Does The Organist Entertains on Radio 2 do more harm than good?

I listen to Classic FM occasionally but am always irritated by the conveyor belt content of the same 'popular' classic works which they were playing 20 years ago. Wallpaper classics. I believe radio is basically dead as a source of specialist music entertainment.
But where less demanded, yet no less entertaining, music is concerned, including organ and keyboard, there are so many alternatives on the internet as online 'radio' shows. Organfax, Organ1stRadio, Hammondorganradio, and so on. I cannot visualize the BBC changing course for the sake of 200 plus petitioners, though I have added my support to the petition. I've even had some of my own playing included on Organ1st radio, hosted by Alan Ashton, which was an honour. I suggest that we support the people who really CARE about modern organ and keyboard playing, and expend effort and time into compiling their programmes in a far more open minded way. God bless 'em.

Young persons are more likely to become aware of organ music through the internet than the radio...the BBC hardly ever plays any modern organ music during the day, or even the evening. I've discovered far more artists new to me through the internet than the Beeb will ever divulge.

This programme has done more harm to the modern organ than anything I can think of. When trying to get work in hotels etc., I am shown the door the moment I mention the word Organ. We don't want any of that Blackpool Tower music here, is nearly always the comment. I now say I play multi keyboards and that gets a better response. As an organ player of 40 odd years I know how versatile the modern organs can be and the wonderful range of sounds they can produce, and feel it is a great shame that they are not promoted more on the radio.

I too stopped listening to The Organist Entertains some years ago because they never play "electronic organs or keyboard" and this is the way technology is going. It is no wonder so many Organ & Keyboard Clubs are closing if people hear this program and think this is all the clubs play and have to offer. I am on the committee of our local club and am convinced if this program started to feature the organists & keyboard players we have at our concert nights, our membership would increase. Come on BBC come out of the dark ages and show the true "Organist & Keyboard Entertains" which means ELECTRONIC ORGAN & KEYBOARDS.

The Organist Entertains programme is obviously aimed mostly at fans of theatre and pipe organ music, which should come as little surprise as this is Nigel Ogden's own world of music. The BBC should however expand and cover a wider picture of organ (and keyboard) music. There must be hundreds of hours of recorded material available if they could be bothered to search for it. I suggest we leave Nigel alone to mellow and bathe contentedly in his particular choice of entertainment, but instead demand a programme which is of specific interest to present day musicmakers. I, for one, would not want to wince through a lot of mothballed pipe organ stuff just to get to a few tidbits of modern electronic matter, and I'm sure there are many others out there who feel the same.
Give us a new programme...engage a new host...but at least provide SOME support in trying to keep the magnificent sounds of today's electronic organs and keyboards alive, thereby enchanting those who recognise the talents of today's musicians of modern equipment.
Organ and keyboard clubs up and down the country are slowly disbanding one by one. The media's cliched view of what organs are all about, more often than not pigeonholing the resultant music as being of an age of 60's Northern Clubs, fish and chips, and half sloshed public bar entertainers, is a joke in itself. 
So, dear Auntie Beeb, we've moved on a little now from that scene of beer stained Hammonds in the lounge bar, and asthmatic Farfisa's in the front room.
Be a sport and do something new, like we are.

#1: Chris Jones Organist -