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Roger Bolton hears the comments and concerns of listeners on the past week's radio broadcasting and raises their issues with those involved in making the programmes.As In Our Time prepares to celebrate its 750th episode, Roger Bolton talks to the programme's presenter Melvyn Bragg, who reveals how he ramps up the pressure to achieve the best live programme and talks about the programmes that have transformed his thinking.Long-standing BBC Correspondent Hugh Sykes considers the importance of accurate language, responding to listeners' critiques of one of his recent reports regarding President Trump's executive order banning immigration for people from seven, predominantly Muslim, countries.Charlotte Smith speaks to Feedback about her Radio 4 series Against the Grain, which considered the implications for British agriculture of leaving the European Union. The series has been praised by both listeners and farmers. But some ask if it would have been better to broadcast such a series before the EU Referendum?Also,

Roger Bolton asks if interviews with President Trump supporters require more care - or even censorship. And listeners give their reaction to the announcement of a new Today programme editor. Earlier this week, the Today programme interviewed Frank Gaffney. Introduced as a former government official, Gaffney was invited to discuss his support for Donald Trump's ban on immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries. But some listeners thought his so-called controversial political stance and alleged conspiracy theories should have been made clearer, while others believed his alleged anti-Muslim views should have prevented him from appearing at all. Roger invites two Feedback listeners to discuss their views.The task of dealing with such issues in the future has fallen into new hands - London Evening Standard editor Sarah Sands has been announced as the new editor of the Today programme. Listeners give their initial thoughts on the appointment - with some raising eyebrows over her lack of broadcast experie

Roger Bolton hears from listeners who claim the BBC may be out of step with popular opinion, and staffed by people from privileged middle-class backgrounds. Following Radio 4's recent series The New World, Commissioning Editor Mohit Bakaya and one of the presenters, Jo Fidgen meet some of those listeners to discuss their thoughts about the series and its ideological starting points.GF Newman's The Corrupted has just finished its third series of ten episodes, broadcast across two weeks. It's a gritty saga of crime and corruption among police and the corridors of power through the decades - most recently, the 1970s. It was loved by many, including Feedback listener David Dent - although he had some questions about the combination of real-life and fictional characters. He and Roger discuss walking the dramatic line with producer Clive Brill.Radio 2's live night-time programme After Midnight ends this weekend much to the disappointment of many listeners. Will that be to Radio 5Live's gain? Reporter Rob Crossan me

Roger Bolton follows up the issues that are concerning listeners and asks if the BBC Reality Check team can combat the spread of 'fake news'.With audiences across the world getting caught out by viral stories, and dodgy statistics and shocking facts beginning to have a direct impact on politics, the BBC is responding with concrete efforts to tackle the growing phenomena of 'fake news'. The corporation has established a permanent statistic verification team called Reality Check. From the central newsroom of the BBC, News Editor James Stephenson details the inner workings of this group and what he hopes they will achieve, and discusses how much attention the BBC should give to stories based on 'fake news'. Ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration as President of the USA, Michael Gove was invited onto Radio 4's Today Programme to discuss his exclusive interview with the President Elect. But some listeners were left scratching their heads over the heavyweight 8:10am slot being given to a backbencher - and the lengthy

Roger Bolton investigates the demise of Detective James McLevy, protagonist of the much-loved and long-running Radio 4 drama.Also, many listeners want to know why the former Cabinet minister Michael Gove got so much airtime this week, with lengthy interviews on the World at One and a 15 minute special on The Pursuit of Power.The programme goes behind the scenes at a recording of The Kitchen Cabinet, talking to panellists, audience members and the programme's presenter Jay Rayner.Everything We've Ever Known is a series of short comic histories of science presented by Jake Yapp. They are currently on the Radio 4 website but, for the first time, have no connection with any Radio 4 programme. Roger Bolton discusses this development with the creators.A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

