Gransnet forums

House and home

Do you still enjoy listening to Radio 4?

(40 Posts)
DaisyL Sat 11-Jun-22 13:38:04

In the past I had Radio 4 on all day in every room in the house. Now I find that I only turn it on occasionally and then frequently switch it off again immediately. The News Quiz used to be funny - no longer. Woman's Hour used to be more interesting - or maybe I've become more boring or too old. Speech is sloppy - words frequently mispronounced. Interviewers seem to harangue people, telephone connections fail all the time which seems ludicrous in this day and age. Am I just being cranky and unreasonable?

CountessFosco Sat 11-Jun-22 13:52:43

Not Radio 4, but definitely Radio 3 : including Petroc Trelawny, Anthony McGregor and Georgia Mann, all of whom have calming, erudite voices. However, there is one person on R3 every Saturday morning who has the most awful grating voice and manages to mispronounce almost everything, including "Wadio Free". We have the classical music station on all day.

M0nica Sat 11-Jun-22 15:21:35

Yes, R4 is not what it was and I too cannot understand why they have so much trouble with phone lines and the like.

I hold no alleigance to either of the main political parties and I can cope with the leftwing bias of most of the humour, what I cannot stand it is the belief by leftwing humourists that continual personal abuse of anyone whose politics disagree with theirs is funny. It isn't.

I now dip in and out of R4, but like CountessFosco, both my car and house radio are tuned into R3 more often than any other programme. Advert fee and far more diverse in the range of music it offers than Classic FM, it is now my station of choice.

Chocolatelovinggran Sat 11-Jun-22 15:27:42

Love a bit or R4 -the news covering is excellent, and programmes often fill the brief of " entertain and inform", but the comedy is dire, with the honourable exception, of course, of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. My children listen, too.

eazybee Sat 11-Jun-22 15:44:39

Since the advent of Nick Robinson and Emma Barnett I hardly listen. I am not interested in their political views.
Sad because I listened to Radio 4 continuously since I first discovered it in 1970; I do listen to specific poems on catch-up.

eazybee Sat 11-Jun-22 15:45:07

poems ??
programmes.

Ladyleftfieldlover Sat 11-Jun-22 15:57:27

I love Radio 6 music and have it on in the kitchen from when I get up. OH can get it in his car but I can’t. The music ranges from Led Zeppelin to Edith Piaf to Drum and Bass.

Blossoming Sat 11-Jun-22 16:08:28

Yes, I’m listening to the wonderful ‘Voices From the Old Bailey’ right now.

DaisyL Sat 11-Jun-22 16:52:41

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue remains very funny, but as M0nica says being rude doesn't make something funny. My grandson shrieks with laughter whenever someone mentions bottoms or boobs, but I like to think he will grow out of this!! Unfortunately I have a tin ear and don't appreciate music - a great sadness - so I often resort to podcasts or audio books.

GrannySquare Sat 11-Jun-22 16:59:31

I used to have R4 on throughout the day, but now cannot bear the archly woke bias & poor presentation. I stream the best I can find from the archives on BBC Sounds.

Particularly narksome are the apologies in advance for comedy content on R4Extra as it comes from a different era. Ugh!

I find my radio stays tuned on BBC World Service where the journalism & reportage is diligent, & knowledge & informed discussion is presented without effort.

welbeck Sat 11-Jun-22 17:00:42

Blossoming

Yes, I’m listening to the wonderful ‘Voices From the Old Bailey’ right now.

? which station was this on.
cannot find a reference to it in today's schedules.

Philippa111 Sat 11-Jun-22 17:15:20

I love Womens Hour. To begin with I wasn't so keen on Emma Barnet but I think she has really grown into the role and some of her interviews with male politicians are really challenging their misogyny and general lack of morality. She can hold her own without getting aggressive and is right on the money when they try to dodge pertinent questions.
I also think Womens Hour is willing to shine a light on topics that others would not address , and with insight and compassion too... menopause, incontinence, FGM, anorexia, glass ceilings, gender inequality generally in lots of areas.
I loved the interview with Emma Thomson yesterday addressing the fact that some women had never had any( the word is not allowed I think) satisfaction and still even young women feel they must not offend men's egos by daring to say they were not enjoying their experience.
I enjoy the frankness and openness, especially as I come from a generation of women who were conditioned to put up and shut up!

welbeck Sat 11-Jun-22 17:17:04

i don't.
too much for me.

geekesse Sat 11-Jun-22 17:22:50

I’ve noticed more and more fifteen-minute programmes, and fewer and fewer that are an hour long. I’ve no doubt that this caters effectively to younger people with a short attention span, but I used to enjoy listening to the more measured pace of longer programmes. I agree very strongly with the poster who said that the News Quiz is no longer amusing. I just find it rather crass now.

welbeck Sat 11-Jun-22 18:13:48

i'm annoyed and disappointed that Radio4 Extra is going to be online only.
i enjoy it coming out of the radio. more radio-ish.
i listen to that far more than the current Radio 4.

