The Today programme

[RuairiDonovan]

Has Today had its day? BBC’s flagship Radio 4 show grapples with podcast age
What do you think?

I know many have strong feelings, but I couldn't find an existing thread.

I listen to it in bed whilst gradually waking up. What annoys me is that every interview is cut short - 'I'm sorry, we've run out of time'. It doesn't get to the nitty gritty, it gives politicians time to filibuster and avoid answering questions. And it's biased - you can tell the views of Nick Robinson by the way he questions people. (I like Justin Webb though).
it really needs a thorough overhaul.

Thanks, @FizzingAda .
I like Nick Robinson. Justin and Anna are great though.
I agree about the 'we've run out of time'.
I like Emma Bartlett but she hasn't fitted in. She talks over the person she's interviewing.

I'd like it to be more newsy and with meatier interviews - at the moment it feels like background noise, and there seem to be lots of trailers.

I hardly listen now, having been a dedicated listener for decades. I want real hardcore news, so I get irritated by ‘after 5 minutes on Iran we’ll have a segment on hedgerows, then sport’.

Now I just have political podcasts to set me up for the day.

It’s certainly not in its best era. And Emma Barnett’s insistence on treating the programme as her personal Desert Island Discs make me feel murderous before I’ve got out of bed.

But I do silently pray it will recover and continue to be what I need it to be. There’s no way I could become accustomed to something new after so many decades of listening.

Is it EB's fault? I got the impression that she was brought in to provide a more 'magazine' vibe.
Some of the sport is OK but if I'm not interested in the sport then I find it a waste of time.
I find it very repetitive at times but 3 hours would need a lot of news to fill.

I'm generally not interested in the presenter's taste (or lack of ) in music or how many children they have. If they were on something like Desert Island Discs, I would want to know more about their background.

Haven’t they always said it’s repetitive because they assume people will only listen to a portion of it, as they get up and ready for the day?

It always feels like a luxury if I’m able to listen to the full three hours!

@TheFarriersDaughter , I like to catch the start, which I usually do. I then read for a bit then get up. The radio is on in the background.

I don't mind repetition because I'm not actively listening, but if it's something I don't want to hear once I certainly don't want to hear it several times.

I can't see myself not listening to it but I don't feel it is what it used to be. I don't like change and most tings seem to be 'dumbed down' or reduced to podcasts with annoying jingle music.

typo.

For me, the format follows exactly the lead stories from The Times every single day - and I’ve normally just read all of that. I’d like more business and economic news and the length of time they give to politicians on day Matt Chorley’s show or Naga Munchetty. Gone are the days when the actual PM takes part on the show… for those of us old enough to remember Mrs T actually ringing onto it to correct something that was said.

I’ll miss Amol Rajan - he did at least let them answer the question before skewering if required. It’s a shame EB has been hung out to dry being labelled ‘difficult’ - I did enjoy her on WH.

The article seems to suggest they can't find anyone for the job, rather than a loss of listeners? I can understand not wanting to work antisocial hours though, I think 3 of the current presenters have school age kids so you need a partner/staff to do morning childcare.

I still miss Mishal Husain. I like it when they do serious journalism. It used to end on a light note but now the light notes are sprinkled across the programme. And yes agree that it's not Desert Island Discs - I don't want to know the presenters' personal lives, if I wanted that style of 'journalism' I'd listen to Radio 5 Live or LBC.

I don't think Emma Barnett is difficult and I didn't mind her too much on Woman's Hour (though I bloody hate her catchphrases), but I don't want Today to have that style.

Yes, I think it has lost the prestige it used to have.
The hours don't appeal to me at all. If you are the right candidate you could probably make your mark elsewhere with more sociable/family-friendly hours.

What are the catchphrases?

"good to have you with us" to the listener at the start of each hour (iirc, I skip her bits if I can - I usually rewind to the hourly news).

Is it her who says "from all of us" at the 9am sign off?

I don't like the fake familiarity.

I don't like the "good to have you with us" but it hasn't annoyed me.

Years ago I worked with someone and had the next desk to hers. It didn't matter what I said she'd give the same reply. It soon grated.

I have listened for over 30 years. I am thoroughly bored of their stuff about children and smart phones. I accept it’s an important issue but it’s becoming like That’s Life. I thought Amol Rajan did some great interviews on things he was invested in. Loved Emma B on Women’s Hour but not yet convinced she’s hit her stride.

I like Justin best. I used to like Sarah Montague and Martha Kearney. No one will ever beat Jim Naughtie for me.

I stopped listening as it became very negative.

Emma Barnett has ruined Today. I have listened to the programme almost every day since I was a teenager but I switch it off when she is presenting.

It's not been good this week.

I stopped listening at least 5 years ago. Even if I like the individual presenters it still has that BBC pro establishment vibe to it. The final straw was when it referred to a man as a woman in a trans debate - you know you can never trust them again when they're prepared to lie like that

I often listen to the first half hour, quite like the business news but the problem imv is the political parties and the constant feeding of stuff on social media -plus all the leaks from Gov.
so instead of any sensible discussion it’s Kemi scoring points off labour’s failures (exactly what Labour did to Tories), some MP leaking that there’s a coming rebellion against Starmer/ some ruling/ etc, Farage doing,thinking,saying some drivel, some backbencher threatening to resign, some other political leader having a glib (totally unrealistic) answer to the world’s problems and U.K. issues etc etc But I don’t see how, when MPs and social media are feeding all this tripe, that the Today programme can actually ignore it and cover items properly, as it is U.K. politics. Boring, petty and childish.

I recommend the World Service for a broader view of the news.
I quite like PM but not always. I’m much quicker to switch off these days.

I’m sad that Amol Rajan is leaving but the other presenters are good and I totally disagree that the Today programme is over. With so much bullshit and misinformation around, I really value having a sensible grown up news and analysis show from the BBC, all in one place.

Emma Barnett isn't great at Today, she's much more magazine/listener phone in presenter and grates presenting this.

But what really really annoys me is that they now play a loud 'clip', normally music, at the end of the headlines every hour. I don't want to listen to a music show in the morning, that's why I am listening to a talk radio station. I struggle in the mornings and I hate being blasted by their stupid and usually pointless and shoed in music clip- often that has the most tenuous link to the news item.

Very serious news:

https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/amol-rajan-celebrity-traitors-season-2-tipped-newsupdate/