Here's what Caroline Raphael Former Head of Radio Drama says about this.
30 April 2021
Well, it's this announcement. And as a former Head of Radio Drama I need to
say something. This is the first public acknowledgment in a very underhand
way, if you know the Radio 4 schedules, that the 15' Drama is being cut.
As one of the team who introduced this slot in 1998 it's sad to see it go
but schedules change and they should change, actually more regularly than
they do, to complement changing lifestyles, ways of consuming media. But
what I really feel is anger at the continuing erosion of audio drama on the
BBC. As a public service institution it has I believe a responsibility to
support the arts, to be a cultural patron. This cut is alongside reduction
in hours of the afternoon drama (actual slots and decrease in slot duration
and move towards serials or series), and in what was the Saturday Play
which is now only 12 a year. The numbers are plummeting.
I also believe as a public service broadcaster the BBC has a responsibility
to develop emerging voices and cherish existing ones; although trying to do
both is not always easy to reconcile with finite resources. There are now
few places on BBC radio that publicly welcome new writers anymore. Why
hasn't more public noise been made about this? I suspect it is because many
are concerned about the amount of flak and outright opposition the BBC is
already getting per se and do not want to add to that noise. The result,
the quiet death of what was once a really significant part of the cultural
heritage of this country.
Making a lot of noise about supporting theatre, recording a few theatre
pieces for television that would have been lost to the pandemic, is easy
and wins plaudits. Less glamorous but so much more essential is the quiet
day to day support of writers, actors, sound designers, directors and
producers that once was the glory of BBC Radio Drama.
You need to be a member of Times Past to add comments!
Replies
What a loss!!
Thanks for posting this. I'm with Ms Raphael all the way!
Roger
BBC Drama cuts
15 minute Drama cancelled - 60 hours of drama gone
Saturday Play reduced to 12 a year - 28 hours gone
Afternoon drama 1 slot reduced to 1/2 hour - 12 hours gone
Sad days indeed