Radio 4 axes the UK Theme

Not TV related, but radio Presentation related, so I'm sure this topic is interesting enough to readers!

Radio 4 Controller Mark Damazer has announced that the station is to drop it's opening theme tune known as the "UK Theme". It's been the station's opening start-up music for 33 years and if you've never heard it, is a medley of British Folk songs including What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor, Danny Boy and Scotland the Brave. It's transmitted daily at 0530 to signal the swicth between the BBC World Service relay and the start of Radio 4 programmes proper. It's to be replaced from April with a News Briefing and extended Shipping Forecast.

BBC Online Link

I really hope they don't axe this lovely piece of music. The UK Theme and the National Anthem are they last remnants of "good morning", "goodnight" continuity remaining in British broadcasting and would be a great shame to lose.

If you agree sign my petition at Petitiononline.com

There's another petition at http://savetheradio4theme.co.uk

But I think the controller of Radio 4's reasoning is perfectly acceptable. Many people have to leave for work before Today starts and he wants a news service for those people rather than six minutes of music.

Seems fair enough.

Well they do already have a brief news summary at 5.35 plus bulletins through the night on World Service. It seems to me Woody like more of an excuse to axe one of the last remnants of patriotism on the BBC

He did say he wanted to offer those who left early more than just a quick news update or a rolling news service but a proper news briefing type programme.

Why are they doing this? The UK Theme/Shipping Forecast/Farming today block is one half hour out of 8 (1am-9am) where we don't have rolling news most people seem to like it and I don't know what they could add to the shipping forecast it already lasts 10 minutes.

Thanks, I've signed it too.

They could open up earlier and have both.

The change will happen no matter what. As has happened many times before, controller of Radio 4 don't want to be ruled by the fanatical end of the listenership. And like any change everyone will get used to it and forget it even exsisted

That said.... if they ever axe 'Sailing By' I'll be banging down the doors of Broadcasting House

The UK Theme is fantastic... in a barmy kind of way.

Never even heard of the UK Theme until this morning. Then again, it was only last year when I heard of Sailing By.

I bet the real reason behind its axing is political corectness! I thought Radio 4 was meant to be BRITISH, and proud of it!