringing innovation to the chart and making it a focus for Radio 1.

As for those who are now well beyond their teen years, it is still worth listening to the Sunday evening countdown. Even if your musical tastes have shifted a little, and you believe that music of your era was of an infinitely better quality, listening to a head-to-head contest between JLS and Take That is a moment of radio drama that connects directly to our past and the current. So, as my son celebrated JLS overcoming Take That, I knew that he felt much like his dad when Human League (Don't You Want Me) saw off Cliff Richard (Daddy's Home) 29 years ago.

I wonder if this will hold true in another few decades?

Tim Davie is Director of Audio & Music at the BBC

Don't You Want Me? was at number one for five weeks and kept Daddy's Home off the Christmas number one spot in 1981.
The Radio 1 chart pages include the addictive 'The Love 40' and a free podcast you can download and keep.
Fraser McAlpine edits the always entertaining Radio 1 Chart Blog.
The picture shows Human League in 1981. It's from the BBC's picture library.

The Latest RAJAR Listening Figures: can it all be good news?

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 08:00:00 +0000

As I was reading an article listing all the official quotes from radio industry leaders - myself included - reacting to the latest quarterly radio listening numbers, it was hard not to feel somewhat exhausted by endlessly positive sentiments. Nearly every quote is upbeat with each company proclaiming success. So what's going on?

Firstly, the good news is that when a sector is growing then there is a genuine opportunity for all companies to increase listening. I have spent the last few months emphasizing that although the radio market faces some challenges, it is time to accept that it has proved much more robust than anyone expected. Indeed, it has shown that it will remain a major force in a fully digital world. The latest Rajars actually showed a record high number of listeners (46.8 million) and showed an increase in hours for the first time in a while (up to 22.6 hrs a week). This is excellent news and it should give radio real confidence to lead the media sector. Revenues may be smaller than some other sectors such as TV or online but the depth of its relationship with the audience is second-to-none.

Meanwhile, after a record-breaking quarter some BBC services did take a small step back versus the last quarter although nearly all are up versus a year ago. However, as listening grew, we did see a small decline in our share of the market. Some may think this would be cause for concern in Broadcasting House but it is not a key metric for us. We maintained the numbers of listeners (66% of the population over 15) and actually grew hours (up to 16.7 hrs a week). So the BBC increased its importance while the market grew and commercial radio benefited. This growth, helped by the strong performance of national stations, is welcome because it helps drive revenues and growth for the whole sector.

So although the natural instinct of all corporate leaders may be to focus statements on the more positive elements of the facts, this quarter's results have enough genuinely good figures to keep most of the industry smiling.

Tim Davie is Director of Audio & Music at the BBC

RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research) is jointly owned by the BBC and commercial radio trade body the Radio Centre. Participating listeners are asked to record their radio listening in quarter-hour time blocks for one week.
The RAJAR figures for 'linear listening', not including on-demand listening or podcasts, in a table and the official quarterly press release (PDF).
BBC Audio & Music's RAJAR press release.
Picture, RAJAR Q2 2010, by Adam Bowie, used under licence.

Launching HD Sound

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 10:09:29 +0000

As the leading players in the radio industry gather today in Salford for their annual get-together, much of the conversation will be about the topic of innovation. Listeners are currently very satisfied with radio services but digital technology does bring opportunities to keep improving what we offer. This summer, BBC Radio 3 completed a trial of a higher quality online audio stream at the Proms. A positive listener response led us to look at a permanent launch. Therefore, from the beginning of December, we will offer "HD Sound" (as we are calling it) on Radio 3 when you visit the station website and listen online. We will quickly assess the performance of this before making the higher quality stream available on iPlayer and the proposed radio industry player (called Radioplayer). Radio 3 listeners will get the benefit of the highest quality broadcast available anywhere. Interestingly, it was Radio 3 that led the charge in 1971 as radio moved to stereo, and once again it is excellent to see it at the forefront of innovation.

