Schedule changes at ABC Radio’s national networks will see the disappearance of The Listening Room and The Goons. The changes are about “better programming,” not cost cutting, according to ABC Director of Radio Sue Howard.

ABC Classic FM has effectively axed the ‘audio arts’ program The Listening Room, heard at 9pm Monday nights, as part of its schedule changes – a move which is not popular with specialist staff, who told radioinfo the changes move the network more towards flow program, announcer-based presentation, a change which they see as weakening the quality of programming. Staff also believe the cuts are entirely budget motivated.

“Not so, it was an editorial decision, not just a budget decision,” says Sue Howard, who told radioinfo the schedule changes will better expose new Australian classical music to a larger audience and prevent the ghettoising of programs.

“Classic FM has a target of 12% Australian compositions, so we want to expose that significant investment to a larger group of listeners. The changes will make space for us to achieve that aim. Our new music coordinator will source, record and schedule new Australian music across all programs, so that it can sneak up on people who would not normally listen to a whole program of it.

“The changes will also allow us to put to air a broader repertoire of concerts and develop a new late evening program.”

Three staff are expected to lose their jobs with the axing of The Listening Room, although management says they may be absorbed into other jobs.

ABC Radio has to live with cuts of $200,000 in its budget this year, which Sue Howard says will be found from trimming small amounts in various areas and from a reduction in broadcast rights fees paid to the BBC. “We are no longer a colonial outpost,” says Howard, who expects that, if there is any backlash relating to BBC programs it will come from the decision to cut replays of the long running Goon Show.

An email to staff from Classic FM Network Manager John Crawford to staff, leaked to radioinfo, explains the changes:

“Attached is the document you have all been waiting for, the new schedule for 2004. Audience Research and much of what was discussed at the Conference has been built into this and I think it is an exciting
development for us.

I have spoken to key Classic FM staff members affected by this change, in confidence, and whilst there may still be questions and a few loose ends to tie up, this schedule is firm for January 19th, 2004.

Essentially, a key objective has been to provide predictability for
listeners by having a strip approach to the Schedule. The major noticeable change here is that there is a concert slot every evening of the week. This means that all kinds of music can be scheduled there, if it is appropriate to do so because an event is taking place.

The evenings will contain the first run concerts and be the main part of the schedule where we take people out to events. Events is a key word too, we can be live any night
and I want us to sound this way.

The slot is flexible enough to incorporate concerts from overseas, to incorporate new music, studio events of radiophonic material, jazz, symphonic music, chamber music or recitals, but whatever the case, it can be the event listeners wish they were at. Our concert presenters who already do such a good job, will have a real opportunity here for creation of ‘seasons’ and ‘festivals’ where they don’t
actually exist, e.g. an enhanced Sibelius Festival coming up next year,
another ‘Nights Festival’ or the recreated Huntington, and also they have
opportunities for continuity and succession, for a group sense as we hand
from one night to the next.

Another key change is the introduction of EPs to Classic FM. This will be a new venture for us, something we will have to work up as a house method, but it permits advances as much as it provides links across shifts, an ear on house style and another voice to advocate for content. The mornings will be EP’d by Mark Hastings, the Afternoons by Julie Howard and the evenings by Simon Healy. I will want to gather this team together as soon as I can for a workshop.

Another, very bold approach, is to have a couple of curators for the
network in two areas I see as absolutely essential.

One is early music,
where I believe we can do more to encourage the development of the industry in Australia. The curator will be Simon Healy, who has unmatched skills in the area.

The other is new music, where Graeme Hinckley will be curator. He
has the knowledge of what is going on and who is doing it. They will have the responsibility of identifying, organising recording and in conjunction with Patrick Carrick, scheduling, events and recordings that we want. Their work will also include some key placement of CDs and overseas material.

Three programs disappear, as discrete units: They are New Music Australia, The Listening Room and Early Music. BUT, all material currently presented by these programs will remain. The reason we have done this is that all subject areas are bigger than the programs that have contained them. This is a really confident and exciting way of further entrenching ABC Classic FM as a central player in all these fields. It enables us to schedule across our output; to reflect the true nature of what is happening and the likely audience; to attract wider audiences and persuade people if they don’t already know, that we are a key component in the creation of culture…

Radio National Program Manager Gordon Taylor, who is managing the staff impact of the schedule changes, has written to affected staff in the Performance and Features unit, explaining their employment options and indicating that staff unions will be consulted about the changes as they relate to jobs.

An official statement says:

“The ABC has determined that the program is no longer required editorially, and
that a significant and essential budget saving can be achieved by discontinuing
the program in 2004.

“There will be an impact on staff arising from this change and the ABC has
initiated consultation with staff and the CPSU.

“Every attempt will be made to absorb the staff, although there may be up to
three excess positions within Radio National. The ABC is prepared to consider
alternative proposals during the discussions.”

Opponents of the move have encouraged listeners to protest about the cuts, saying:

“This decision effectively ends radiophonic production in stereo at the ABC. Producers from the program are to be ‘absorbed’ into a pool of feature producers on Radio National with 3 redundancies in the process.

“There is huge staff anger at this decision to abandon a form of radio-making which has brought national and international plaudits to the ABC (The Listening Room has most recently won the 2003 Prix Italia prize for Music Programs), encouraged collaborations with many Australian composers, musicians and writers and has explored the art of radio in unique and innovative ways…

“Staff and supporters are intent on fighting this retrograde decision.
We call on all who wish to defend radiophonic production of the highest
standard to act now.”