Come in please Radio 4 listeners...

[Fionn]

I've never listened to much radio but keep hearing snatches of interesting R4 programmes - trouble is they always seem to be during noisy breakfast time or busy dinner/bedtime. Heard a bit of the Saturday Review last night - is that repeated, does anyone know? I know I could check the website but would welcome any recommendations for interesting programmes. I'm particularly interested in arts/books/history stuff. Thanks!

If you have digital t.v. you can get R4 through that, and then tape your favourite programmes on your video.

Hi Fionn,
I'm a big R4 fan and always miss programmes for the same reasons. Can only suggest the Radio Times as it lists everything thats on, then tape it! They had a brilliant series on child development that I taped and listened to when I did the ironing while ds had his nap.

I'm an R4 fan too. I always miss things I want to listen to too so I'm not much help but just thought I'd stand up and be counted!

I used to be but only have time these days to catch 15 minutes of Today in the car on the way to work. Sometimes the news is too much though so I switch to soothing Radio 3...

I have radio 4 on all day in the kitchen, but my fave programme is 'Broadcasting House' on Sunday morning, usually listened to in the bath. Eddie Mair who does it is so incisive and it often offers a totally different take on the news.
Also, we dont listen to the Archers but my dd dances round the kitchen able when the theme tune comes on.
Glad to see there are some other R4 fans out there!

Both my babies danced to the Archers theme tune, too.

We don't own a telly and bbc radio is on most of the day.

I listen to Radio 5, more, although we don't follow most sports and don't own a car, either, so have to tolerate frequent traffic reports and footie-obsession (blech!). Best thing about 5 is they have a lot more time to interview people and go into detail about any story; I find the political interviews on 4 are all soundbites. Five gets slagged off by some of the Intelligentsia for being too populist, but if you really want to get into the meat of the topic, fivelive is much better.

Fionn, I'm afraid I'm a diehard R4 listener. Fave programmes (aside from the Archers) include the 6.30pm slot on Fridays (Dead Ringers, News Quiz etc), Desert Island Discs On Sundays (repeated on Friday mornings), The Food Programme, Back Row on Sat nights and Front Row on week nights (Arts review programmes) and also the Saturday Review is always very good. From our own foreign correspondent on Saturday mornings is also excellent.

I also really enjoy the Moral Maze which is usually on Wednesdays at 8pm. On Sunday evenings "A word in your ear" is a round up of the best radio from around the english speaking world and is often very good. And of course the serials and plays are often excellent ("How does she do it" is being serialised this week).

But overall, the thing I like best about it is how I end up listening and enjoying programmes that were it an article in a newspaper or magazine, I wouldn't give it a second glance. It really has broadened my horizons.

There are also so many really moving programmes I have listened to which will stay with me forever. Did anyone listen to "Soul Music" last year and in particular the one on "Silent Night"? That was one of the most affecting things I have ever heard.

I love Radio Four too - I'm a big fan of Today and PM as well as Woman's Hour when it's not being too patronising and also the 6.30pm comedy programmes they have on like I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue and Just a Minute - I loved listening to plays and serials when I was on Mat Leave and also The Archers in the afternoon which I find much more convenient. For music Radio 2 is my preferred channel of choice although it can be a bit hit and miss - love Wogan though

Me too! I have the Today programme on at Breakfast - as I don't get chance to read the papers But I always seem to miss something as my darling ds tells me about his dreams, school, plans for the future, etc Oh well, perhaps he'll start to listen as he gets older.

I read an article way back sometime over the New Year period which was something like '100 things you should do in the New Year'. One fo them was

Be 'au fait' and not "oh, yeah" and listen to Radio 4.

I tried for ages and did enjoy some of the lunchtime programmes particularly but I'm off to Radio 2 now. So I guess next time I'm chatting to someone at a dinner party about current affairs I'll be the one saying "oh, yeah".

What I like about radio 4 is that whenever there are interesting articles in the newspapers, radio 4 has always done it first usually some days or even weeks before (and more intelligently). Do newspaper journalists get their leads from radio 4?

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! Ionesmum, we have digital TV, didn't know you could pick up R4. I suppose we'll have to tune the channel in - do you know how I can find out what channel no. it will be?
Lat night I drove to see a friend so listened to Front Row on the way there and Book at Bedtime on the way back, so I already feel I'm getting somewhere!

Fionn some of the comedy is a hoot too - Alan Partridge etc started on radio - I love I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, Just a Minute etc. I like the longer interviews eg Desert Island Discs which give you something to get your teeth into

R4 on sky digital is 854. They also have the regional variations and R4 longwave which has the cricket commentary and political and religious programming.

I'm with bells - just love the stuff you'd never think was interesting if you saw it in a TV guide but is just fascinating (did you know there are 240 varieties of blackberry in the UK? ).

I grew up listening to R4 and I think it was one of the most precious gifts my parents gave me. It goes on at 6.30am when dd calls out from her cot and that's the day sorted. There's a radio in every room in our house including dd's.

My absolute fave programme is the Westminster Hour at 10pm on Sunday but these days I'm normally asleep by then...

Philippat we haven't got Sky digital, it's digital through the cable, thanks anyway!

Fionn, we've got digital cable, and we can get R4 through it. Not sure of the exact channel number, somewhere in the 800's (May only apply for ntl in my area - South Wales).
I listen to R4 a lot less than I used to. Still have to follow the Archers, and like most of the comedy progs (I'm Sorry, I Haven't a Clue, The News Quiz et al). Also enjoy "Any Questions" and "Any Answers". But I find a lot of the programming just too "highbrow" for me. We have Five Live on most of the time we're at home (particularly breakfast/drive), and I actively enjoy listening, although sometimes get a bit bored with all the sports. Love Simon Mayo's afternoon programme, too - a great mix of stuff.

Phillipat, I also grew up listening to R4 and it was one of the most precious gifts. I only hope my children agree too, as they get lots of it shoved down their ear-holes!

Bells and Phillipat, agree about the interesting things you hear that you would never have come across if you didn't have R4 on. Last year (I think) I heard a piece by a woman who wrote to someone on Death Row and was there when he was executed. I would never have turned on to hear it (too harrowing) but it deeply affected me and I was glad that I had heard it.

I read this thread and thought I really must start listening to R4 again! by the sound of the Archers, PM, Brain of Britain, Just a Minute, I'm sorry I haven't a clue ... But then he grew older and louder and there didn't seem any point in having the radio on - we couldn't hear it with all the noise he made. But reading all your postings I realise what I've been missing. Thanks guys!

Oh dear - lost half the message there... SHOULD say when my DS was a baby his feeds were accompanied by the sound of The Archers etc etc.
(You can tell I don't post much on Mumsnet, I can't even get a coherent message across!)

That's the Soul Music programme I was referring to Azzie - it was amazing wasn't it?.

I too am a diehard R4 listener. I found it wonderful when breastfeeding in the middle of the night. My Dd (now 19 months) used to take ages to feed, and I often got through a whole half hour programme. It was nice to know that there was someone else awake at that time!

There's a surprising amount of really interesting stuff on at 3am. I once caught a programme about Iranian cookery for example!!

Just in case you didn't realise, you can listen to lots of R4 programmes that you might have missed here . Just spent a lovely afternoon catching up on comedies!