As with Stereo, I would expect to see further roll-outs of HD Sound over time and we have already announced that we will be trialling it for Radio 2 at the Electric Proms. I am expecting that the performances by Elton John,Robert Plant and Neil Diamond will all be available.

Tim Davie is the Director of Audio and Music at the BBC.

BBC Audio & Music's head of technology Rupert Brun, wrote about HD Sound on the BBC Internet blog this morning.
The photo above is of the BBC Symphony Orchestra rehearsing at the Barbican (c) BBC / Lara Platman.
"BBC Launches HD Sound for Radio" - press release, Oct 18 2010.

The hundredth object approaches

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 16:33:45 +0000

Without doubt, my highlight of the week will be going to the British Museum on Thursday as we reveal the last object in our series A History of the World in 100 Objects. The Radio 4 series has been a centrepiece of our radio programming over the last year and it is destined to be remembered as one of BBC Radio's landmark pieces of broadcasting.

Initially, the idea of a world history brought alive through objects described on radio appeared too demanding for some. However, the use of objects as the starting point for important stories that draw in broader themes while remaining, by their very nature, personal, has been uniquely powerful. As someone who completed history A-Level with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the causes of World War Two but with little or no sense of global or early history, the series has been a revelation.

Thanks to the quality of production including masterful presentation by Neil MacGregor, the series, which has never shied away from more demanding detail and themes, has caught the public's imagination. We have seen an amazing 10 million podcasts downloaded and the involvement of over 500 museums across the country. Online, thousands of people have been submitting their own objects from a miniature 15th century prayer book to a 19th century Ale Jug.

This week we have been revealing some of the objects that are being considered for our last selection. We have heard about objects on the short list such as Didier Drogba's Chelsea shirt, the latest polar clothing and a mobile phone. Also numerous people have been making suggestions about what the object should be. Predictably, the last time I asked, the iPhone seemed to be coming out top. Importantly, and unlike reality TV, although we are getting numerous suggestions from the public, the final item will the choice of Neil MacGregor and the programme team, thus preserving the value of a strong curatorial hand across every episode the series.

Also, while some may question the value of some of the final possibilities, each offers great story-telling potential. Take Drogba's shirt; it is worth pausing and thinking just how many themes it embodies: the globalisation of sport, Russian oligarchs, the cult of celebrity to name but a few. I have no idea if it will be picked. I have asked not to know as I want to enjoy the drama of the announcement on Thursday morning at around 0745 on the Today programme. I hope that you will be listening not only to the news about number 100 but to all of these memorable programmes.

Tim Davie is Director of Audio & Music at the BBC

Lose an hour or two in the library of objects on the A History of the World web site and keep up with the project on the blog.
Add your own object - something that tells a story from your family's history - to the collection.
Download every episode of A History of the World to keep.
The picture shows two of the thousands of suggestions for the 100th object received from listeners. Make your own suggestion.

Investing in broadcast technology

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 17:14:34 +0000

A few days ago I hosted a celebration of the launch of our new radio Outside Broadcast (OB) fleet. The fleet comprises of state of the art sound trucks that you may see parked up at countless festivals, concerts and events throughout the year. The new trucks have come to the rescue of our ageing vehicles which have been heavily used for many years. Capital investment is very significant (and rare) for BBC radio, so it represents a landmark moment.

Of course, inside the trucks are some of the most accomplished audio engineers, technicians and producers in the world. When you meet these teams, who have decades of experience, you are struck by their passion for delivering a perfect broadcast and the enormous pride that they have in representing the BBC across the country. Everything that you hear from live events beyond the studio is utterly dependent on their expertise.

This year, during some of my most enjoyable days, I visited our trucks across many locations such as outside the Proms, at Glastonbury or Maida Vale. However, perhaps I appreciate what these trucks deliver most in a cottage in Cornwall every summer, listening to live coverage of the Proms. The quality of our OB Fleet combined with the skill of the team comfortably closes the distance between the Albert Hall and the Lizard.

