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?

Yeah, good for you that 14yo Johnny prefers whittling with you in front of the wireless but I want short news pieces!!

I pretty much listen to it round the clock but I switch off far more often now.

The other day was bad. I woke up on dark rainy day to hear that women's brains deteriorate with the menopause and they are far more likely to get dementia.
How to alienate your middle-aged female listeners or what.

I listen to Times Radio all day. I like the variety of journalists and politicians. Am currently listening to Ayesha Hazarika.

And I agree with everyone else about the Viking ads. That woman's voice! 😖

They will also often read out your whatsapps. I had one of mine read out yesterday 😊

I couldn’t imagine listening to anything else on the drive into work, if I’m on schedule I just miss ‘Thought for the Day’. 😁

@SauvignonBlanche , I either like or dislike Thought for the Day but it's my prompt to put my book down and get going.

That reminds me of pre-kids when DP and I would be lazing in bed delaying getting up for work. If it came to Thought for the Day we knew we were cutting it fine and had to rush! Wu used to call it Moralistic Claptrap for the Day, but I actually do like it sometimes.

I'm 54 and have listened for years. I'm also mindful of not wanting to turn into a grumpy old bastard man, so happily listen to them all. Do miss some of the ones that left though

Amol Rajan drives me fucking bananas. He speaks far too quickly for a professional radio broadcaster.

I didn’t like Amol Rajan until he took over University Challenge. I groaned when I heard. But I was totally wrong. He’s brilliant - much better than that miserable old bully Paxman.

I listen to Radio 4 far less now. I can’t stand the left-wing bias, and the way they crowbar identity politics into everything. A couple of years ago there was a programme on Jane Austen. Great, I thought, this is Radio 4 at its best - a discussion about high culture. Within five minutes, however, they had linked her to slavery and colonialism, and that was all they talked about for the rest of the show. They do this time and again. The minute a great British poet or scientist or painter is mentioned, they find some way of bringing the discussion around to colonialism. It’s like there’s some great project to make British people hate and reject their own history and culture.

@Dappy777 , I don't see any left wing bias but there seems to an anti-far right wing drive and there seems to be a drive to appeal to a younger, more 'diverse' audience to the point where I feel it affects the contents of the schedule, as in the Jane Austen's programme.

I wish Michal Hussein would come back
she was brilliant at political interviews

Emma Barnett is much too fluffy

and the constant plugging of podcasts (unedited overlong waffle sessions) does my head in

I don’t like the dominance of US news all the time

so I quite like newshournoj the world service as you hear a bit more international news

I think we had 2 trailers for 'You're Dead to Me' within half an hour the other day.
Switched off both times. The programme might be good but I hate the tinkly jingle so switch off.

I wish Michal Hussein would come back she was brilliant at political interviews
She won't but she was very good.

I don't dislike him but, oh boy, was he muttering this morning. I nearly rang them up to say I wish he'd speak a little more slowly and clearly.

I think it highlights the difference between a journalist and a presenter

I call him Aymol Rayjane. I think he said an 'a' like the 'a' in cat this morning. Please don't think I find fault with him alone.

I like times radio. It’s politically ok and I’m a Labour voter. Like you I’ve been a radio 4 today programme faithful all my like but I’m sick of the bbc not just the presenters.

That’s very accusatory with no substance to it. I’ll bite here and say that I always found it difficult to understand how Amol managed to nail his position on R4 since he lacks good articulation and interviewing pace. One wonders….

Amol Rajan is very clever and articulate
a bit smug for my taste but certainly competent.

My issue with a lot of the Today Programme is that it comes across as plugs for other BBC programmes
and the podcasts of their mates

and the recent ignoring of the Iran crisis has been shameful

i miss mishal
i like Justin Webb
do not like Emma Barnett

she sounded so gleeful last week criticising the weight loss drug and subsequent weight gain
i do like PM
but i feel i concentrate less on the radio currently when driving or even at home.
i refuse to listen to scott mills and i dont know where times radio is

i like Paddy O'Connell

Mishal has gravitas. Emma does not. Imo Amol doesn't either. Justin Webb does.

I switch between R4, World Service and Times Radio. They all have good and bad bits IMO.

Stopped listening when Amol Rajan joined, find him unbearable. Can't imagine the horrendous smugfest when he's s paired with the almost as irritating Emma Barnett. I now listen to the news at 1 or 5pm.