Feedback

The BBC’s Political Correspondent Chris Mason is to take over the chair of Any Questions, and on Feedback he tells Roger whether he intends to intervene as often as his predecessor Jonathan Dimbleby.After an avalanche of complaints about the performance of BBC Sounds the executive responsible explains the decision to close the Radio iPlayer and defends the new platform against its critics.And how appealing is Jeremy Vine’s show on Radio 2 to some loyal Radio 4 listeners? Feedback’s regular listener review has the answer.Presenter: Roger BoltonProducer: Kate DixonExecutive Producer: Samir ShahA Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

How realistic are the storylines in the Archers? Is the soap really an everyday story of country folk?In Feedback this week Roger Bolton talks to an Archers Academic who analyses the heart breaking tale of Ed and Emma and their lost home.Do you know who the Grime Granny is? Two listeners go far beyond their comfort zones to discover an unlikely 80 year old fan of urban music. And is the BBC still a bastion of privilege dominated by privately educated alumni of Oxbridge? Presenter: Roger Bolton Producer: Alun Beach Executive Producer: Samir ShahA Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

Roger Bolton asks the man who regulates what you listen to on BBC radio, Ofcom's Kevin Bakhurst, why the BBC needs an external regulator after years of regulating itself.Two more listeners move out of their comfort zones to consider babies grown inside bags - science fiction or future science fact?And one of the BBC’s comedy greats, Barry Cryer, tells Roger whether today’s new radio comedies can compare to those golden oldies like I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue - and says whether or not he is about to retire prematurely from the programme at the early age of 84.Presenter: Roger Bolton Producer: Alun Beach Executive Producer: Samir ShahA Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

Is the age of the wireless coming to an end? Roger Bolton invites the doyen of radio critics Gillian Reynolds to cast an experienced eye over the BBC’s on-line strategy and the price its radio networks like Radio 4 are paying for it.Roger also asks Radio 4 PM presenter Evan Davis if he is becoming disillusioned by the way politicians seem to be embracing a post-truth world and avoiding directly answering his questions. And more listeners leap out of their comfort zones - this time to embrace Michael Caine.Presenter: Roger Bolton Producer: Alun Beach Executive Producer: Samir ShahA Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

Given that he has a questionable relationship with the truth, should President Trump’s speeches be broadcast without comment or context. That's what Radio 4's PM programme did. Presenter Evan Davis discusses the dilemma the programme team faced and whether or not the BBC should call the US President a liar or a racist.We’ll also hear from one of the great broadcasters, James Burke, 50 years after he steered a massive audience through the first moon landings. Has even he had enough of the anniversary programmes?And listeners give their verdicts on an extraordinary World service programme about a man whose seven daughters were captured by ISIS.Presenter: Roger Bolton Producer: Alun Beach Executive Producer: Samir ShahA Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

Are the BBC Proms elitist? In Feedback this week, the Controller of the Proms David Pickard passionately rejects suggestion. "Trite and naïve." That was Rajan Datar’s view of Norman Tebbit’s cricket test. Was the presenter guilty of being judge and jury - opinionated when he should have been impartial?And two listeners review Private Passions, a programme they would not normally switch on. Would they do so a second time?Presenter: Roger Bolton Producer: Kate Dixon Executive Producer: Samir ShahA Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

What is it like to be the only women in the BBC Test Match special commentary box? Alison Mitchell takes us inside the holy of cricketing holies, and summariser Vic Marks explains why he often stays silent. We also hear from the commissioning executive of the Asian Network on whether the so-called Tebbit Test has any relevance today. Also, 5 Live’s Pienaars Politics a switch-on or a switch-off? Our latest pair of guest listener reviewers share their thoughts.Presenter: Roger Bolton Producer: Kate Dixon Executive Producer: Samir ShahA Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

Are BBC presenters paid too much? Are audience figures declining dangerously, particularly among the young? In this week's Feedback, Roger Bolton explores the facts behind the highly critical headlines following the publication of the BBC's annual report.Also, Today’s Nick Robinson will answer claims that lies and factual inaccuracies have been insufficiently challenged in the Brexit and Conservative leadership campaigns.And fascinating stories from an unseen Africa excite our latest panel of listener reviewers. Presenter: Roger Bolton Producer: Kate Dixon Executive Producer: Samir ShahA Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