Blossoming Sat 11-Jun-22 18:16:13

welbeck

Blossoming

Yes, I’m listening to the wonderful ‘Voices From the Old Bailey’ right now.

? which station was this on.
cannot find a reference to it in today's schedules.

BBC Radio 4

welbeck Sat 11-Jun-22 18:38:51

14:45
39 Ways to Save the Planet
Slippery Ships

15:00
The Price of Oil
26/09/2015

16:00
Woman's Hour
Dame Emma Thompson, Binner or Flusher, Spare Rib & Virago at 50, Surgeon Ian Paterson, Dolly Alderton

17:00
PM
11/06/2022

17:30
Political Thinking with Nick Robinson
The Yvette Cooper One

17:54
Shipping Forecast
11/06/2022

17:57
Weather
11/06/2022

18:00
Six O'Clock News
11/06/2022 Royal officials insist the Prince of Wales is neutral - after reports he criticised Rwanda asylum policy.

ON AIR:
18:15
Loose Ends

welbeck Sat 11-Jun-22 18:39:41

i can't find it.
anyway, i have heard it previously. it is good.

Hopikins Sat 11-Jun-22 18:51:26

I am with you Welbeck. I listen a little bit to Radio 4, but mainly I am one Radio 4 extra. I cannot believe they are taking it online. Fed Up

Bossyrossy Sat 11-Jun-22 18:52:49

Still love R4 but agree that comedy programs are not what they were but I think that is because so many of those quick witted comedians eg. Jeremy Hardy, Linda Smith, have died before their time.

DaisyL Sat 11-Jun-22 18:55:01

Philippa111

I love Womens Hour. To begin with I wasn't so keen on Emma Barnet but I think she has really grown into the role and some of her interviews with male politicians are really challenging their misogyny and general lack of morality. She can hold her own without getting aggressive and is right on the money when they try to dodge pertinent questions.
I also think Womens Hour is willing to shine a light on topics that others would not address , and with insight and compassion too... menopause, incontinence, FGM, anorexia, glass ceilings, gender inequality generally in lots of areas.
I loved the interview with Emma Thomson yesterday addressing the fact that some women had never had any( the word is not allowed I think) satisfaction and still even young women feel they must not offend men's egos by daring to say they were not enjoying their experience.
I enjoy the frankness and openness, especially as I come from a generation of women who were conditioned to put up and shut up!

These are just the things I don't really want listen to in the middle of the morning. It always seems to be about bodily functions! They used to have a story at the end of WH every day but they don't do that any more and I also agree about the shortness of every item - far too many 15 minute segments and very few decent long plays. Must try and find Voices from the Old Bailey.

Philippa111 Sat 11-Jun-22 19:15:28

DaisyL. These are just the things I don't really want listen to in the middle of the morning. It always seems to be about bodily functions!

I understand... Personally I love hearing about these things. For me it's a relief from the war just now which I am am avoiding as it's so overwhelming. Give me a story about menopause any day!

Galaxy Sat 11-Jun-22 19:26:56

Yes Emma Barnett has done well I think and I was very resistant to change on WH. I am afraid I have never ever found radio 4 comedy remotely funny.

Grandma70s Sat 11-Jun-22 19:29:41

I listen to Any Questions and Any Answers on Saturdays. The News Quiz is on just before, so I usually hear that as well. Nothing else.

Like others, I prefer Radio 3, though I don’t listen to very much radio at all.

Farmor15 Sat 11-Jun-22 19:32:35

We still listen to radio 4 quite lot. Because we're in Ireland we have to use LW, and if cricket is on, they interrupt the programme without any warning and go to cricket?. However, we now listen online, which is cricket less!
There are still lots of interesting programmes - "more or less", "moral maze" , the science and medicine ones and many others.
Despite living in Ireland, I grew up listening to it, used to be called something else. We didn't have TV so the plays on Wednesday and Saturday nights were our entertainment as well as the comedies. Anyone remember "the men from the Ministry"?