Radio 4 to drop 'UK Theme'

BBC Radio4's new controller, Mark Damazer, has decided that the UK Theme which currently heralds the day's programming on 'his' channel at 5.30am is no longer appropriate. Killer quote from Mark Damazer:

"You can't run Radio 4 if you just try and please everybody all of the time"

- surely that is the whole point of your remit, Mr Damazer!!! Either click on the 'audio' link from the above link, or here, to listen to excerpts from this music, interspersed with the question and answer session with Mark Damazer and the BBC 'Today' programme presenter Ed Stourton about the proposed change, as well as comments from the composer's widow about the music.

I think it is a great pity that this music is being dropped; it is friendly and uplifting and pulls together music from all parts of these isles in a most engaging way. Rather than simply getting rid of it, I'd be happy to see it updated by having other intercuts of music from some of the diverse communities that now form a significant part of the British population - perhaps music from parts of the Caribbean, India, Pakistan and Hong Kong to complement the music from the four component parts of the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)?

Hopefully this new fellow won't want to remove 'Sailing by' as well, the music played shortly before the close of proceedings and the national anthem 'God Save the Queen' just before 1am, prior to the channel handing over to the World Service for the night.

PS/ You can listen to a somewhat 'scratchy' recording of the complete UK Theme music here.