The editor of Today defends his programme against audience accusations of sexism in its coverage of Donald Trump's obscene comments, and a listener goes behind the scenes at Radio 5Live.When the Today programme ran an item on so-called "locker-room banter" following Donald Trump's comments about women, it prompted an angry reaction from the guest who had been invited to discuss the story on air. Laura Bates from Everyday Sexism accused the programme of a serious error of judgement in conflating two very different issues. Today's editor, Jamie Angus, tells Roger Bolton why he thinks he was right to run the item.Also, listener Tony Baker goes behind the scenes at BBC Radio 5Live Drive as they cover the victory parade of Britain's successful Olympians and Paralympian teams. The BBC's Head of Newsgathering, Jonathan Munro, explains why budget cuts means fewer presenters being jetted off to foreign climes to cover international stories.And Fi Glover, the presenter of Radio 4's The Listening Project, talks about th

With the US presidential elections less than 3 weeks away the BBC's North America Editor, Jon Sopel talks to Roger about the challenges of covering a campaign dominated by personalities rather than policies. He responds to listeners' suggestions that the BBC has been too focused on Donald Trump and too soft on Hillary Clinton. The Radio 4 documentary Body Count Rising argued that modern fiction is increasingly portraying violence against women in a voyeuristic way. Listeners were divided over the arguments. The programme's producer Gemma Newby answers her critics. And after a bumper summer of sport, the Controller of Radio 5Live Jonathan Wall defends his network against the accusation that its news brief is being swamped by too much sport.Producer: Kate Dixon A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

Roger Bolton hears listener views on BBC radio programmes and developments.From next year, users will need to login and give their postcode to access BBC iPlayer, iPlayer Radio and some mobile apps. The BBC says the move will enable it to offer a more personalised service - tailoring content to individual preferences. Some Feedback listeners and concerned the information gleaned will be used to crack down on the non-payment of the licence fee. The BBC's Director of Homepage and myBBC, Phil Fearnley, explains the Corporation's thinking.We find out more about binaural Beckett. Radio 3's Head of Speech Programming, Matthew Dodd, talks to Roger about why he commissioned new productions of five plays Samuel Beckett wrote especially for the Third Programme and how they were recorded binaurally - with voices and sounds in 360 degrees, coming not just from left and right but also from behind and in front of the listener.The Daily Telegraph's radio critic, Gillian Reynolds, gives her thoughts on the appointment of Jam

Roger Bolton discusses audience views on BBC radio programmes.The news coming out of Aleppo in Syria becomes more horrific each day but, while the human suffering of civilians caught up in the conflict is undeniable, hard facts about what's happening on the ground are very difficult to come by. As in everything else, the BBC's duty is to remain duly impartial in its reporting. But some listeners believe the BBC has been less than even-handed in its coverage of recent events.Can the BBC ever be truly neutral in reporting wars? Roger discusses the issue with Dr Peter Busch, Senior Lecturer in War Studies at King's College London, and the BBC's Director of Editorial Policy and Standards, David Jordan.And is the BBC guilty of pushing stories about its own programmes at the expense of more newsworthy items? Some listeners say they think coverage of The Archers trial and The Great British Bake Off in recent weeks has blurred the line between real news and self-promotion.Finally - making Tracks. The last episode of

Roger Bolton with views from the audience on BBCX radio programmes and issues.Sir David Attenborough's two part documentary series for Radio 4, The Waterside Ape, delved into the developments on the aquatic ape theory - the idea that our human ancestors evolved not on the wide savannahs of Africa, but alongside water. It's a contentious idea and some scientists have claimed it played fast and loose with the evidence and promoted a minority thesis unnecessarily. Roger hears the views of listeners.The Controller of Radio 1, Ben Cooper, wants to make his network the "Netflix of Music Radio". To do that he's putting in place what he calls a phone-first strategy - 25 hours a week of content will be made available for people to download onto their smartphones and listen to whenever they want. He tells Roger why he thinks all BBC stations will eventually have to follow suit.And how good are BBC journalists at explaining which statistics are reliable? The BBC Trust recently conducted a review of the impartiality of t