Has the political interview lost its way? Is it in danger of just descending into an uninformative shouting match? In Feedback this week Roger Bolton turns the microphone on Today’s Nick Robinson - putting him in the interviewee’s chair for a change. What’s the point of randomly selecting a destination and committing to making a programme about it without any idea of the possible content? Roger puts this question and more to the producer of The Patch on Radio 4. And listeners who do not normally catch Radio 4’s Sunday programme switch on their alarm clocks and tell us what they think of the early morning religious programme. Presenter: Roger BoltonProducer: Kate DixonExecutive Producer: Samir ShahA Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

In Feedback this week Roger Bolton asks if Jo Brand went too far on Radio 4’s comedy show Heresy, and whether some subjects should be off limits all together.The row about the BBC withdrawing free TV licences from most over 75s won’t go away. Would it be better for the Corporation to cut BBC2 and Radio 5 Live? Roger hears your views.And the Head of BBC Newsgathering, Jonathan Munro, is back to answer charges that his journalists aren’t sufficiently challenging in their political interviews.Presenter: Roger Bolton Producer: Kate Dixon Executive Producer: Samir ShahA Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

Roger Bolton presents the programme that holds the BBC to account on behalf of the radio audience.This week - who should sit in the News Quiz chair now that Miles Jupp has decided to vacate it? Roger asks one of its regular panellists, Hugo Rifkind, if he is a candidate.The BBC’s head of newsgathering Jonathan Munro is also in the studio to answer audience questions about the coverage of recent elections.And the Reith Lectures have been running since 1948, have they now reached their sell-by date? The editor Hugh Levinson tells us why he believes they are as necessary as ever.Presenter: Roger Bolton Producer: Kate Dixon Executive Producer: Samir Shah A Juniper Connect production for BBC Radio 4

As Feedback turns 40 this month, Roger Bolton quizzes outgoing Radio 4's Controller Gwyneth Williams about the twists and turns of her tenure before she passes her baton on to the new boss. While BBC Sounds has come under criticism from some users, there has been high praise for one of its original podcasts. NB is a series about being non-binary - people who don't identify with traditional gender labels - and has struck a chord with many of its listeners. We hear their views on the series. With Brexit dominating the news agenda, a number of Feedback listeners say that the issue of climate change is being underplayed. Roger talks to David Shukman, the Science Editor for BBC News, and Deborah Cohen, the Science Editor for BBC Radio, about coverage of the issue - and its prominence.Presenter: Roger Bolton Producer: Robert Nicholson Executive Producer: Will Yates A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Roger Bolton discusses changes at Radio 6 Music , the end of iPM and re-inventing local radio, and talks to Eric Robson about saying goodbye to GQT.Judging by audiences and awards at least, Radio 6 Music was on a roll. So it surprised many when a major shake up of the schedule was announced for 2019, including giving Lauren Laverne the coveted breakfast show and moving the much loved Radcliffe and Maconie from weekdays to weekends. Roger puts listener views to the Head of Radio 6 Music, Paul Rodgers, and asks why he made this decision.iPM, the listener driven weekly companion to PM, is the latest victim of BBC cutbacks. We hear from listeners who have filled the Feedback inbox with frustration at the news.What does it mean to "re-invent" local radio? A few weeks ago, Feedback went to Leeds to try and shed some light on the BBC's plans to reverse a decline in local listening figures and transform its local offering to attract younger and more diverse audiences. This week, Roger speaks to Chris Burns, the BBC's

Roger Bolton hears listener views on a documentary investigating the role of women on the far-right, and discusses the BBC's annual plan.Radio 4 documentary In The Right caused controversy this week, stirring debate from listeners over whether figures considered to be on the far-right should be given airtime. The programme, presented by journalist Lara Whyte, investigated young women in hardline right wing social media. Roger speaks with the producer of the programme Max O'Brien, and Radio 4's Editor of Editorial Standards Roger Mahony, about the issue of giving airtime to fringe, contentious voices.Google podcast app users were annoyed this week when they found they could no longer listen to new BBC shows on the app, or on Google devices like smart speakers and phones. Caroline Crampton from HotPod discusses the reasons behind the BBC's decision to pull it's content from the platform.Listeners have long shared their concerns that Radio 4 is pushing hard for younger listeners at the expense of older audiences

Roger Bolton asks the BBC News Editorial Director if the BBC should have termed events in Christchurch "terrorism", PM editor Owenna Griffiths discusses coverage of Brexit, and listeners give their views on cuts to Radio 3's Late Junction.Recent BBC coverage of the Christchurch attack in New Zealand has sparked criticism from some listeners who take issue with the language used to describe the events. Others were frustrated by what they saw as disproportionate coverage and still more were annoyed when the BBC chose to name the alleged shooter in news bulletins. Roger puts these comments to the BBC News Editorial Director, Kamal Ahmed, and asks whether the BBC should have termed the atrocity a "terrorist attack".For 20 years, Late Junction has been the home for experimental music on Radio 3. However, it's being reduced from three nights a week to one extended show on Friday nights. Late Junction listeners call on Radio 3's Controller to reverse the decision.And, has Brexit begun to exhaust journalists and audi

