主播大秀

It is rare that passionate radio listeners overwhelmingly and immediately support the scheduling changes that we make脗聽to a脗聽well-loved 主播大秀 radio station. However,脗聽having just announced that脗聽Radio 3 for 46 weeks of the year, the reaction has been脗聽almost universally脗聽positive. It is脗聽welcome脗聽news脗聽for UK performing groups and脗聽listeners脗聽who will enjoy an invitation脗聽to脗聽so many outstanding classical performances. What is perhaps less apparent脗聽is that it represents a脗聽deliberate move across 主播大秀 radio to keep building the percentage of live output that we脗聽air on our stations. For some, this approach may well seem counter-cultural脗聽as it comes at a time when脗聽digital evangelists脗聽continue脗聽to predict脗聽the脗聽media脗聽will move inexorably to time-shifted, on-demand脗聽content. This is true but, paradoxically,脗聽this very trend脗聽is driving the value of live脗聽experience.

Of course, on-demand脗聽does offer benefits, such as脗聽making available脗聽valuable archives like ,脗聽or a chance to catch-up on recent programmes,脗聽but surely it is time to declare that脗聽the appeal of live脗聽radio is not only here to stay but is going to grow. Even beyond radio, live seems to be where the action is. Whether we are watching an 蹿颈苍补濒,脗听脗聽or attending a concert, live seems to be a common factor in so many recent triumphs in areas that脗聽have been consigned by many to a future of inevitable decline. Radio is particularly advantaged by this trend as so much of what makes it successful is脗聽the脗聽drama and脗聽immediacy of live broadcast.

In what some see as a gravity-defying performance, radio listening remains buoyant and in , it was 5 live that hit new record numbers. The thrill of脗聽England keeping the脗聽Ashes combined with a busy news agenda provided脗聽a steady flow of compelling live stories. Also, over Christmas we deliberately脗聽focused脗聽on ensuring many of our broadcasts remained live rather than playing pre-recorded脗聽programming while the nation indulged itself.

Behind these successes, there may脗聽lie a脗聽deeper and more enduring need for wider communal experiences. The explosive growth of computers, tablets and脗聽smartphones脗聽has lead脗聽to a huge amount of solo activity脗聽with either no interaction, or脗聽communication being脗聽restricted to a small group of friends. Live脗聽broadcast experiences, although not offering the visceral experience of a live event, still offer a chance to be connected to something much bigger than a social network.

You may be listening alone but you know that thousands of people are connected together in one story. This is nothing new. I remember hearing my neighbours screaming with joy , or looking into another car as I脗聽saw someone as emotionally moved as I was by the story of the collapse of the脗聽Berlin脗聽Wall on the radio脗聽news. For programme makers and presenters,脗聽live脗聽tends to bring out the very best.

It is interesting that while 主播大秀 executives like myself are often thought to be脗聽intent on limiting risk and prefer the control of pre-recorded脗聽output, the truth脗聽tends to be脗聽the opposite. This is not to say that the art of pre-built radio in genres such as current affairs and drama脗聽is not to be nurtured as a precious skill, but even in these脗聽areas, live output can play an exciting and growing part.脗聽So while you will see the radio industry ensuring that it is part of the on-demand revolution, we remain champions of the wonders of live. On May 3rd, we begin our Radio 3 broadcasts. As the musicians begin to play,脗聽I hope that you will be there, at home,脗聽next to脗聽them.

Tim Davie is Director of Audio & Music at the 主播大秀

• shows performing live on at the Lowry Centre in Salford in October 2010.
• Edward Blakeman, an Editor at Radio 3, wrote about the station's new committment to live performance .
• 主播大秀 media correspondent Torin Douglas interviewed 5 live Controller Adrian Van Klaveren on the 5 live blog.
• Tim responded to the public reaction to the about Radio 3, Radio 4 and Radio 7 yesterday.