Feedback

This week in Feedback, we ask whether listeners should be warned about strong language before it is broadcast. Many of you have written to us with your views on potentially offensive language, some in support of the realism swearing can provide, others saying there is no place for it on the wireless. But when Radio 4's Six o'clock news chose to broadcast a racially abusive term, it prompted you to ask why some programmes carry warnings ahead of transmission when others don't, and whether it is acceptable to remove a factual component of a news report. We took your questions to Richard Clark, editor of the Radio Newsroom, to hear how he makes these difficult decisions.Also this week, could you make it onto the Radio 4 quiz Brain of Britain? When Barry Simmons, a star of BBC 2's Eggheads quiz, appeared on Brain of Britain, many of you questioned why someone who might be termed a 'professional quizzer' was allowed to appear on the long-running quiz. We asked Brain of Britain producer Paul Bajoria to explain how

Scaremongering or top notch investigative journalism? We hear your views on the BBC's horsemeat coverage. Roger Bolton asks Sheila Dillon, food journalist and presenter of BBC Radio 4's Food Programme, and Jeremy Hayes, the editor of Farming Today and the Food Programme to address your questions and finds out about their approach to covering this complex story.Also in this week's Feedback, is it ok to make jokes about Jimmy Savile on the BBC anymore, whether they are new jokes or from the BBC archives? Last weekend, BBC Radio 4 Extra aired an impression of Jimmy Savile from the 1980s in an archive programme - twice. We find out how this happened and ask David Jordan, the BBC's Director of Editorial Policy and Standards, does the BBC censor the past?7 million of us wake up to it on a weekly basis, so when the Today programme failed to appear last Monday, it's no wonder many Feedback listeners were thrown off kilter. As a result of industrial action, BBC Radio 4 replaced its usual news programmes like Today, Th

Radio 4's forum for comments, queries, criticisms and congratulations.Presented by Roger Bolton, this is the place to air your views on the things you hear on BBC Radio. This programme's content is entirely directed by you.Producer: Kate Taylor A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

Is BBC Radio 4 dancing to the tune of the McCartney family? Many of you wrote to Feedback with complaints after You and Yours welcomed Mary McCartney, daughter of Linda and Sir Paul McCartney, onto the programme to discuss the re-launch of the family's vegetarian food brand - just a few days after Sir Paul joined Sheila Dillon on the Food Programme for an extended interview about his life in food. Was this advertising? Roger speaks to BBC Radio 4's compliance editor Roger Mahony about the rules.What's the difference between curating a music show and being a DJ? Roger Bolton feels the beat as he puts your questions about specialist music programmes to radio legend Whispering Bob Harris and BBC 6 Music producer Paul Sheehan.Also this week - is iPlayer radio out of tune with its users? We put your issues about iPlayer, listening online, podcasts and all things on demand to the man in charge, Daniel Danker.And was the Today programme off the mark when they decided not to broadcast news of a crucial victory by the

BBC Radio 2 has just announced record audience figures, but is the network satisfying all its listeners? Following changes to Sunday Half Hour, a new presenter for the Folk programme and a clutch of technical difficulties, Roger Bolton puts your concerns to Controller Bob Shennan.Also, Roger speaks to the Head of the BBC's Newsroom, Mary Hockaday, to get her views on the story that won't go away - the gender imbalance on air. With other major broadcasters signing up to a pledge to give female presenters, correspondents and experts at least 30% of the airtime, we ask if there should be a quota of women in the BBC news.Aye Aye Cap'n! Plugwatch is back. You've been on the lookout for book plugs across BBC Radio.Producer: Kate Taylor A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

Why aren't there more female experts on BBC Radio programmes? Feedback puts your questions and comments to Philip Sellars, Editor of Documentaries at Radio 4, and Deborah Cohen, Editor of the Radio Science Unit. And we report from the BBC Academy's Women Experts Training Day, asking women themselves what they think is holding them back.Too fast - and you're furious. We hear from listeners who scrambled to buy tickets to CarFest - the festival brainchild of Radio 2's Chris Evans - only to have their efforts thwarted by a technical hitch.Also, who would you appoint as Radio 4's Writer-in-Residence? We hear from Feedback listeners who are dusting off their dictionaries in anticipation and speak to the BBC World Service's very own Writer-in-Residence, Hamid Ismailov, who has some advice for his future Radio 4 counterpart.And, we give ourselves a slap on the wrist as we correct our grammatical faux pas.Producer: Kate Taylor A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

The BBC is a commercial free zone so why do so many guests on BBC radio shows always seem to be plugging something? One Feedback listener tackles the BBC's Director of Editorial Policy and Standards, David Jordan, on the issue. And are there enough female voices on the radio? Many of you don't think so. Earlier this week Radio 4 controller Gwyneth Williams acknowledged criticism that certain programmes were skewed overwhelmingly towards men. You highlight some of the worst offenders. Also, how should BBC Radio deal with discussion of suicide? We hear your feedback on Will Self's controversial A Point of View, "Terminal Thoughts", and discuss it with the editor of the programme. And Roger travels to the BBC Belfast newsroom as trouble returns to the streets. Presenter: Roger Bolton Producer: Karen Pirie and Katherine Godfrey A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

