If you're a Radio 4 native but can't stand the current Today presenters ...

[quitethenight]

... have you found an alternative breakfast news programme that you prefer?

I grew up with the Today programme on in the kitchen every school day morning and have woken up to it almost every working day of my adult life. But I don't like the current presenters and now get frustrated listening to it. Where do I go from here?

p.s. I know one of the presenters is leaving, so fingers crossed for a good replacement

World Service.

Or just go cold turkey to R3

I sometimes dip into the Workd Service, but that is necessarily less good on UK news issues. Interesting on other world dynamics which don’t make it onto the IK news though.

know what you mean, I remember Brian Redhead in his hey day. I’m not interested in Today becoming a Jeremy Vine chat show.

I switch between Today and Radio 5 Live. The 5 Live Breakfast show is more lighthearted but they do cover serious news items with a bit of depth. And there are no annoying music or adverts!

I also really like Matt Chorley's politics show on 5 Live in the afternoons.

Times Radio? Has adverts though.

Times Radio - Much better in my opinion.

Times radio is absolutely excellent. Intelligent presenters but they wear it lightly, they aren’t afraid of issues or the odd controversy in the way that the BBC is, no sportsdesk (which is a plus for me), it’s free but yes has adverts which can be irritating (especially the one for Viking cruises which plays permanently) but it’s well worth it. It obviously discusses stories in the Times that day but doesn’t necessarily follow the Times agenda on particular issues - I believe there are different rules for broadcasting on impartiality.
What I like as well is that unlike any BBC station you can turn it on any time of day and listen to informed and lively discussions about current affairs. Apart from radio 4’s allotted news slots and woman’s hour, you have no idea what dreadful comedy or play you might get served up when you turn on radio 4 outside of those. Five live has some good presenters including Matt Chorley who they poached from Times radio but I have no idea when he is on and so much of the time it’s stuff I would not want to listen to.
convert to Times radio! (I don’t work for them by the way )

I wouldn’t know how to begin a morning in the UK without R4, nor after an entire lifetime.

So watching with interest. (And disappointed in suggestions for the twee, the comedy and the blatantly right wing.)

Times Radio, which I think is only broadcast on digital and online.

Agree with everyone Times Radio is much better

Glad I’m not the only one who can’t stand Amol Rajan and Emma Barnett. I’ve changed station to Times radio.

I like Times Radio-apart from one particular presenter who is shockingly biased, IMHO. But I tend to listen to political podcasts in the morning now, then have Times or 5 for rolling news throughout the day. Surprised at the dislike of Emma Barnett, though.

I grew up on Radio 4, and spent the first decade of my adult life listening to it daily but about 4 years ago I just couldn't grit my teeth through Today and PM any more and moved to Times Radio.

Like others I like that it has discussion and comment throughout the day and no weird random plays.

I gave up on the Today Programme about ten years ago. Realised how daft it was to start the day with people who were making my blood boil.

Loved Brian Redhead in the olden days. And I really missed James Naughtie, who always seemed to bring genuine curiousity and a calmly exploratory approach. In contract with the bumptious adversarialism of John Humphry.

It all started to seem so performative, the journos desperate to harvest soundbites and the politicians desperate to repeat the phrases they'd been coached to utter.

As for alternatives, I initially switched to Radio 3 for driving to work. But these days I prefer silence in the mornings.

LBC News
or Times radio but it’s only available in certain areas on DAB

What qualities/tendencies do you dislike in them? Without knowing that it’s hard to make an alternative suggestion.

Rajan has grown on me. He’s mellowed a bit since he took the role on, and he’s a very bright guy. He’s leaving soon though.

I was gnashing my teeth at them this morning. They’re so… fluffy. Doing stupid “comedy” links rather than incisive interviews with substance. Thank goodness he’s going.

I like Anna Foster though. She’s much more substantive.

I sympathise OP. But Today gets really repetitive after the 1st half hour anyway. It's not so much individuals who annoy me, but the overall tone.
I agree re Times Radio, but can only listen on playback, as adverts really annoy me.
Personally, I listen to less rolling news than ever, but loads of newsy podcasts. I prefer more in depth look at one topic, to the R4 news approach of cramming 10 stories into 1 hour. It's too hectic!

I stopped listening to Radio 4 completely about 5 years ago. Their unquestioning acceptance of Covid rules was annoying and the final straw was Evan Davis on PM talking about someone being assigned a gender at birth. I complained about the bias and got an obnoxious reply. I listen to podcasts these days.

I think the current bunch are an improvement on the likes of John Humphrys who thought the point of the programme was getting into a fight with whichever politician was put in front of him. He made it all about him.
I like all the current ones except for Barnett. She's another Rottweiler but has toned it down a bit recently. Didn't like Rajan originally but he's improved.

SIBC.

Leads with Shetland news & white fish landings on the half hour, with a cursory nod to other news. Decent playlist. Island adverts.

Excellent way to reframe perspective.

Times Radio - they seem to have recruited lots of ex Radio 4 presenters.

I didn't know about Times radio - thank you everyone!

I wish Amol Rajan would leave UC, too. He gabbles and needs to learn to
e-nunc-i-ate rather better.