• OT: What's gone wrong with Counterpoint?

    From Nick Odell@nickodell49@yahoo.ca to uk.media.radio.archers on Sun Mar 22 18:38:27 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.media.radio.archers

    I've been listening to the current series of Counterpoint and I have
    to ask myself why I bother. I've also been listening to old episodes
    too.

    Pre-pandemic the competitors were lined up with Paul Gambaccini in
    front of a studio audience which gave a certain pizzazz to the
    occasion. Then during the pandemic, while it was obvious that
    everybody was phoning in from their own locations, there seemed to be
    a spirit of determination to compensate for the lack of frisson caused
    by the remoteness of chairman and competitors and lack of an audience
    and the show got a lift from the positivity of the participants.

    Listen to it now. They are all in different locations: competing from
    home as during the lockdown days. But Gambaccini seems barely
    interested in what he is doing and his lack of enthusiasm brings only
    flat responses from the competitors. Maybe it needs to be brought back
    into the studio with an audience? And much as I admire Paul
    Gambaccini, maybe in all honesty, it needs a new chair.

    Nick
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mike McMillan@toodle.pip1@virginmedia.com to uk.media.radio.archers on Mon Mar 23 08:54:25 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.media.radio.archers

    Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca> wrote:
    I've been listening to the current series of Counterpoint and I have
    to ask myself why I bother. I've also been listening to old episodes
    too.

    Pre-pandemic the competitors were lined up with Paul Gambaccini in
    front of a studio audience which gave a certain pizzazz to the
    occasion. Then during the pandemic, while it was obvious that
    everybody was phoning in from their own locations, there seemed to be
    a spirit of determination to compensate for the lack of frisson caused
    by the remoteness of chairman and competitors and lack of an audience
    and the show got a lift from the positivity of the participants.

    Listen to it now. They are all in different locations: competing from
    home as during the lockdown days. But Gambaccini seems barely
    interested in what he is doing and his lack of enthusiasm brings only
    flat responses from the competitors. Maybe it needs to be brought back
    into the studio with an audience? And much as I admire Paul
    Gambaccini, maybe in all honesty, it needs a new chair.

    Nick


    Presactly wot we fawt Nick! It is dead as a dodo, without spirit, life, air
    or anything else so we gave up after week 2 or 3. In addition to this, this fuddy duddy does not do rCypop musicrCO and, as such the series no longer had very much interest to me anyway!
    --
    Toodle Pip, Mike McMillan
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From john ashby@johnashby20@yahoo.com to uk.media.radio.archers on Mon Mar 23 10:49:24 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.media.radio.archers

    On 22/03/2026 18:38, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've been listening to the current series of Counterpoint and I have
    to ask myself why I bother. I've also been listening to old episodes
    too.

    Pre-pandemic the competitors were lined up with Paul Gambaccini in
    front of a studio audience which gave a certain pizzazz to the
    occasion. Then during the pandemic, while it was obvious that
    everybody was phoning in from their own locations, there seemed to be
    a spirit of determination to compensate for the lack of frisson caused
    by the remoteness of chairman and competitors and lack of an audience
    and the show got a lift from the positivity of the participants.

    Listen to it now. They are all in different locations: competing from
    home as during the lockdown days. But Gambaccini seems barely
    interested in what he is doing and his lack of enthusiasm brings only
    flat responses from the competitors. Maybe it needs to be brought back
    into the studio with an audience? And much as I admire Paul
    Gambaccini, maybe in all honesty, it needs a new chair.

    Nick

    So it's not just the contestants who are phoning it in, Gambaccini is as
    well.

    I was never a fan of the format (or of Gambaccini) and maybe it has run
    its course.

    john

    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mike McMillan@toodle.pip1@virginmedia.com to uk.media.radio.archers on Mon Mar 23 12:15:56 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.media.radio.archers

    john ashby <johnashby20@yahoo.com> wrote:
    On 22/03/2026 18:38, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've been listening to the current series of Counterpoint and I have
    to ask myself why I bother. I've also been listening to old episodes
    too.