As the New Year chimes beckoned in 2013, many Feedback listeners bemoan the loss of some of the most well-known and well-loved voices on BBC Radio - from presenters to continuity, across the networks. In their place is a swathe of new talent. We welcome in the New Year with your views on the changes. Also, reporting climate change. This week, many listeners to bulletins in the Today programme contacted Feedback via Twitter and email to say they were dismayed by the reporting of Met Office research on climate change. The Met Office's chief scientist says she also had lots of correspondence after the broadcast. BBC local radio has lost its regional evening programmes, and they are being replaced by a single broadcast across all stations - the Mark Forrest Show. We bring a dedicated panel of local radio listeners together with one of the programme's developers, to air their views on the new show. And can local radio save your life? We hear from one listener who says he's still here because of it. Presenter: Roge

Radio 4's forum for comments, queries, criticisms and congratulations. Presented by Roger Bolton, this is the place to air your views on the things you hear on BBC Radio. In a week when the BBC's own troubles have filled the schedules, what do you think of the way the Corporation has covered its crisis? Have programmes like Today, Call You and Yours and the Media Show restored your faith in the BBC's journalism or indulged in pointless navel-gazing? Also, Feedback goes to the Radio Festival in Salford to participate in a session about the relationship between programme makers and their audience. The Festival was packed with industry types - but light on listeners. So we decided to take three listeners along to hear their views on the matter.And as the BBC marks its 90th anniversary, the Radio 4 comedy The Golden Age satirises the early days of broadcasting. But some listeners felt that the comedy missed the mark and was inappropriate given the BBC's recent troubles.Presenter: Roger Bolton Producer: Kate Taylo

Presented by Roger Bolton, this is the place to air your views on the things you hear on BBC Radio. Can the future of radio really be digital when only 5% of the UK's 34 million vehicles have digital car radios? Earlier this week the Drive 2 Digital conference aimed to spread D-Love about digital on the move, but Feedback listeners still have questions. Roger invites one listener to join Tim Davie, the BBC's Director of Audio and Music, and Ford of Britain's Steve Humbles to find out more about DAB coverage at home and on the move.And Feedback's postbag has been brimming over with messages of alarm after BBC East announced it would be axing its popular The Naked Scientists programme from January. "Vital for public understanding of science", "making listeners more science literate", were just some of the things said about the programme. But does it fulfil the BBC's remit for local radio? Mick Rawsthorne, Head of Local and Regional Programming for BBC East, doesn't think so.Finally, where would the BBC be witho

Radio 4's forum for comments, queries, criticisms and congratulations. Presented by Roger Bolton, this is the place to air your views on the things you hear on BBC Radio. This programme's content is entirely directed by you. Producer: Kate Taylor A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

Presented by Roger Bolton, this is the place to air your views on the things you hear on BBC Radio. This programme's content is entirely directed by you.Are radio programmes about prisoners too sympathetic? In this week's Feedback, Roger meets two programme makers to discuss your questions on the rights and wrongs of radio about prisons. Rex Bloomstein is the presenter and co-producer of Radio 4's Dying Inside, which looked at the experiences of the growing number of older prisoners, over 40% of whom are men convicted of sexual offences. Rosie Dawson produced The Bishop and the Prisoner following the Rt Rev James Jones, the Church of England's Bishop for Prisons, as he talked to prisoners, politicians and pundits about the prison system. One listener has tried six times to get a ticket to watch the recording of Just a Minute - and still had no luck. Another was turned away from a recording of the Today programme even though she had a ticket. She compares the BBC to a low-cost airline. We put your concerns ab

Presented by Roger Bolton, this is the place to air your views on the things you hear on BBC Radio. This programme's content is entirely directed by you.If the Prime Minister hasn't given a speech yet, why report on it? When a politician speaks, what does he really mean? In this week's Feedback, Roger Bolton gets a lesson in political code-breaking from chief political correspondent Ben Wright. Ben takes us behind the scenes at BBC Westminster and answers your questions about the dark art of political reporting.A heartfelt plea from listeners who can only get long wave - get rid of the cricket! Radio 4's Network Manager Denis Nowlan responds to listeners who are fed up with losing their regular Radio 4 schedule when the cricket is on. And if the men's cricket deserves it's long wave spot, why not the women's? We hear from disappointed fans who feel that airing the women's cricket on digital-only stations keeps the sport away from bigger audiences.Plus the return of the Chicken Forecast. After a brief clip in

Radio 4's forum for comments, queries, criticisms and congratulations.Presented by Roger Bolton, this is the place to air your views on the things you hear on BBC Radio. This programme's content is entirely directed by you.Producer: Kate Taylor A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

