Kia ora koutou, I feel a kind of disbelief and yet it has to be true because (ha ha) it was on RNZ news. The RNZ Board has reviewed their decision and decided to keep RNZ Concert on its FM frequency.
I am so pleased for all sorts of reasons.
I’m not writing this as someone who listens to or seeks classical music out a lot but occasionally I am led there by someone who knows what they’re talking about. That someone is an announcer.
I always thought you needed some sort of exposure, some education, to be a fan of classical music and when I was young we didn’t have a piano, couldn’t have afforded lessons anyway, ditto other instruments. We didn’t have a radio until I was seven or eight.
At Sunday School and church I heard hymns, sang in the junior choir. I had a good voice but I was always being told off for swaying to the music. A little later I met jazz and pop – they didn’t mind a little swaying – instant love.
What I found puzzling about the original RNZ decision was not only about the frequency and the music, it was that they also decided to ditch the people connected with this programme. Did they think we wouldn’t notice? That we wouldn’t care? You have to wonder – is the RNZ Board so far removed from their audience that they thought a continual stream of music, with no human voice to make contact with a listener, would work? Do they still think this?
Does the RNZ board’s change of heart include announcers and programmers?
It seems to me an announcer is so important. They tell me the background story, or interview someone who leads me through the story and I’m engaged and into that piece of music. Maybe the announcer’s assumption that I already have what it takes to make the journey makes it less scary? More importantly that voice make me feel part of the experience, makes me feel included. We need RNZ to keep the announcers and background staff.
Whatever the RNZ Chair says, its obvious the board had absolutely no idea that the backlash would be so large, so strong and so loud. What the RNZ Board didn’t bank on was that this age group would do anything except maybe a few emails or a letter or two. They made the assumption we had no power, no friends, no–one who would care when they threatened to throw their faithful listeners to the wolves. They were wrong.
The song that’s running through my brain right now though is not a piece of classical music although its a classic protest song – it fits perfectly…Bread and Roses.. yes we need bread (Concert FM) but we need roses (the announcers and programmers) too.
Bread and Roses, my friends, Bread and Roses.
Renée
