Radio 4 for beginners

[strawberrie]

So, I've decided that in a bid to become better informed about current affairs, culture and generally the world beyond my immediate neighbourhood I'd like to get into radio 4. Once the kids go back to school/nursery next week I'll have a bit of time around the house and would like some good informed, witty and interesting stuff to listen to. So what's good? Anything's got to be better than Jeremy Vine...

twowrongs series 9 of Clare has been funnier than the previous few series. I just don't get Hut 33 (can't remember proper name) I kept thinking it would be funnier if I heard it from the beginning, but no, it didn't help. I don't like Dead Ringers either and have heard too many episodes of The News Quiz and The Now Show, I feel as if I could write the punchlines myself. But if they're on I don't always rush for the off switch unless it's Mitch Benn DH refers to the 6.30 comedy slot as the dead zone.

I've come back to ISIHAC though and laughed myself silly at the predictability of Jack Dee going off To the gents during a game of Mornington Crescent, complete with sound of zip and running up stairs to get back to his seat. The chairman's script is reliable because it must have been written by Ian Pattinson since God was a boy.

egosum thanks for the reminder about Thinking Allowed.

Am a big radio 4 fan. From Our Own Correspondent is a wonderful way of educating yourself about what's going on elsewhere in the world.

I listen to PM most days (5pm, Radio 4), but also when I get the chance I like Woman's Hour, Thinking Allowed, In our time and the various comedy programmes (well, some of them).

By the way, it's Jazz Record Requests on R3 at 5pm on Saturday, followed by Jazz Line-Up at 6pm. One of the few occasions that I'm listening to anything other than R4!

Women's hour is on 10-11am weekdays. The last 15 mins is a play/story though which I mostly don't bother with.

All the weeks' episodes are repeated at the weekend but I can't remember the time.

If you want to be up on current affairs listen to prime ministers question time every week. And also the full budget speech when it's on.

I like R4 a lot but I find the constant repetition of the news in the morning and evening very depressing. Once every 2 hours would be just about alright. With some in depth background programmes.

BUT I love Just a Minute, Gardener's Question Time, The Archers (which are addictive) , Some of the drama in the afternoon. The history and nature\environmental programmes. There are more .

Today Programme, Any Questions, PM - for news & current affairs

You & Yours, Money Box - for consumer affairs

Ed Reardon's Week, Clare in the Community, The Now Show, Just a Minute - for entertainment

Woman's Hour, Desert Island Discs, Gardeners World, Shared Planet, Saturday Live, The Reunion - for factual stuff & interviews.

I also perversely enjoy Farming Today if I am awake early on a Saturday morning and The Archers although I rarely manage to catch more than 2 episodes a week so never have a clue what's going on. Never bother with the afternoon play or the book serialisations because I miss too many of them. In Our Time is usually a bit erudite for me.

One good approach is to know the slots where the really interesting programmes pop up. There are many gems on weekdays between 11 and 12. Same with Saturday morning once Saturday Live has finished.

There's a long running series called Lives in a Landscape with one of the best broadcasters currently on the radio, Alan Dein:

www.bbc.co.uk/radio/programmes/a-z/by/lives%20in%20a%20landscape/player

I love the Westminster Hour at 10pm on Sundays. I really good way to catch up on the political stories of the week.

Radio 3 does an alternative to Desert Island Discs that on any given week is likely to be better:

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b064ncly

If I want to listen to the tedious domestic squabbles of a load of middle class wankers, I just need to go and stand in my own kitchen and wait five minutes. The radio is not required to assist me in this respect. We do perfectly well on our own.

I really don't understand the appeal of the Archers.

I secretly think hardly anyone likes Saturday Live or the other phone-ins. Or I smugly think this because I hate all vox pops probably. That's what social media is for, though, isn't it? I want informed experts on the radio, not the bewildered and vaguely racist stylings of Kenneth from number 36. I can just go round. (I'm sensing a theme )

I also find a perverse joy in Farming Today, Merguez. Something about the whole calming, never changing formula of it. Charlotte is in a field! It's a muddy day, my goodness, the rain sheeting down off those hills. She's in this field with John Farmer, who is vey kindly showing her his...peaches. My GOODNESS that's a lot of peaches. Let me just take a moment to describe to you what I'm seeing here. Honestly it's just an astounding number of peaches. John Farmer, please tell me an incredible number of facts about peaches, how they differ from the thing you used to grow instead and how long your family had been growing that sadly unprofitable other crop, now some more facts about peaches and dismount with a doomladen prediction about the future of farming. See you next week!

I like a bit of Profile. Short, lively studies of the lives and stories of people in the news (this week was Jeremy Corbyn) which make you feel really well-informed, more so than anything else.

If I want to listen to the tedious domestic squabbles of a load of middle class wankers, I just need to go and stand in my own kitchen and wait five minutes. The radio is not required to assist me in this respect. We do perfectly well on our own

Just fucking ROFL :)

Sorry - I love a phone in I get the world service have your say and nihals morning programme off the tha Asian network. Gets the blood pumping it does!

If you're browsing Iplayer check out 4extra. It's basically a load of repeats but has some great stuff on there. Fri/sat/Sunday tends to have some great sci-if and horror and not long ago they repeated the Adrian Mole diaries which I loved.

The reason I hate phone ins is that I want people who know more than me to tell me about stuff. I can be an ignorant bigot all on my own if necessary- I don't need to listen to Eric from Tonbridge Wells being one!

Sorry, Lolo- you said it better than me and you were funny too. Ignore my post!

But you're wrong about the Archers.

R4 is everything television isn't: intelligent, interesting, informative.
I don't like Woman's Hour with its relentless feminist agenda and frequent singers plugging their latest, which all sound exactly the same.

I grew up on radio 4, we didn't have a TV. My parents have radio 4 on from 6.30am to 10pm every day, which is pretty much what i do when at home alone. For me the best programmes are:

Today
File on Four
Moneybox
Woman's Hour (the only one i listen to on catchup)
just a minute
punt and dennis comedy show
I'm Sorry, I Haven't a Clue
Afternoon Play if I am interested in the plot

And, of course, the seminal Radio 4 offering. The Archers

does anyone remember King Street Junior ? It was in the 6:30 slot for quite a few years. I loved it

IndridCold thank you so much for that clip

The Swans Have Burst Love it!

I listen to R4 almost all day when I'm working from home. All sorts of undiscovered jewels.

Today
Desert Island Discs
Woman's Hour
You and Yours
World at One
PM
The 6 o'clock beeps followed by the headlines - love it!