In Praise of Radio 3

In last weekend's Sunday Times Culture section there is an excellent article on Radio 3 by Bryan Appleyard. I sometimes find myself taking exception to Appleyard's writings but in this case he's pretty much spot on. The target, in general terms, is the dumming down of broadcasting and the transmission of cultural content driven by the populist stance of philistinic politicians and "managers".  Two of the former singled out by Appleyard are Ed Vaizey (a Classic FM listener) and Tom Watson ("Radio 3...is becoming a niche station"). As Appleyard pithily points out, Radio 3 was established by the Attlee government (as "The Third Programme") in the conviction that nothing was too good for the working man. If anything it is Classic FM - a purveyor of "these you have loved" and not much more - that is the niche station. Radio 3 is much, much more. I won't steal any more of Appleyard's essay - just urge you to read it.