BBC Third Programme: Difference between revisions

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{{Use British English|date=February 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}

{{Infobox radiobroadcasting network

| name = BBC Third Programme

| image = BBC Broadcasting House 532073098.jpg

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| caption = The Third Programme headquarters was at [[Broadcasting House]] in [[London]].

| country = [[United Kingdom]]

| headquarters = [[Broadcasting House]], [[London]], [[England]]

| radio_stationsradiostations = 647 [[kHz]], 1547 kHz

| owner = [[BBC]]

| launch_dateestablished = {{Start date and age|1946|09|29|df=y}}

| dissolved = {{End date and age|1967|09|29|df=y}}

| language = [[English language|English]]

| replaced_by = [[BBC Radio 3]]

}}

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==History==

{{Further|Timeline of BBC Radio 3}}

When it started in 1946, the Third Programme broadcast for six hours each evening from 6.00 pm to midnight, although its output was cut to just 24 hours a week from October 1957, with the early part of weekday evenings being given over to educational programming (known as "Network Three"). The frequencies were also used during daytime hours to broadcast complete ball-by-ball commentary on [[Test cricket|test match cricket]], under the title ''[[Test Match Special]]"''.

The Third's existence was controversial from the beginning, partly because of perceived "elitism" – it was sometimes criticised for broadcasting programmes of "two [[Academia|dons]] talking" – and also for the cost of its output relative to a small listener [[reach (advertising)|reach]]. Its existence was against the corporation's founding principles, as [[John Reith, 1st Baron Reith|Reith]] himself had during his time at the BBC been against segmenting audiences by splitting programming genres across different networks. From the start, though, it had prominent supporters: the [[Secretary of State for Education and Skills|Education Secretary]] in the [[Clement Attlee|Attlee]] government, [[Ellen Wilkinson]], spoke rather optimistically of creating a "third programme nation". When it faced those 1957 cuts, the Third Programme Defence Society was formed and its leaders included [[T. S. Eliot]], [[Albert Camus]], and [[Laurence Olivier|Sir Laurence Olivier]].

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The Third Programme's contribution to contemporary poetry and criticism was significant, under producers and presenters such as [[John Wain]], [[Ludovic Kennedy]], [[George MacBeth]] and [[Patrick Dickinson]]. It promoted young writers such as [[Philip Larkin]] and [[Kingsley Amis]], as well as the "difficult" work of [[David Jones (poet)|David Jones]] and [[Laura Riding]]. The Third Programme was for many years the single largest source of [[copyright]] payments to poets.

The decision to close down the Third Programme was opposed by many within the BBC, some of them senior figures. Within the music division, a '"BBC rebellion'" gathered force, with its most vocal members including [[Hans Keller]] and [[Robert Simpson (composer)|Robert Simpson]]. Ultimately however, the attempt to prevent the culture-conscious Third being replaced by what Keller called "a daytime music station" proved unsuccessful.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

===Controllers===

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* 1946–1948: [[George Barnes (BBC controller)|George Barnes]]

* 1948–1952: [[Harman Grisewood]]

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===Announcers===

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* Patrick Butler

* [[Patricia Hughes (radio presenter)|Patricia Hughes]]