Radio 4 last word

[Catalogs]

I really love this show. However, recently they’ve started encouraging people to nominate “interesting people” so they can cover them.

This is results in things like this week’s being a pioneering model traction engine maker 🤔

RIP. Last word

Nominate someone you are interested in. But ultimately if it loses them listeners they'll stop that segment.

Will they though? Today has has huge losses in listenership and don't seem to care. Same with radio 2 which has become indistinguishable from radio1. I haven't heard a good thing about it from anyone, but theres no response from the BBC who do what they like and hang the plebs who may or may not listen to whatever slop they plan on dishing out.

Maybe that's a bit strong. I used to be a huge R4 fan and had it on 24/7. Now I pop it on every so often and just think "nope", and find a podcast.

One thing that brought out to me was the other week when Eddie Stobart died and they didn’t even do it - he had a fascinating life

Agree, though I can’t stand people shouting on the radio in the morning, and those combative interviews they have on today made me turn the radio off.

I stopped listening to radio two and all the old blokes left which I’m surprised by.!!

Podcasts

Yes, I’m aware of their existence. I listen to last word as a podcast, but thank you for that.

Wrong topic !

I absolutely agree with you @Annabella92 .

I've never watched tv very much but I have a radio in every room, bar the bathroom. I listened to radio 4 most of the day, interspersed with a bit of 4extra or radio 3.
Now I can hardly listen to radio 4 at all. Switch it on, listen for a few minutes, and switch it off in disgust. Ditto for 4 extra.

So I still listen to radio 3. But they are making changes to that as well - I feel dumbing it down. I just hope that doesn't become unlistenable to as well.

It's a really sad state of affairs that after a lifetime of being a constant radio listener I now am getting used to living in a silent house because it's preferable to what's on the radio.

I don’t think it’s the wrong topic

@Howwindyitis I used to have R4 as 24 hour default with long, long periods of R3. For at least the last eighteen months I’ve pretty much had to give up R3 entirely. Can’t remember when they changed everything but now even the programme titles are vomit-inducing and give no indication of whether they’ll include the type of challenging new music I mostly want to listen to and be informed about.

And R4 now seems to be just a home for podcasts. Some days I listen to nothing but Today and The Archers.

'It's a really sad state of affairs that after a lifetime of being a constant radio listener I now am getting used to living in a silent house because it's preferable to what's on the radio'

This is me. We moved house nearly three years ago and I didn't set my radio up in the kitchen, having previously had R4 as my day long background for 20 years.

Dumbing down is part of it - Saturday Live without Richard Coles' erudite questions is like some awful ITV magazine show. So many comedian/other presenter combinations - what on earth is that about? Do the producers think we can't listen to 30 minutes of science broadcasting without some inane comedic interlude.

There was a Saturday morning programme about travel on for several weeks with 2 or 3 contributors cackling stupidly, at the end of which I had learned precisely nothing. The dramas are now usually either weird or worthy (done the same to the R4 dramas as they've done to Dr Who only made it unlistenable instead of unwatchable.)

The sharply intelligent and genuinely funny doesn’t seem to exist any more. And why so many unnecessary schedule changes?

I know they're all about trying to attract a younger audience but they're losing their core audience in droves because of their new podcast, soundbites content. I could cry.

They don't necessarily do it the same week as someone dies, it can take a bit longer. Write in and suggest it.

Several weeks ago now I don’t think they’re gonna do it

I guess sometimes they do it based on whether they can get some one decent to talk about the person who’s died? Must be tricky sometimes I imagine.

What do you miss from radio 4? I agree there’s less on I enjoy but I can’t put my finger on what.

All of the above plus the number of repeats now on R4. I swear I've heard 'The Reunion - Absolutely Fabulous' 3 or 4 times already this week.

I can't remember the last time I heard a decent play on R4 and there's so much focus on VAGW. While that's good in some ways, I don't really want to be hearing the word 'rape' every 2 minutes when listening to the radio (it's not good for my mental health).

Radio 4 used to be really high quality and it formed the main part of my adult education. These days, I often find myself switching off as the quality has reduced so much.

I’m confused by book of the week or book at bedtime
why can’t I find the “umbrella” title on sounds

I listened to that episode accidentally, I did think she was interesting so don't really know why you're complaining. Famous people get covered in all sorts of other obits, I think this is a good idea.

Does typing 'book at bedtime' or 'book of the week' in the search bar not work for you?

I get a result from 2011

Oh! Yes, I see what you mean. That's daft to not have them under the 'umbrella' titles any more, so you have to go to stations&schedules to find them. Or Browse all Speech, Audiobooks category.

Thanks for the help, it’s much harder work isn’t it?!

Agree very much with what other posters have written about Radio 4 and also Radio 3. I mostly listen to R3 these days but I've noticed how it's starting to become like Classic FM, especially in the morning.

R4 depends too much on shouty comedians. They seem to be everywhere, presenting programmes, featuring in programs or worse of all shouting in their own "comedy" programmes at 6.30pm or at 11pm. For some reason, shouting has replaced wit. They must be cheap to employ, that's the only reason I can think of for them being there. These people are not funny. Everytime I put Women's Hour on - which isn't often now - they seem to have an article about Women's Football (yawn). The quality of the afternoon play has gone down hill. The Archers is dire these days.

This 100%
In trying to woo a younger audience (which they're failing to do) they're losing loyal listeners. I honestly can't remember the last time I listened live whilst pottering about, and I detest the constant adverts for BBC Sounds that pepper their broadcasting.

I find he BBC which is supposedly ad free is full of people flogging their wares, books, concerts etc.

They don’t always feature people straight away though do they? They might have had a packed episode and do Eddie Stobart later?

I don’t mind ‘unknowns’. I often don’t know the person even if they were apparently famous / notable, and still find their lives interesting.