It is difficult to know how to start this. I've had conversations with a few people this week about the various movements aimed at the CBC. I strongly believe that all of them are a good thing at the core. It is an indication that people care deeply about the CBC and what is (or isn't) on the CBC. It is a far better than people not caring one way or another. If it ever gets to a point where the CBC announces big changes and everyone shrugs, only then is the CBC in real trouble. Having said that, the CBC cannot be all things to all people. It should, as is it's mandate, cater to smaller niche audience with programming that might be less commercially viable than what is played on commercial television and radio but that does not mean catering to one audience or another exclusively.
I have been shocked by some of the venom that has been directed at Radio 2. I am certainly against 'dumbing down' the CBC, but to imply that playing music other than classical is 'dumbing down' is ... well...dumb. Canada has an enormous amount of musical talent, classical and otherwise. For example, in addition to classical and opera there is world music, ambient, electronic, country, folk, a wide variety of different styles of rock music, blues, jazz, R & B, hip hop, and on and on. What's more, as Canada becomes more and more multi-cultural the types and styles of music are going to expand exponentially - to the point where even trying to attach a label or genre to a performer will be nearly impossible.
Artists in all of these genres have the same desire to have their music heard and have the same problems doing so. Fans of many of these genres also have a hard time finding programming unless it is on campus or community radio. All commercial radio seems obsessed with a small group of people who are not the majority in this country - rather they are just an easy and undemanding audience to get.
In an ideal world we'd have CBC Radio 1, 2 and 3 as well as 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, ... with each catering to different types of music and a different audience. In the world we live in however no one is going to pay for it. CBC Radio remains commercial free and the government is simply not going to fund it all. So, is it too much to ask that what air space is available is shared by different types of Canadian musicians and fans? Is that 'dumb'? I would certainly hope that it isn't. If, in Canadian culture, compromise and sharing are 'dumb' then this country is in trouble - and it has nothing to do with a lack of classical music.
So, again, here is the facebook group to keep Radio 2 classical http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9009203294 - it currently has over 12,000 members.
Over here is a (much newer) group that supports the changes coming to radio 2 http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10781634634 - currently a mere 254 members (which is up by about 200 in the last few days).
3 comments:
I'm confused as to why people think that non-mainstream music is being under represented. Did we all forget about Radio 3? We already have a place for under represented music; ie RADIO 3! Radio 2's first mistake was to abolish Radio 3 from it's Saturday night -- it's second mistake is going to be reducing the classical and operatic music from its weekly programming. Whynot just make the already-established Radio 3 accessible to everyone as a regular radio station AND have Radio 2 as it is now?
First, making Radio 3 a regular radio station is easier said than done. It would require hundreds of CRTC licenses to make it available throughout the country - and staff to man the transmitters.
Second, Radio 3 has a variety but does not represent all 'non-mainstream' music.
Third, One for classical and one for everything else doesn't really seem equitable.
In the short run Radio 2s changes will probably hurt it, there are so many people who don't even bother with Radio 2 because Classical and Opera isn't what they are interested in - over the long haul though this will keep Radio 2 from vanishing into obsolescence.
I have nothing against classical. I quite like some of it, but the audience for it is declining annually.
I am 100% in support of chance for the radio 2. Justin, i could not have summarized my thoughts better then you have. I believe there is a place for classical music on radio 2. I just don't believe that one genre should take precedent over another. As for radio3, I love it. But I realize that its target audience is youth, and lovers of independent Canadian music.
I think radio3 is a bridge between popular music, and public radio. And that's a great thing. For radio2, i see nothing wrong with shows like 'Canada Live' or "Vinyl Tap" along with other genre based shows.
Using an American NPR station like KEXP as example, they do a wonderful job of exploring all genres. I would like to see radio2 take a step closer to this approach.
That said, I'm also happy to see people getting angry and voicing their ideas.
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