This week saw the end of the Labour Party Conference in Manchester - but not before an interview with Ed Miliband on the Today programme prompted a flurry of angry emails to the Feedback inbox. For many listeners, Evan Davis's technique proved infuriating. Talking over his interviewee, interrupting, grandstanding and answering his own questions, were some of the complaints. We get a response from the Today programme and also glean insight on the art of the political interview from Radio 4's Week in Westminster presenter, Steve Richards. Roger Bolton also takes a trip to the BBC's legendary music studios at Maida Vale and is shown the sights and sounds by BBC 6 Music presenter and musician, Cerys Matthews. Along the way he learns about the art of recording live music for radio and what the listeners at home get out of it.And was it worth flying to New York for an interview? The BBC's disability's affairs correspondent Peter White, presenter of No Triumph, No Tragedy, explains.Presented by Roger BoltonProducer:

Is an apology really an apology if you keep repeating the original offence? No it isn't, say many Feedback listeners. After security correspondent Frank Gardner told the Today programme about remarks made to him by the Queen, the BBC has apologised for a breach of confidence. But in this week's Feedback, listeners explain why they feel that by reporting the story, the BBC is in fact repeating the mistake.Many, if not most listeners find it hard to hear a programme if speech is competing with music. So do producers really appreciate this fact when using music in programmes? Roger Bolton talks to Victoria Shepherd, producer of the series A History of the Future, about the thinking behind her use of music. And Operation Drop Out is resurrected after a flurry of technical problems plague the networks. Radio 2 explains why programmes disappeared off air for over a minute, and Radio 4 goes one better with multiple glitches plaguing a recent edition of Any Questions. Feedback talks to the plucky announcer who kept t

Serious news or tabloid tittle-tattle? Some Feedback listeners feel those photos of the Duchess of Cambridge got too much coverage on Radio 4's news output. Roger put your concerns to Mary Hockaday, Head of the BBC Multimedia Newsroom. And the BBC's new Director General George Entwistle, barely settled behind his desk, finds Feedback knocking at the door with a bulging volume of listener comments and suggestions. Mr Entwistle has already announced that he holds the audience closest to his heart, so listen in George, the Feedback audience has plenty of ideas for you.And a new era of the Radio 1 Breakfast show begins on Monday when Nick Grimshaw starts his reign. But what makes a great Breakfast Show? Feedback sends out a man well equipped to find out - avid Radio 1 fan, 16 year old Ollie Dean. Speaking to previous hosts Sara Cox and Tony Blackburn and the man brave enough to produce Chris Evans, Dan McGrath, Ollie uncovers some vital advice for new boy Nick.And finally, have you ever wondered what happened to

Were the Olympic and Paralympic Games just a crazy summer fling? Or will the enthusiasm of the audience have a lasting impact on the way BBC 5Live covers sport, particularly minority sport? Roger Bolton puts your questions to 5Live controller Adrian Van Klaveren. Roger also meets Breakfast presenter Rachel Burden, editor Scott Solder and 5Live's Head of News Steve Mawhinney to discuss what difference the move to Salford has made to the sound of the programme.As Chris Moyles leaves the Radio 1 Breakfast Show, listeners want to know how different mornings will be with new presenter Nick Grimshaw at the mic. BBC Radio 1's Director of Programmes, Rhys Hughes, reveals all. And he addresses the pressing question of outrageous bias when it comes to selecting Breakfast presenters: why are so many from the North?And as this week sees the announcement that BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day will not be opened up to non-religious speakers, Roger puts listener comments to Aaqil Ahmed, the BBC's Head of Religion and Ethics

When it comes to music, variety is the spice of life at BBC Radio 2. Its database of tracks carries some 14,000 hits from every decade since the 40s. But it's the network's much vaunted playlist that every band and musician is itching to get on. This list of around 30 songs guarantees regular plays on the BBC's most popular radio station. Every week the great and the good of BBC Radio 2 gather for the playlist meeting, and this week Roger gets in on the action. Will it be the end for The Beach Boys? Will rockstars Muse make it on? Or is there a surprise joker in the pack? Feedback finds out. Roger will also talk to Radio 2's Head of Music, Jeff Smith, to discover just how the playlist is put together - and finds out what makes the ultimate Radio 2 song.And listeners respond to Radio 4's Chain Reaction, the series in which public figures choose who they want to interview, with their subject, in turn, turning interviewer. Too chummy? Or entertaining, unguarded and revealing discussions? Roger talks to the progr

Is BBC radio suffering from an increase in technical problems? Many listeners think so, and over the last few months have sent in a flood of examples as part of Feedback's Operation Drop Out. Dropped lines, disappearing interviewees and correspondents who sound like Daleks. Roger asks technology controller Peter Coles what is going on. And the Today programme's Foreign Affairs Correspondent Mike Thomson reveals how a dropped line left him AWOL in North Korea.History was made this week when Radio 4's Woman's Hour and 5Live's Men's Hour got together for a joint programme, broadcast simultaneously on both networks. Was it love across a crowded studio? And what did the listeners make of it? Roger gets the gossip from presenters Jane Garvey and Tim Samuels and editors Alice Feinstein and Gloria Abramoff.In the hunt for Feedback's very own jingle, we reveal some lyrical, wry and frankly epic listener compositions. Do keep them coming.And finally, we plan to hand a bound volume of your suggestions to the new Directo