Furthermore, the OB team are a group that are constantly pushing the boundaries of technology. Immediately after last week's launch, they were testing new ways of producing music during a session with the Charlatans. I will be returning to this theme of audio innovation as we bring news of further developments to improve the quality of our broadcasting.

Meanwhile, if you do have ideas on how radio should innovate, don't hesitate to leave a comment here on the blog.

Tim Davie is Director of Audio & Music at the BBC

The picture shows Tim at the launch of the new fleet. It was taken by Simon Tuff, Principal Technologist at BBC Audio & Music.

Portrayal of lesbian, gay and bisexual people in broadcasting

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 10:17:17 +0000

Just over a year ago, I volunteered to chair the Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Working Group at the BBC and shortly thereafter, we announced that the BBC had commissioned a study into the portrayal of LGB audiences across all of our services.

As the most comprehensive piece of research ever carried out in this area by the BBC and perhaps any other media organisation...

This post originally appeared on the About the BBC blog. Read the rest of the post and leave comments there...

The view from abroad

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 09:31:06 +0000

As a BBC Director who is often defending the BBC's actions against critics, I often get asked if the BBC could be more vocal about its strengths. So with this in mind, forgive me if this blog is a somewhat shameless celebration of what we do best.

Last week, I hosted a drink to say goodbye to Mark Damazer, the tenth Controller of Radio 4. Apart from paying tribute to Mark's successful tenure at the helm, it was a chance to reflect on the joys of the network and celebrate the strength of radio. Despite all the changes that the digital revolution brings, the fact that Radio 4 is achieving record listening is testament to the quality of its programme teams who deliver radio across a wonderfully broad array of subjects.

But to assess the true value of the network, it is sometimes best to move away from the UK and experience a culture devoid of Radio 4. In 2001, I moved to Connecticut for 2 years and while I appreciated so much of American life, almost every evening I would go to the computer after putting the children to bed and listen to programmes such as Today or In Our Time on Listen Again (as it was once called). On returning to the UK, I can recall that my first decision in this job was to confirm that I wanted our domestic networks to continue to be available for free online across the world. It did not cost significant money and there was no clear way to commercialise the services, so it was an easy decision to make.

On this theme, an article published in the LA Times this week not only drew attention to the strength of radio but gave a perspective on how Radio 4 is perceived beyond our shores.

To radio lovers, an explanation of the appeal of the station is not likely to be surprising news. However, the LA Times article also touches on a point that is central to UK radio and stretches beyond a pure celebration of Radio 4. It makes the case that appropriate public funding in radio broadcasting can lead to a stronger overall radio market. UK listening has remained healthy versus the US because of the diversity and breadth of what we offer. Of course the BBC must remain utterly distinctive versus commercial stations but when used appropriately the Licence Fee can help build the overall size of the radio market and stimulate growth across all sectors, commercial and BBC, by ensuring that radio does not become sub-scale in an increasingly competitive, global media sector. Of course, this does not mean that growth is all down to public funding; ensuring enough space for further commercial competition and driving industry innovation is also critical.

As for Radio 4, I am sure that with the very capable Gwyn Williams now in the Controller's seat, you will hear it going from strength to strength. Meanwhile, when you do travel abroad, do try to get to a computer and have a listen. I may be a touch sentimental but when you are thousands of miles from home it is easy to agree with Stephen Fry that Radio 4 is "the best reason for living in the UK". I wonder what the second best reason is?

Tim Davie is Director of Audio & Music at the BBC

Henry Chu's article appeared in Sunday's Los Angeles Times. It's the first in a new series by Times foreign correspondents about the ways of their host countries.
Gwyneth WIlliams, Radio 4's new Controller, wrote about her first week in the job and Paddy O'Connell interviewed Mark Damazer on his departure, both on the Radio 4 blog.
The picture shows Evan Davis in a Broadcasting House studio preparing for a recording of The Bottom Line.