Roger Bolton asks if BBC coverage has been biased against Jeremy Corbyn, putting listener concerns to Political News Editor Katy Searle. Have radio programmes looked too much at Jeremy Corbyn's personality at the expense of his policies?In the week that the Chair of the BBC Trust handed in her resignation, the draft BBC Royal charter was released. Chairman of the Voice of the Listener and Viewer Colin Browne talks to Roger Bolton about the Charter and its repercussions. Will it safeguard the independence of the Corporation?In 1986 a specialist music programme took to the air on Radio Ulster. The Bottom Line - or Across the Line as it's now known - celebrated its 30th birthday earlier this month with a live concert featuring performances from some of the bands it helped to launch. How has the programme outlived so many of its rivals?And a week on from the biggest trial in the history of Ambridge, we hear why some listeners of The Archers were left dissatisfied, while others were delighted with the outcome.Prod

It's the first of a new series, and one of the big stories over the summer was the Olympic Games in Rio. But are Radio 4 news bulletins the place for sports coverage - and did the BBC go too far in championing Team GB? Feedback listeners have their say, and Roger Bolton puts their thoughts to Editor of Radio 4's Six O'clock News, Dominic Ball.The long-awaited trial of Helen for attempted murder has had many glued to The Archers this week, and the fictional village of Ambridge has featured in real life news headlines across the world. With the storyline of Rob's coercive control reaching a climax, it's both gripped and repelled listeners. We hear from two avid fans on either side of the fence.And, as recording for the new series of Ramblings gets underway, we couldn't miss the opportunity to take a walk in the countryside with presenter Clare Balding. She's traipsed the British Isles for 17 years with producer Lucy Lunt, and Roger discovers why the simple act of walking in the fresh air with incredible scenery

Roger Bolton hears the questions and concerns of BBC radio listeners.This series, one issue has been top of the Feedback agenda - impartiality. The surge in questions and comments from listeners was initially sparked by the EU Referendum coverage, with concerns that striving for impartiality meant the BBC did not sufficiently scrutinise the campaigns and determine which conflicting claims were right. Listeners have also been highlighting other areas where they question whether the BBC has not met its standards of impartiality - namely science and the arts. David Jordan, the BBC's Director of Editorial Policy and Standards responds to the concerns.How does dancing on the radio work? That's a question Radio 3 tackled in their recent broadcast of the Strictly Come Dancing Prom. This year's host Katie Derham takes listeners on a behind-the-scenes tour of the rehearsal for a closer look at how the popular TV hit has been adapted for radio.And find out why listeners were stopped in their tracks by the Radio 4 Drama

Is it right to refer to a politician using just their first name? It's a question posed by some Feedback listeners after reporters referred to the new Foreign Secretary as simply "Boris". They are asking why he appears to be an exception to the rule and, more pertinently, if this note of familiarity softens the tone of interviews.And are this year's Proms getting a shake-up? Having celebrated its 120th anniversary last year, the Proms have been given a new Director - David Pickard. As the 2016 season gets underway this weekend, what is his vision for the Proms? The Director speaks to Roger Bolton from the Royal Albert Hall, discussing the use of unexpected locations, whether this year will be less London-centric and how much is on offer for younger listeners.Last week Feedback considered how the continued turmoil of Brexit was affecting comedy output - this week it's a look at the business unit. As the markets and the pound have been rocked by the out vote, listener Ian Callaghan goes behind-the-scenes of the

The unpredictable and fast-moving political landscape post-Brexit continues to dominate the headlines and listeners remain divided over whether the BBC's coverage has been as "duly impartial" as its Charter requires.The "political earthquake" caused by last month's vote has presented special challenges to BBC Radio News - not just in terms of balance but also because of the sheer speed with which the tectonic plates have shifted. And when Boris Johnson announced he wasn't running for the tory leadership it wasn't just the lunchtime bulletins which had to be re-written - it presented a considerable headache to the writers and performers of Radio 4's Deadringers, who were recording their programme just a few hours later.We went along to see how they would cope.Series producer Bill Dare talks us through some of the hairier moments of the last two weeks and Jon Culshaw and Jan Ravens explain how they've speedily perfected their impersonations of Michael Gove and Theresa May. And is visualisation the future of rad

