The BBC Trust has published its consultation document on the provision of On Demand material. The proposals regarding classical music have been discussed here already. FoR3 will be submitting a response in due course, but all members of the public are free to do so as individuals.Here are the key paragraphs which interest Radio 3 listeners:
Ofcom's recommendations:
"The provision of recordings of live classical music and book readings as non-DRM audio downloads could have a negative market impact. The MIA [Market Impact Assessment] says that book readings should be excluded from the service, and the range of classical music specified more tightly or excluded."
The BBC Trust's provisional conclusions:
"The second [area of possible concern] was classical music. Ofcom concluded, and we agree, that there is a potential negative market impact if the BBC allows listeners to build an extensive library of classical music that will serve as a close substitute for commercially available downloads or CDs. On the other hand, we believe that the BBC plays a significant national role through its orchestras and other performers that generates considerable public value, and that downloads can help bring classical music to new audiences. The MIA observed that the impact of the service would vary depending on the nature of the content offered and suggested that the range of classical content provided should be specified much more tightly.
If appropriate practical guidelines could not be formulated then it was Ofcom’s view that classical music should be entirely excluded. We considered the approach of more tightly defining the content that could be provided and concluded that it would be difficult effectively to define such a specification, and that it would likely reduce the benefit of introducing new audiences to classical music. We also considered an alternative approach to reducing the scope – through allowing the BBC to provide only the occasional single complete work of classical music for download, offered around BBC seasons or events with high impact. On balance, we concluded that the public value was not sufficient to justify the negative market impact identified by Ofcom. Subject to consultation, we intend to exclude classical music from the non-DRM audio downloads service."
We shall be arguing against the blanket exclusion of classical music and a fuller consideration of Ofcom's recommendations regarding a definition of material which could be included. If you have any ideas on how acceptable content could be defined, please suggest them.
These recommendations don't affect Listen Again.
Consultation:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/research/iplayer_public_value_test.htmlFriends of Radio 3:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/dna/mbradio3/F6643900/ext/_auto/-/http://www.for3.org/contact.html 
