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...

The Life Scientific is brilliant. The Ethics Committee is great too. Can't stand Libby Purves, You and Yours or Moneybox or that awful Saturday morning programme. Desert Island Discs is a bit hit and miss. From our own Correspondent is good. Lots of things really as everyone else has said.

I tend to listen to R4 till about 10am, depending what's on, then switch to R2 until going back to 4 for PM and the news followed by something funny while cooking supper.

Only one mention of the programme about bad tempered people with bladder problems? Cross Incontinents - well that's what it sounded like to me. .
Love I'm sorry I haven't a clue.
Looking forward to the News Quiz no longer being the Sandy Togsvig (?sp) show.
Mark Steele's in town.
I like Saturday Live, but dependent on who is presenting it.
Any Answers but not Any Questions.
There are also some good programmes on 4extra, but some of the older comedies are toe curlingly misogynistic.

My favourites are:
The Today programme (except for Thought for the Day)
A Good Read
A life in Science
The infinite monkey cage (science, but light-hearted)
From Our Own Correspondent
In Our Time
I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue
The News Quiz
The Now Show
Milton Jones
John Finnimore's Souvenir Programme
Mark Steel's in Town

If I'm at home then I tend to leave it on all day and often come across something really interesting that I wouldn't have thought of switching on. I listen on a digital radio so if a programme comes on that bores me I usually switch to Radio 4 Extra.

The Archers
The Archers
Also The Archers
In And Out Of The Kitchen
Cabin Pressure
Women's Hour
Clare In The Community
Gloomsbury
The Archers

I've typed The Archers too many times and now it looks all wrong.

Don't wait for Cabin Pressure to be repeated. Buy the box set. You know it makes sense. (I am not on commission.)

Oh, Gloomsbury is much better than Life in Squares which I am half-watching right now.

I have been in the ucky position of hearing two episodes of ISIHAC today (last week's on Radio4Extra) and this week's in R4

The programmes I love on R4 are the ones tha sound so dull I almost switch off -there was a series on the history of colour a while back. It was fascinating

If you want a real gem that will teach you a lot more than what's going on in your street, see if you can download a series that was on last year (the yea before?) called A History Of The World in 100 Objects.

The comedy slot at 6:30 is brilliant. Currently loving Meet David Sedaris

I simply cannot imagine life without R4 (BBC Rado in general - I also dip out of R2, R5Live (for the sport) etc)

In fact, talking of 5Live, their coverage of big sporting events like Wimbledon, the World Cup, Ascot, the British Open etc etc is so entertaining - even if you have no interest in sport

ucky = lucky

Oh, I'd forgotten about Gloomsbury. That is a terrific comedy.

I'm addicted to In Our Time. Terrible but fascinating - you get an excellent idea of what three random academics think is important, but absolutely no idea why or how any of it fits together or whether they are in any way qualified to talk about the topic. The one on photosynthesis was brilliant: "Now, world-famous taxonomist/ecologist of tropical plants, please explain the biochemistry and physical chemistry of photosynthesis to the audience, while the world-famous biochemist/physical chemist expert on photosynthesis sits in silence next to you and then gets asked to talk about ecology". But it does give you the relevant search terms to then go away and look stuff up yourself.

Inside Science, Inside Health, and All In the Mind are actually really good too. Have had a secret crush on Adam Rutherford since that awesome TV program about cell biology he did years ago. Which probably makes me an archetypal R4 listener. i luffs it.

David Sideris is wonderful!

But just having it on in the background- particularly if you have children- is such a good idea.

I'd forgotten about Gloomsbury. That is a terrific comedy.

Oh, quite. Hilaire in fact

In fact this thread is reminding me of all the wonderful programmes on radio. I wish the BBC's television offering was even 25% of the quality of radio 4

There was a one-off comedy called Dot starring Fenella Woolgar earlier this year. It made me laugh so, so much. I really hope it gets a full series.

outofpractice did you hear the cheddar gorge round about Maid Marion and Robin Hood from the other night ? I was in tears laughing

I did. I love that programme. The mix of spontaneity and the usual in jokes, mrs Trellis, Samantha, Lionel Blair etc. it feels like being part of a club

Oh yes - History of the World in 100 Objects - was great, and has been much imitated - but the more recent one done by Neil MacGregor, on the same theme of examining the historical context of objects: "Germany: Memories of a Nation" was just totally brilliant. It had me in tears at times. It's monumental stuff that should be played in schools so people undertstand the human face of history, rather than just teaching 16 year olds about the Nazis.

The History Hour can also be absolutely great. Again, have been sat on the train going to work with tears running down my face listening to accounts of the massacre at Lidice in 1942.

There are misses too. Plants: from Roots to Riches had so much potential and is about such important stuff. But it was just so badly presented and so annoying that I didn't finish listening to it.

Great thread, OP!
I do like to listen to music radio most of the time, but can't cope with ads when I'm working at home and although I listen to a lot of R2, I can't stand Steve Wright these days.
Hadn't even thought to try Radio 4, this thread has been suitably informative.

Eurogoose: go for the podcasts rather than the radio on in the background.

Much as I love it, some of R4 can be unbelievably irritating - the Moral Maze springs to mind as being populated by braying, ill-informed confident white people at their worst!

What no 'thinking allowed'?

I miss it when I'm at work
Shoes anyone like You and Yours? Sheesh it's tedious.
Only other thing I'll switch off is the Saturday Morning magazine programme. And PM is a bit 'trying to be a thing' jovial sometimes. 'Wimbledot'- perfectly nice welsh sports journalist I'm sure, called Dot, was enough to melt me chew my ears off.
Everything else is perfect.
Did anyone else see Tim Dowling measuring a loooong journey down to the West Country by the episodes of The Archers they drove through?