Roger Bolton on the future for radio listening using smart speakers and the reinvention of BBC local radio, and audience comment on whether or not Michael Jackson's music should be played on the BBC.The BBC has recently launched plans to find a new generation of local radio presenters in an effort to turn around declining audiences. Feedback reporter Rob Crossan has travelled to BBC Radio Leeds to see how the plans are working out in practice. The conversation over whether Michael Jackson's music should be played on the BBC rumbles on. This week, Feedback listeners weigh in.Smart speakers are now included in the list of items used to measure inflation in the UK. With their increased popularity, what does the BBC hope to develop for the new technology? Roger goes to the heart of the BBC's research and development programme, the Blue Room, to find out what's in the pipeline. And listeners give their thoughts on The Absence of Normal - a new series of comedy plays by anarchic comedian Alexei Sayle.Presenter: Rog

Roger Bolton talks to BBC's Seoul Correspondent Laura Bicker about the challenges of covering US-Korean relations, goes behind the scenes at the news podcast Beyond Today, and chats to writer and director John Dryden about the inspiration for the world of Tumanbay.Since 2017, BBC Correspondent Laura Bicker has been based in Seoul, after two years in her Washington posting. She speaks to Roger about the challenges of covering relations from Seoul, and why she jumped at the opportunity to move away from the White House.Beyond Today is the brainchild of former Today programme editor John Shields. This week, Roger met with John and one of the presenters, Matthew Price, to find out why they are changing their approach to news to reach out to a younger audience. And the creator of BBC Radio 4 drama Tumanbay John Dryden discusses the inspiration behind the epic saga.Presenter: Roger Bolton Producer: Robert Nicholson Executive Producer: Will Yates A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Roger Bolton talks to the Editorial Director for BBC News, Kamal Ahmed, about his approach to Brexit coverage, producers Jonquil Panting and Beth Eastwood reflect on the making of Test Case about Debby Purdy, and there's the second part of an interview with Radio 4's Commissioning Editor for the Arts, James Runcie.How is the BBC responding to listener's thoughts on the way Brexit is covered in the news? The new Editorial Director for BBC News, Kamal Ahmed, explains how he wants to put the public at the heart of setting the agenda in Brexit: Our Stories.The landmark case of Debbie Purdy had a profound influence on discussions around assisted dying within the UK. Jonquil Panting and Beth Eastwood discuss how they combined drama and discussion to tell her story in Test Case: Debbie Purdy.Last week we heard from BBC Radio 4's part-time Commissioning Editor for the Arts, James Runcie. In this week's second part of the interview, James gives his thoughts on arts coverage aimed at attracting younger audiences. Prese

Roger Bolton talks to former Radio 4 Controller Mark Damazer about the challenges and joys facing whoever takes the job next, James Runcie reflects on his role as commissioning editor for arts on Radio 4, and we hear your responses to a slate of new breakfast shows. Zoe Ball and Lauren Laverne are the new voices of Radio 2 and Radio 6music's breakfast shows, and John Humphrys has announced his departure from the Today Programme. Listeners give their reactions to changing sounds of early morning BBC radio. In January, Gwyneth Williams announced her departure from the BBC as Radio 4's controller. Now the job is up for grabs, former controller Mark Damazer speaks to Roger about the joys, hurdles and room for experimentation open to whoever takes on the role next.What makes a good arts programme? In the first part of Roger's interview with Radio 4's Commissioning Editor for Arts James Runcie, he hears listener reactions to the programmes he's put on air since he took the job in 2016, and discusses his hopes for

Roger Bolton catches up with Evan Davis to share listener views on his new role as PM’s presenter. How has Evan found the transition from Today and Newsnight, and where does he want to take the programme now that he’s at the helm? Also, listeners respond to this week’s Archive on 4 about Apollo 8 and reporter Karen Pirie travels to Perivale where the vast BBC audio archives are stored. She meets with the archive’s collections manager, Elliot Gibson, and talks to some of the radio producers who plunder its depths to bring lost voices back to life.Finally, while Sailing By, Radio 4’s late night precursor to the Shipping Forecast, acts as a kind of lullaby to most listeners, it has a very different effect on listener Reverend Ian Robinson’s Tibetan terrier Oswald.Producer: Will Yates A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4