Giving up Radio 4

[sheddy]

depressing ? I think this recession should be referred to as The BBC Recession

 

[Yellow Fang]

I must admit John Humphreys gets my goat. Thought for the day used to drive me mad, just like the drivel we had to put up with in assembly. All the same R4 is the best thing the BBC do IMO. If I don't like what on R4 I switch over to 5 live. Occasionally I listen to R6. File on 4 has some brilliant investigative journalism; The Archive Hour has some gems, and there are lots of great comedy programmes. It's some R4's long-running sacred cows I like least: The Archers, Just a Minute, Bells on Sunday, Sailing By. If I hear the Archers' theme tune, I rush across the room to switch it off.

 

[chap]

I have to agree that Womens Hour can be dull but they don't bang on about vaginal discharge as much as they used to. There was a feature on it recently about men knitting in pubs! Well, I'm a free thinking radical (or is that a molecule?) but come on......
For sheer tedium though I don't think you can beat You and Yours.

Goodness, don't get me started on Women's Hours. A bunch of self-aggrandizing chieftainettes of mediocrity and self-victimisation as martyrdom.

I sometimes wonder how society has progressed considering that Men spend 99% of their time proclaiming it's their world, polishing the glass ceiling, and generally keeping Women down.

 

[MajorMantra]

Great to hear old Count Arthur Strong back again tonight though even if only a repeat.

Different strokes I guess - I can't stand more than 10 seconds of that fellow.

R4 may be depressing some of the time but it's still a world better than most of what's out there.

Matthew

 

[Crankarm]

If you think R4 is bad you ony have to switch over to some of the opposition and they are dire. I mean dire.

But R4 is all doom and gloom now with confrontational interview styles just to get everyone in fighting mood for the day.

But why does Evan Davies sound like he's laughing as he's talking or interviewing any one? And all this mateyness drivel that has now crept in. It's infected the weather forecasts as well so you can't follow them. Read the forecasts in the style of the Shipping Forecast.

Don't like Edward S. either. The guy that was side lined about a year ago for Justin Webb another I'm not keen on, was quite good. I think Nick Clark who died was good, at least I think it was Nick Clark who died about 18 months or 2 years ago, maybe longer. What a loss he was. Eddie Mair isn't too bad. Fi Glover is ok except when she tries to get matey with Evan Davies and the sports guy who is instantly forgettable. Bring back Brian Perkins.

As for Robert Peston I'd rather roll in broken glass or listen to Wogan who I can't stand. Mind Wogan doing Eurovision was inspired. And if Wogan is being particularly up his own backside, it's switch off and go get some breakfast.

I occasionally listen to Classic FM as I like a bit of Sibelius' Finlandia in the morning just to get one's spirits up, they like playing this, but can't stand all the inane adverts or patronising presenters. Plus the thought that their shows are targetted at dippy Mums (or Dads) who will no doubt be tearing along the roads and through residential areas in X5s or Range Rovers so they can mount pavements outside the school gates to deposit their little Tarquin or Ceilia at the local nursery then speed off to their beauty salons and climb onto the sunbed.

R4's thought for the day is a waste of valuable thought time though. I switch or switch off.

The World Service has some gem programmes though. R3 is ok but they talk so softly they don't wake me up.

 

[chap]

Classic FM

If you think R4 is bad you ony have to switch over to some of the opposition and they are dire. I mean dire.

But R4 is all doom and gloom now with confrontational interview styles just to get everyone in fighting mood for the day.

But why does Evan Davies sound like he's laughing as he's talking or interviewing any one? And all this mateyness drivel that has now crept in. It's infected the weather forecasts as well so you can't follow them. Read the forecasts in the style of the Shipping Forecast.

Don't like Edward S. either. The guy that was side lined about a year ago for Justin Webb another I'm not keen on, was quite good. I think Nick Clark who died was good, at least I think it was Nick Clark who died about 18 months or 2 years ago, maybe longer. What a loss he was. Eddie Mair isn't too bad. Fi Glover is ok except when she tries to get matey with Evan Davies and the sports guy who is instantly forgettable. Bring back Brian Perkins.

As for Robert Peston I'd rather roll in broken glass or listen to Wogan who I can't stand. Mind Wogan doing Eurovision was inspired. And if Wogan is being particularly up his own backside, it's switch off and go get some breakfast. I would listen to Classic FM but can't stand all the inane adverts or patronising presenters. Plus the thought that their shows are targetted at dippy Mums (or Dads) who will no doubt be tearing along the roads and through residential areas in X5s or Range Rovers so they can mount pavements outside the school gates to deposit their little Tarquin or Ceilia at the local nursery then speed off to their beauty salons and climb onto the sunbed.

R4's thought for the day is a waste of valuable thought time though. I switch or switch off.

The World Service has some gem programmes though. R3 is ok but they talk so quiet they don't wake me up.

Robert Peston: roll in glass!!! But he singlehandedly exposed all that led to the recession!

You don't like Wogan!?! That's treason my lad.

Classic FM, condescending - no way, that's what Friends of Radio 3 are all against - the attempts by the BBC to make 'The Arts' accessible by diluting them to the strength of Classic FM! The thing that puts me off Classic FM is that everything is so fleeting; Elgar rules the waves; and all the callers seems to either be students revising for their exams, or middle aged folk that own and permanently reside in their conservatories.


Presenter: Next caller!
Caller: Yes, I'm Middle-aged Chap, I'm listening to you on the radio whilst doing the gardening in my conservatory...do you have any Elgar?
Presenter: Yeah, let's go nuts, how about...Pomp ad Circumstance

 

[CotterPin]

Always good to see someone having given some thought to the area of the forum in which posts should go rather than just slotting them into areas of familiarity

I was hoping for a more reflective discussion and a sharing of people's experiences, rather than something degenerating into a rant about the licence fee. And I got what I was after. Thank you for all your comments.

