Changes at CBC Radio 2
There’s been some writing here in the US about CBC’s upcoming changes to Radio 2, but I want to attempt a more broad view of what’s happening.
Radio 2 is making another significant cutback in classical music. Even in the most recent phase of the redesign, morning drive is mainly classical, and afternoon’s venerable DiscDrive is…. well, it’s somewhat classical, or classical/jazz/folk/world, or “whatever Jurgen Gothe wants to play.” Both drivetime shows will now have much less classical music. Middays have been solidly classical and it looks as though it will remain so, even though the daytime schedule will shift – Eric Friesen is leaving in August.
CBC is, however, planning a major online initiative, launching three 24-hour internet radio services – classical, jazz, and singer-songwriter. This is the biggest move CBC (the English-speaking variant) has made in internet radio since launching Radio 3, a service that’s now also available in North America on Sirius. On a number of levels, this is a significant expansion of all three genres, even though they’re getting less air time on FM radio.
And now, pardon this half-assed analysis of an American: the changes at Radio 2 follow, by several years, a similar shift at CBC’s French cultural network, which transformed to Espace musique. Espace musique encompasses a very wide variety of music – classical, jazz, world music, emerging artists, chansons, even hip-hop, punk, ska, and electronica on weekends. Espace musique has also launched eight online music channels focusing on the principle genres of the service – Bande à part. (There’s a flavor of Bande à part on Sirius, too.)
CBC’s French services have traditionally been successful with listeners – CBC has tremendous strength in the production of French audio and video content. But at least part of the CBC’s success in French-speaking Canada is because of its widely understood role in preserving Francophone cultural distinctiveness and cohesiveness. CBC English radio has long been committed to preserving Canadian culture, but the changes on Radio 2 now represent an extremely broad view of the Canadian musical culture the corporation wants to embrace and extend – certainly more broad than most public radio programmers in the US would be willing to consider for a single service.
What I think will be interesting to watch is the long-term impact of this extensive change on listeners to Radio 2… if the audience grows, or not… and how its demographic shifts.
August 27, 2008. For the last week of my beloved CBC Radio 2 broadcasts, I have gone into full funeral mode, staying home all day to listen to my favorite programs, remembering and enjoying the intelligent, cultivated, witty, entertaining and insightful comments of Tom, Katherine, Eric and Jurgen. I am so grateful for the beauty they have brought to my life. I miss Shelley and Danielle – my husband and I used to dine to Music for a While, but it is all gone now, or will be soon. I made a batch of butter tarts to get me through the mourning and am girding myself to shut it down forever this Friday at 6 p.m. Adieu sweet Canada.
Kathy Schwartz
Seattle
Thanks for your thoughts, Kathy. Will you still listen to Tom Allen in the morning on 2? His new show will be an hour longer – 6-10am. I'm also interested to hear how Julie Nesrallah presents classical music during the workday.
I will certainly give it the old college try, but for the life of me, I can't understand dismantling programming that is fine and good, uplifting and life affirming, and hard to find anywhere else. It's not as if CBC is a commercial operation driven by ad revenues and listener ratings. During the CBC strike a few summers ago, I realized that music on the radio by itself is boring. What makes it live is the act of selecting music and the commentary that accompanies it.. The programs that are being ditched were masterful at this.
I have no interest in pop or jazz (blues excepted) or ethnic music. The program called “Tonic” which replaced “Music for a While” is merely annoying in its mission to be hip or cool or whatever, so we usually turn CBC of at 6 p.m. Based on the programming that has been offered recently on evenings and weekends, I don't have confidence that the new Radio 2 will be an improvement or even a tie with the programs that are being shelved.
We'll see next week.
Kathy Schwartz
Seattle
Yes, I wonder how it will work and how it will sound. Thanks, Kathy!
CBC Radio 2 seems determined to rid itself of its few remaining listeners. It has worked in my case. Radio 2 was a significant part of my life for many years. It saw me through my late wife's final illness and supported me in the grieving period which followed. I was a regualr listener at home or in the car, and latterly on my computer when out of broadcast range. I have enjoyed Julie Nasrallah live as a singer on several occasions in Ottawa, and was prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt. Her first two days were disasters, the third some slight improvement, but not enough to justify another visit. Let's not talk about the earlier programs in the morning, nor Jueregn Goth's replacement in the afternoon. Sorry, I'm sure i'll miss Radio 2 more than they will me. Thank heavens for satellite radio, XM gives me two or three good classical channels.
Okay. I did give Ms. Julie the old college try. No more. She could possibly be helped by a stint at broadcast training school. The music being offered is hugely boring – classical music 101 with barely informed commentary. What I am most missing is the way I used to wonder what her predecessors (Catherine, Eric, Juergen) would surprise me with today. They all had the ability to connect classical or “art” music with contemporary life. The new program “Tempo” has no zip, no zest, no excitement. It was easy to feel engaged with the previous announcers, almost as if they were friends. I miss the active listening that was a part of my former involvement with CBC Radio 2. I barely turn the radio on these days.
Kathy Schwartz
Seattle
I am absolutely devastated at what's happened to my beloved Radio 2. If I wanted to listen to “poplar” music, and endless inane chatter, I'd tune into any one of a dozen private stations.
If it weren't for Tempo in the mornings and TONIC(a truly wonderful program) – I simply wouldn't bother turning on my radio. Please, please, please…. give us back our classical music.
I used to be a devoted listener to CBC Radio 2. Suddenly there was a new announcer who sounds maybe nice if you are 19 years old and have never heard a classical concert in your entire life. Eric Freison was also suddenly gone — and while the woman who replaced him – Julie Nazrallah is enthusiastic and learned and plays lovely music — still for me, you simply cannot replace someone like Eric — no way, no how. Jurgen Gothe — gone. The new guy in his spot has character and is fun — still, the music simply doesn't hold me and so I am gone. Back to the US jazz station — its good public radio and all — but how I miss my classical music all day. What a pity. When you guys take off the opera, you'll lose me for good.
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