Letter: Trouble at Radio 3

Sir: Somebody had better say it: Nicholas Kenyon's attempts to modernise Radio 3 are a disaster. We have presenters of music programmes-cum-chat shows attempting to read the news, and interviews of a mind-boggling banality. Last week Richard Baker played host to someone who spoke about 'simplicticality'; the normally admirable Michael Berkeley told us it was now his 'duty and privilege' to read the headlines; and to listen to another distinguished musicologist, Edward Greenfield, struggling with his script like a conscript up to his knees in mud is simply embarrassing.

Does Mr Kenyon not realise that people like myself used to listen to Radio 3 first thing in the morning, and again first thing in the evening, precisely because we did not want to be talked to all the time or be bored to death with repetitive news bulletins every 13 minutes? If we did, we could easily switch to Radio 4, where these things are done professionally.

The reason listening figures for Radio 3 are minute is because the channel has always aimed at excellence. How many new listeners lured by popularity does Mr Kenyon plan to capture at how great a sacrifice of the very highest standards? If my attitude to what has been achieved so far - the destruction of something that used to make life more tolerable - makes me an elitist, then I am proud to be called one.

There is no way in which you can make the finest broadcasting service in the world 'popular', because the attempt produces a contradiction in terms. Those who want lower standards of content and presentation are already all too adequately catered for.

Yours faithfully,

MICHAEL DE-LA-NOY

Hove, East Sussex