 

[CotterPin]

[edited...]Eddie Mair isn't too bad. Fi Glover is ok except when she tries to get matey with Evan Davies and the sports guy who is instantly forgettable. Bring back Brian Perkins.

[..edited].

He's the guy that really annoyed me. His interviewing technique, as I recall, was to ask one question then keep banging on about it if the interviewee didn't answer it in quite the way he wanted. It was for all the world as if he thought he was David Frost interviewing Richard Nixon. For crying out loud, man, get a grip. You are talking about football - not the decline of western democracy*

*Although some may think the two are comparable

 

[wafflycat]

Eddie Mair is dreadful. Flippant, querulous and he lays traps for the unwary. I reach for the off button asap.

On the other hand, I listened to From Our Own Correspondent today and it is generally radio journalism of the highest order. They are interesting, important stories from around the globe that would never make it into any other programme bar the World Service. A piece on France and the traffic police today by the excellent John Laurenson is well worth a listen for the content, language and delivery.

^ +1

I love 'From Our Own Correspondent' and add to that 'The Food Programme' 'Gardeners' Question Time' 'Material World'

 

[goo_mason]

Did I REALLY hear someone being disparaging about the wonderful Count Arthur? Go wash your ears out with soap, young man!! The good Count would be threatening to "knock your block off" for that

I'm away before Today starts in the morning, but I do enjoy PM every night when I get home and I'm making dinner. Eddie Mair has a fantastically dry sense of humour, and I'm loving the listeners' versions of the 'Upstairs, Downstairs' theme music for the nightly 'Upshares, Downshares' market report.

Right. Time to go. In the words of Count Arthur, "I've got to go and see a... man... about a dog that...needs... to go to the toilet!"

 

[yello]

If I hear the Archers' theme tune, I rush across the room to switch it off.

Me too. And I cannot stand those folk that claim to like it as some kind of personal eccentricity. Honestly folks, I don't care whether you listen to it or not so don't try to make out that it's somehow zany, mad and wacky to be a listener!

'Today' used to start me off all wrong. I'd switch to Radio 3. The presenters seem to think that the way to conduct interviews was to be as aggressive and 'in your face' as possible. Regardless of interviewee or subject... 'so Mrs Trellis, you call this needlepoint do you?!' And the sports guy! Give me a break, his sum knowledge of sports is what he reads in a tabloid headline.

'Start the Week' was a fave for me. I loved the way people of different specialities could lend their own thoughts and perspectives to the specialities of the other guests. It'd be a program I'd listen to in its repeat nighttime slot if I missed it, or sometimes for a 2nd time if I'd enjoyed it.

'In Our Time' was hit and miss for me. I'd listen but sometimes switch off if I had zero interest in the subject. Whilst not being a huge fan of Melvyn Bragg, he is a very knowledgeable man and a good host.

'Women's Hour' was an oasis of calm for me. I didn't care what they talked about, the fact they could talk and listen to each other without it becoming a battle of egos was simply enough for me.

I do have an internet radio and Radio 4 is about the only thing I listen to on it... but I am ultra selective. Surprisingly, I find the 'Listen Again' feature very good and will often listen to the Saturday play during the winter months.

 

[mr Mag00]

count arthur strong T**T!! some of the other comedy is funny, just listened to the afternoon play, whoa depressing! i like eddie mair too, nice dry humour.

some o f the documentaries are brilliantt and i too would listen to them on iplayer if i could download more programmes and not have to listen to them 'live' as i have poor connection speed.

 

[dellzeqq]

Radio 4 has always been complete and total shite. It needs closing down. The Today programme has been Westminster gossip spiced with middle class vox pox since Jack de ****ing Manio. William Hardcastle started the same crap on World at One and it's not managed to lever itself out of the gutter since. The Archers should all be shot. As for You and Yours and all the rest of the mimsy programmes that are designed not to upset old ladies of 105 who have never left Frinton in their lives, it's dross, dross, dross, dross. Give me the good honest stupidity of a Radio 5 phone-in any day of the week. Better yet find some rattling good R+B station operating out of a tower block in Hackney.

 

[chap]

Radio 4 has always been complete and total shite. It needs closing down. The Today programme has been Westminster gossip spiced with middle class vox pox since Jack de ****ing Manio. William Hardcastle started the same crap on World at One and it's not managed to lever itself out of the gutter since. The Archers should all be shot. As for You and Yours and all the rest of the mimsy programmes that are designed not to upset old ladies of 105 who have never left Frinton in their lives, it's dross, dross, dross, dross. Give me the good honest stupidity of a Radio 5 phone-in any day of the week. Better yet find some rattling good R+B station operating out of a tower block in Hackney.

I found that post genuinely upsetting. The only parts of Radio 4 I dislike are the infernal plays (especially when they try to hit their diversity targets with utter tosh riddled with clichéd banter / topics, it's 'No 1 Ladies Detective' all over again.) I'm not a great fan of Womens Hour either, or anything to do with Sports, other than the suggestion that they ban them from the airwaves, or relegate them to Radio 5 live.

 

[Bollo]

Give me the good honest stupidity of a Radio 5 phone-in any day of the week. Better yet find some rattling good R+B station operating out of a tower block in Hackney.

I've done the opposite. I can cope with the sport on 5, but the constant daily voxpops just grinds me down, especially when poked and prodded by the that screaming self-publicist Nicky ficking Campbell. Given the very limited choice, I'd rather tune into 4 and at least listen to professional peanuts.

I've also taken to downloading <media_ponce>content</> from the web and listening to that instead. 'The Bugle' is probably my current favourite.