    Pre-pandemic the competitors were lined up with Paul Gambaccini in
    front of a studio audience which gave a certain pizzazz to the
    occasion. Then during the pandemic, while it was obvious that
    everybody was phoning in from their own locations, there seemed to be
    a spirit of determination to compensate for the lack of frisson caused
    by the remoteness of chairman and competitors and lack of an audience
    and the show got a lift from the positivity of the participants.

    Listen to it now. They are all in different locations: competing from
    home as during the lockdown days. But Gambaccini seems barely
    interested in what he is doing and his lack of enthusiasm brings only
    flat responses from the competitors. Maybe it needs to be brought back
    into the studio with an audience? And much as I admire Paul
    Gambaccini, maybe in all honesty, it needs a new chair.

    Nick

    So it's not just the contestants who are phoning it in, Gambaccini is as well.

    I was never a fan of the format (or of Gambaccini) and maybe it has run
    its course.

    john



    Perhaps they should leave Counterpoint to the experts like J.S. Bach, now
    he knew how to make it good!
    --
    Toodle Pip, Mike McMillan
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From john ashby@johnashby20@yahoo.com to uk.media.radio.archers on Mon Mar 23 12:38:36 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.media.radio.archers

    On 23/03/2026 12:15, Mike McMillan wrote:
    john ashby <johnashby20@yahoo.com> wrote:
    On 22/03/2026 18:38, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've been listening to the current series of Counterpoint and I have
    to ask myself why I bother. I've also been listening to old episodes
    too.

    Pre-pandemic the competitors were lined up with Paul Gambaccini in
    front of a studio audience which gave a certain pizzazz to the
    occasion. Then during the pandemic, while it was obvious that
    everybody was phoning in from their own locations, there seemed to be
    a spirit of determination to compensate for the lack of frisson caused
    by the remoteness of chairman and competitors and lack of an audience
    and the show got a lift from the positivity of the participants.

    Listen to it now. They are all in different locations: competing from
    home as during the lockdown days. But Gambaccini seems barely
    interested in what he is doing and his lack of enthusiasm brings only
    flat responses from the competitors. Maybe it needs to be brought back
    into the studio with an audience? And much as I admire Paul
    Gambaccini, maybe in all honesty, it needs a new chair.

    Nick

    So it's not just the contestants who are phoning it in, Gambaccini is as
    well.

    I was never a fan of the format (or of Gambaccini) and maybe it has run
    its course.

    john



    Perhaps they should leave Counterpoint to the experts like J.S. Bach, now
    he knew how to make it good!

    He's already raking in the royalties from the 6.50ish slot on R3.

    john(who wishes they'd play the morning stretch extract at full speed
    when they reveal the answer for those of us who believe we can hum it
    but n0t name it)
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mike McMillan@toodle.pip1@virginmedia.com to uk.media.radio.archers on Mon Mar 23 14:01:22 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.media.radio.archers

    john ashby <johnashby20@yahoo.com> wrote:
    On 23/03/2026 12:15, Mike McMillan wrote:
    john ashby <johnashby20@yahoo.com> wrote:
    On 22/03/2026 18:38, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've been listening to the current series of Counterpoint and I have
    to ask myself why I bother. I've also been listening to old episodes
    too.

    Pre-pandemic the competitors were lined up with Paul Gambaccini in
    front of a studio audience which gave a certain pizzazz to the
    occasion. Then during the pandemic, while it was obvious that
    everybody was phoning in from their own locations, there seemed to be
    a spirit of determination to compensate for the lack of frisson caused >>>> by the remoteness of chairman and competitors and lack of an audience
    and the show got a lift from the positivity of the participants.

    Listen to it now. They are all in different locations: competing from
    home as during the lockdown days. But Gambaccini seems barely
    interested in what he is doing and his lack of enthusiasm brings only
    flat responses from the competitors. Maybe it needs to be brought back >>>> into the studio with an audience? And much as I admire Paul
    Gambaccini, maybe in all honesty, it needs a new chair.

