Tony Duggan <[log in to unmask]> wrote about the use of a license fee
in the financing of the BBC.  May I add another aspect to this which may
prevent, for some time to come, the diffusion of such a radio station as
BBC R3 via other means such as the Internet and that is the UK's Musician's
Union, traditionally a fairly stubborn organisation?

When BBC R4 appeared on the Astra satellite there was no Radio 3 and
the feeble excuse given out from the BBC was that there were "technical
problems".  My guess is that they were in close combat with the MU.  There
may have been, at that stage, copyright problems also.  Whatever the truth
of this BBC R3 eventually appeared on the Astra satellite (whose footprint
covers the large part of western Europe) along with all the other BBC radio
stations (1-5).

But in spite of the license fee (for TV and for UK residents) these radio
transmissions are "free-to-air" for everyone and as they are technically
superior to FM transmissions the sound, through good equipment, is quite
magnificent.  When we came to Spain 12 years ago we tuned into a crackly
Lillibulero to get the BBC World Service on AM (short wave) and just to
catch the news.

How our quality of life has changed for which, too, credit can be given to
German TV for its music and opera broadcasts on 3SAT, Bayern 3, ARTE, ZDF
etc. - and which are all free!  Oh, and Rai Tre (Italy), too.  The wonders
of BBC R3 are not, however, to be found on BBC TV - for concerts and opera
that is, in comparison, is a total catastrophe!  They no longer even carry
the New Year's Concert from Vienna.

And perhaps, under Roger Wright, the annual Bayreuth Ring will not, again,
be broadcast between 0100h and 0600h!  Barbaric!

What is disturbing, however, is that as far as I can see the new digital
transmissions coming from UK (Ondigital & Sky) exclude the BBC radio
stations.

John G. Deacon
Home page:   http://www.ctv.es/USERS/j.deacon