To feel disproportionately disappointed and let down by Fi and Jane leaving the BBC

[alphasox]

I am a Fortunately obsessive, feel like Fi Glover and Jane Garvey are broadcasting genii and legends. Now they’re “selling out” and moving to Times Radio (who knew that even existed!) I am bereft.
Half of me feels -
good for them, taking the job that pays well and is best for them!
but most of me feels like I’m being dumped by my best friends.

anyone else care to join me? Or tell me I’m ridiculous. What do you think of it all?

I think you'll cope with the move!

I barely listen to Radio 4 now after being a life-long addict - have Times Radio on most of the time. The BBC is scared to say boo to a goose as they don't want to offend the government.

I would imagine the podcast will continue pretty much unscathed. Global and Times know if it’s not broke, not to mess with it. The BBC is under huge financial pressure and has to shrink.

The BBC is under huge financial pressure and has to shrink

@Dolphinnoises do you mean that you think they were pushed out?

I’m very disappointed too

All the decent presenters and journos are leaving BBC as it’s now a state broadcaster, headed up by Tories who allow only government sanctioned pieces.

I am pleased they are off as you’ll get to hear them in their full uncensored glory now!

Uncensored? On Times Radio, owned by Rupert Murdoch?

This makes me despair.

The BBC is by far the greatest asset this country has. By far. Ask anybody from any other country what this country does best and what it is respected and admired for and they would say the BBC. And yet British people casually dismiss it. It is incredibly sad and stupid.

British people weirdly think we are admired for the royal family (foreigners are curious about it in the same way as other celebrity stuff but actually look down on the fact we don’t have a modern democracy) Or, the NHS (for some bizarre reason British people are under the impression that it is unique. Free healthcare is very much the norm in Europe and what’s more is far, far higher quality). I’m dismissing the BBC we are kicking down the very best we have. And Murdoch is laughing all the way to the bank.

I was shocked to hear they were going too.

I heard what was billed as a "big political debate" on Times Radio last weekend. It wasn't and no matter how many times the presenter said it was didn't make it one. I thought it was disappointing and it didn't make me want to stop listening to R4.

@DickDarstedly

Great post. I'm Irish, and admire the BBC greatly, especially radio. A lot of depth & intelligent journalism. We have RTE but it struggles with the same level of quality broadcasting as its underfunded.

Give Times Radio a go. It’s really good.

I’ve never listened to these presenters but will now. What’s the Fortunately thing people keep saying?

I feel sad they are leaving the BBC. But I can see they might want a change and freedom. I love the BBC, but it is a tad frustrating.

But I feel totally let down and angry at them that they are selling out to Murdoch. I will never listen to Times Radio.

FGS they are not selling out they are furthering their careers, they are not a charity. If the BBC weren’t able to offer two talented female presenters / journalists decent opportunities why should they stick around. The clues have been around for a while especially this week in their discussion about the monotone coverage of the Queens funeral.

The BBC has confused ‘impartiality’ with ‘balance’ . Times is not perfect but in spite of some initial misgivings it has become the channel I listen too most, it has some great female presenters from a variety of viewpoints for example on Friday afternoon Ruth Davidson is followed by Cathy Newman on drive time, and the interview style is more discursive and less quick sound bite. The only one I think really hasn’t transferred well is John Pienaar and I did like him on the TV.

Jane was never going to be really forgiven by the BBC for raising the equal pay issue and supporting it and why would she stick around for a podcast and a couple of 9. 00am slots on R4 . These women have years ahead of them and just look at how many talented women have left the BBC over the last few years .

Oh no, I hadn’t heard this, I look forward to their podcast every week, I have just tried to download the times radio podcast app and my iPhone is too old 😪

You can listen to Times podcasts on the apple podcast app (I listen to walking the dog) and apparently on Spotify

I've fallen out of love with R4 - it seems every time I switch on it's haranguing me or preaching at me or there's some idiot with an opinion but no experience, intelligence or wit droning on. There is still some brilliant stuff, (like nowhere else!) - and it's a window to the world but you have to sift through some crap for it.

BBC is still better than anything else and is still more independent than many other broadcasters - but it has lost its way.

As for individuals - they will usually choose what's best for themselves. That's normal.

No I don’t at all. I suppose I mean that when huge talents like Fi and Jane talk to their controllers about “what’s next?”, there really isn’t an answer. And when other emerging radio groups come knocking, there’s a sense of inevitability about it. The sad thing is I don’t think you’d have a Global or a Times Radio without the BBC to measure up to (I currently live in a European country with a far higher TV licence and nothing like the BBC’s range or quality). I suspect once the BBC has been defenestrated, standards will slip towards courting of the largest commercial market.

Would we have to sit through adverts to listen to the podcast? I just don't think I can bring myself to support Murdoch Radio.

It's one of the few good things radio 4 have on at bedtime. I hope they're replaced with something similar.

@megletthesecond
hope they're replaced with something similar

But there isn’t anything similar. Their podcast doesn’t have a format that could be replicated. It’s just them chatting. It works because of their personalities. You can’t copy personalities.

Just heard them on Times radio , they made a good point about feeling that they had mined themselves enough and both wanted to be back in news and looking outwards .

interesting that at that time slot they will be largely up against Shelagh Fogarty at LBC and Eddie Mair ( both ex BBC) and the dead slot on R4 , not sure who does R5 now I gave up after Simon Mayo left, so I would have thought there’s quite rich pickings in terms of audience figures.

I think describing it as selling out is really mean, people are allowed to fancy a change and move jobs.

@AnneLovesGilbert Fortunately is Fi and Jane’s podcast and the best thing on BBC sounds. Check it out. They will keep doing that until December they say.

I was really sad to hear this too. I can see there will still be some sort of podcast so hopefully it will be listenable.

It's one of my favourite things to listen to.

I’m really sad about this but I’ll give the new show a listen to see what it’s like.

I was being positive about this but after listening to a few of the half hour podcasts and some of the live radio it's not the same, well obviously, and I'm missing the old Fortunately.
It was my favourite podcast, probably the first I listened regularly to, never missed an episode so I do feel slightly cheated.
They're still entertaining but I miss the cosiness I got from Fortunately. I probably need to get used to Times Radio as it's not my go to radio station, that's putting it mildly!