    Nick

    So it's not just the contestants who are phoning it in, Gambaccini is as >>> well.

    I was never a fan of the format (or of Gambaccini) and maybe it has run
    its course.

    john



    Perhaps they should leave Counterpoint to the experts like J.S. Bach, now
    he knew how to make it good!

    He's already raking in the royalties from the 6.50ish slot on R3.

    john(who wishes they'd play the morning stretch extract at full speed
    when they reveal the answer for those of us who believe we can hum it
    but n0t name it)


    They do play the unstretched elastic chords after revealing wot it is!
    --
    Toodle Pip, Mike McMillan
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From john ashby@johnashby20@yahoo.com to uk.media.radio.archers on Mon Mar 23 15:24:50 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.media.radio.archers

    On 23/03/2026 14:01, Mike McMillan wrote:
    john ashby <johnashby20@yahoo.com> wrote:
    On 23/03/2026 12:15, Mike McMillan wrote:
    john ashby <johnashby20@yahoo.com> wrote:
    On 22/03/2026 18:38, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've been listening to the current series of Counterpoint and I have >>>>> to ask myself why I bother. I've also been listening to old episodes >>>>> too.

    Pre-pandemic the competitors were lined up with Paul Gambaccini in
    front of a studio audience which gave a certain pizzazz to the
    occasion. Then during the pandemic, while it was obvious that
    everybody was phoning in from their own locations, there seemed to be >>>>> a spirit of determination to compensate for the lack of frisson caused >>>>> by the remoteness of chairman and competitors and lack of an audience >>>>> and the show got a lift from the positivity of the participants.

    Listen to it now. They are all in different locations: competing from >>>>> home as during the lockdown days. But Gambaccini seems barely
    interested in what he is doing and his lack of enthusiasm brings only >>>>> flat responses from the competitors. Maybe it needs to be brought back >>>>> into the studio with an audience? And much as I admire Paul
    Gambaccini, maybe in all honesty, it needs a new chair.

    Nick

    So it's not just the contestants who are phoning it in, Gambaccini is as >>>> well.

    I was never a fan of the format (or of Gambaccini) and maybe it has run >>>> its course.

    john



    Perhaps they should leave Counterpoint to the experts like J.S. Bach, now >>> he knew how to make it good!

    He's already raking in the royalties from the 6.50ish slot on R3.

    john(who wishes they'd play the morning stretch extract at full speed
    when they reveal the answer for those of us who believe we can hum it
    but n0t name it)


    They do play the unstretched elastic chords after revealing wot it is!

    But sometimes (as with this morning) it's from somewhere in the middle
    and the aforesaid person (OK, it's me) has to listen hard for several
    minutes until the bit he or she has been humming is played.

    john
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mike McMillan@toodle.pip1@virginmedia.com to uk.media.radio.archers on Mon Mar 23 16:23:06 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.media.radio.archers

    john ashby <johnashby20@yahoo.com> wrote:
    On 23/03/2026 14:01, Mike McMillan wrote:
    john ashby <johnashby20@yahoo.com> wrote:
    On 23/03/2026 12:15, Mike McMillan wrote:
    john ashby <johnashby20@yahoo.com> wrote:
    On 22/03/2026 18:38, Nick Odell wrote:
    I've been listening to the current series of Counterpoint and I have >>>>>> to ask myself why I bother. I've also been listening to old episodes >>>>>> too.

    Pre-pandemic the competitors were lined up with Paul Gambaccini in >>>>>> front of a studio audience which gave a certain pizzazz to the
    occasion. Then during the pandemic, while it was obvious that
    everybody was phoning in from their own locations, there seemed to be >>>>>> a spirit of determination to compensate for the lack of frisson caused >>>>>> by the remoteness of chairman and competitors and lack of an audience >>>>>> and the show got a lift from the positivity of the participants.