Following the confirmation that the UK had voted to leave the European Union, BBC Radio 5Live cancelled their planned schedules and extended their phone-ins after being contacted by thousands of listeners. But some Feedback correspondents question whether the result merited the such comprehensive coverage and why some sports coverage was shelved. Other listeners have also queried the benefit of hearing "outlandish claims" being made by callers. Gill Farrington, 5Live's Breakfast programme editor answers these listeners' queries. Feedback listeners also have concerns with how Radio 4 has been reporting on Brexit. Many feel that the station has a post-referendum tone of "doom and gloom". And over the next two weeks, Feedback is exploring the pioneering world of visual radio. What's in the pipeline for your viewing? Is it taking resources away from other areas? What works best for each station's audience? It begins in 5Live where the Head of Digital Will Cooper details his plans.And it's not often that we have a

The long-awaited decision day has finally arrived. Votes have been cast and campaigns have come to an end. But that hasn't halted your questions, comments and queries on how the BBC has reported on and covered the EU Referendum. In this special edition of Feedback, listeners put forward their views on whether BBC news as a whole has been an aid in your decision making.Throughout the campaign, the Feedback inbox has received numerous questions as listeners have flagged up the areas in which they feel the BBC could have reported the campaign season differently. How did impartiality affect the coverage? Was the news too focused on individual personalities? Have certain issues been missing from the BBC reports? These are just a handful of questions that have been put to the BBC's Chief Political Adviser, Ric Bailey.Amongst the points on the campaigns as a whole, listeners also share their views on how the tragic passing of MP Jo Cox has affected BBC output.Produced by Kate Dixon. A Whistledown Production for BBC

Radio 4's Today Programme on Monday morning focused largely on the shooting at a gay club in Orlando. Unfolding details were assessed by a variety of interviewees, but some listeners felt the discussions failed to explore questions around homophobia. They called for Radio 4 aficionado Luke Howard tells Roger Bolton why he felt particularly let down and calls for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender views to be discussed as much as topics on gun laws, terrorism and IS.The Queen's 90th birthday inspired a more traditional and simple service from Radio 4's Sunday Worship. The broadcast from the church in Sandringham evoked reactions of joy and delight from those listening - as they ask for services in this style to be aired more often. Series producer Philip Billson explains the decisions behind this and whether it's an approach the team will take again.And, while the latest series of award-winning comedy Fags, Mags and Bags has recently come to an end, listeners have been in touch throughout to declare it a u

Roger Bolton explores listener reaction to BBC radio.The death of boxing legend Muhammad Ali blazed across BBC output in the last week - but did this coverage fail to portray the two sides of his character? Listeners questioned whether the reporting focused too heavily on his success and iconic image and neglected his more controversial moments. Controller of daily news programmes Gavin Allen explains how these decisions are made in the editorial process and what he feels the news programmes achieved.In the age of audiences having streaming websites and personal playlists at their fingertips, is there a place for music presenters to curate our listening? BBC 6 Music believe there is as it broadcasts its annual 6 Music Recommends Day. Reporter Rob Crossan goes behind the scenes with musicians and presenters to find out how they put together a 12 hour playlist of brand new music that will please a diverse set of listeners. He speaks to presenters Cerys Matthews, Steve Lamacq and Shaun Keaveny, as well as Head o

With one of the biggest national decisions inching closer, listeners give their verdict on the BBC's referendum coverage so far. Some feel that the network is giving more attention to one side of the campaign - particularly in its headline reporting - others are concerned that the BBC is only reflecting a limited set of views. Most pertinently, those following the coverage ask whether the corporation's impartiality restricts its reporters from digging out hard facts. Assistant political editor Norman Smith responds to these queries and discusses how he deals with this turbulent political story. Have you ever wondered about the class background of the BBC's producers, presenters and even on-air guests? Do you want a run-down of whether interviewees on Radio 4's Today programme are from a certain class hierarchy? These are the probing questions from certain Feedback listeners - some of whom wonder if this gives Radio 4 an overall middle-class tone. Katherine Godfrey, a Feedback producer, drills down into the BB