Live music and BBC radio - welcome to the Radio Blog

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the new BBC Radio Blog where I and others will be making regular posts on a wide range of topics affecting the national radio stations and music programmes across the BBC. It is a chance to hear directly from myself and the team, and, like the best speech radio, we hope to provoke debate and reaction. Please do leave comments and suggest topics that we should cover.

September in the BBC Broadcasting House HQ is a time when we reflect on the BBC Proms season as well as on our coverage of a host of other festivals and outside broadcasts such as coverage of the Mercury Awards. For many of our teams, it is a momentary pause as they move into a busy autumn of live music featuring such delights as the London Jazz Festival and the Radio 2 Electric Proms, both of which announced their 2010 line-ups last week.

The global boom in live music is a well-documented phenomenon that has continued to buck recessionary trends. The latest PRS for Music Economics report (PDF) showed that after passing recorded music sales in the UK in 2008, live music receipts grew to £1.537bn in 2009, up 9.4%. Recorded music revenues were flat at £1.357bn in the same period. Of course, much has been written about the unique power of communal live events in an increasingly virtual world. Certainly, while I would naturally champion BBC radio and TV as an outstanding way to enjoy live performance, of course there is something special about hearing and seeing the drama unfold live at the event itself. That is why our commitment to supporting an incredibly wide range of live music across multiple genres and sustaining our hours of coverage will be central to my time in this job.

The success of the BBC Proms in achieving record ticket sales in 2010 was reported recently and the festival is perhaps benefitting from the overall trend, although it is dominated by pop music statistics. But I suspect that something deeper is at play. Indeed within the live music numbers there is some evidence that receipts are moving to the biggest pop superstars, while overall sales may be softening. The FT reported a 17% fall in ticket sales in the top 100 tours in the US in the first half of 2010. With this in mind, it makes our spirits soar when we hear that the Proms sold 92% of tickets to over 70 concerts in a venue of over 5000 people.

Personally I think two factors may be at play beyond a general trend towards live. Both of them could suggest that a sustained resurgence beyond pop music may be symbolic of deeper changes:

Firstly, the relative calm of a classical concert is something that I sense that people are beginning to yearn for. To be forced to switch off the smart phone and just absorb something of long lasting resonance, be it of beauty or powerful impact, is curiously precious in an age when instantaneous reaction (tweet, text or instant message) is the norm. Taking it slow is becoming a fast growth sector.

Secondly, I sense a growing but quiet rebellion against the desire to be confined to a fixed playlist or automated recommendations. Of course brilliant algorithms can work wonders for a web service, but when it comes to live performance, or indeed radio stations or museums, we put our trust in great curators and controllers and simply let them take us on a journey. It is this trust in an audience that marks out the great editorial leaders. I think that audiences trust BBC Proms Director Roger Wright and the Proms team. They are hungry to be taken beyond the familiar, to learn and be inspired. I know that by going to see something familiar, I may also make a memorable discovery. Personally, I remember arriving to see Prom 23 looking forward to The Lark Ascending and then getting bowled over by a inspirational work by the little known early 20th century composer John Foulds.

I hope that if you are not a regular fan of classical music or jazz, you may take the chance this autumn of putting your trust in those who are blessed with an innate ability to take us away from the addictive small screen and into a world of more profound discoveries: just click one of the links below and enjoy a concert from a BBC Performing Group or a jazz concert in the next few weeks. Of course, if you can't get to one, BBC radio will be there to broadcast much of what you miss.

Tim Davie is Director of Audio & Music at the BBC

There is still plenty to listen to and watch on the Proms web site, including clips of Dame Judi Dench, Simon Rattle and the Last Night. You can also browse the Proms archive for details of what was played at every Prom back to the festival's founding in 1895.
The London Jazz Festival web site has a full programme of performances (Friday 12 - Sunday 21 November).
The photograph shows Paul Lewis, star of the 2010 Proms. (c) Simon Jay Price.