    Listen to it now. They are all in different locations: competing from >>>>>> home as during the lockdown days. But Gambaccini seems barely
    interested in what he is doing and his lack of enthusiasm brings only >>>>>> flat responses from the competitors. Maybe it needs to be brought back >>>>>> into the studio with an audience? And much as I admire Paul
    Gambaccini, maybe in all honesty, it needs a new chair.

    Nick

    So it's not just the contestants who are phoning it in, Gambaccini is as >>>>> well.

    I was never a fan of the format (or of Gambaccini) and maybe it has run >>>>> its course.

    john



    Perhaps they should leave Counterpoint to the experts like J.S. Bach, now >>>> he knew how to make it good!

    He's already raking in the royalties from the 6.50ish slot on R3.

    john(who wishes they'd play the morning stretch extract at full speed
    when they reveal the answer for those of us who believe we can hum it
    but n0t name it)


    They do play the unstretched elastic chords after revealing wot it is!

    But sometimes (as with this morning) it's from somewhere in the middle
    and the aforesaid person (OK, it's me) has to listen hard for several minutes until the bit he or she has been humming is played.

    john


    Roll over Beethoven!
    --
    Toodle Pip, Mike McMillan
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Plusnet@not@home.com to uk.media.radio.archers on Mon Mar 23 18:49:21 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.media.radio.archers

    On 23/03/2026 08:54, Mike McMillan wrote:
    Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca> wrote:
    I've been listening to the current series of Counterpoint and I have
    to ask myself why I bother. I've also been listening to old episodes
    too.

    Pre-pandemic the competitors were lined up with Paul Gambaccini in
    front of a studio audience which gave a certain pizzazz to the
    occasion. Then during the pandemic, while it was obvious that
    everybody was phoning in from their own locations, there seemed to be
    a spirit of determination to compensate for the lack of frisson caused
    by the remoteness of chairman and competitors and lack of an audience
    and the show got a lift from the positivity of the participants.

    Listen to it now. They are all in different locations: competing from
    home as during the lockdown days. But Gambaccini seems barely
    interested in what he is doing and his lack of enthusiasm brings only
    flat responses from the competitors. Maybe it needs to be brought back
    into the studio with an audience? And much as I admire Paul
    Gambaccini, maybe in all honesty, it needs a new chair.

    Nick


    Presactly wot we fawt Nick! It is dead as a dodo, without spirit, life, air or anything else so we gave up after week 2 or 3. In addition to this, this fuddy duddy does not do rCypop musicrCO and, as such the series no longer had very much interest to me anyway!

    Maybe it's a plan to kill it off over time?
    If they make it boring enough, the audience will fall away.
    Then the captive bolt can come into play without much protest from the
    'loyal listeners'.
    --
    Sam Plusnet
    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Chris@chris.mcmillan@ntlworld.com to uk.media.radio.archers on Wed Mar 25 21:42:08 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.media.radio.archers

    Maybe Mr G doesnrCOt like whatrCOs been foisted on him either. I barely listened properly to the first round. Or the powers that be want to
    re-design it for rCyyoofrCO audiences. I know the answers to less and less and not knowing if IrCOve even heard all the answers properly with the daft
    names, IrCOve stopped watching the clock for it.

    Mrs McT

    Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca> wrote:
    I've been listening to the current series of Counterpoint and I have
    to ask myself why I bother. I've also been listening to old episodes
    too.

    Pre-pandemic the competitors were lined up with Paul Gambaccini in
    front of a studio audience which gave a certain pizzazz to the
    occasion. Then during the pandemic, while it was obvious that
    everybody was phoning in from their own locations, there seemed to be
    a spirit of determination to compensate for the lack of frisson caused
    by the remoteness of chairman and competitors and lack of an audience
    and the show got a lift from the positivity of the participants.

    Listen to it now. They are all in different locations: competing from
    home as during the lockdown days. But Gambaccini seems barely
    interested in what he is doing and his lack of enthusiasm brings only
    flat responses from the competitors. Maybe it needs to be brought back
    into the studio with an audience? And much as I admire Paul
    Gambaccini, maybe in all honesty, it needs a new chair.

    Nick




    --- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2