Read this: Why did Radio 6 Music decide to shake up its schedule?

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts hello, how's cuts cooking at the BBC Another One Bites the Dust without warning radio XL pm has ended and it's passing is greatly lamented.

I think it's a great shame that reflects how it's like the Princess of endless cycle.

Also this week the reinvention of audio in BBC local radio.

I'll ask its new head whether that now fashionable phrase has real meaning with a lot of outreach programs to a connecting with those audiences and there's also an awful lot of innovation.

That's going on a local radio and who's recorded everywhere from a nudist colony to 10 Downing Street now, Eric Robson is leaving Gardeners Question Time why it just seems appropriate under 5 years of shift.

With the digital station which has proved there is life after death or atleast after being Condemned to death that happened to six music in 2010 when the then director of radio Tim Davie acted only for the BBC Trust to reject his proposal not least because of a Ferocious response from listeners.

I feel very passionate about it.

I know people are there eyebrows raised when I say that but it's absolutely important.

We do that.

So do you think it's the campaign that led the first of this then I saw using the public reaction has played a fundamental part in this of course it has Suzanne the station has prospered greatly increasing its audiences and winning Awards however starting in January BBC Radio 6 music has had a substantially reshuffled lineup Lauren Laverne as well as stand against for Kirsty Young on Radio 4 Desert Island Discs has taken on the flagship Breakfast Show most controversially at least if you go by our inbox Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie have been moved from now.

Weekday show to a new slot on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

There are also new slots for the likes of Shaun Keaveny and Mary Anne Hobbs so now that the presenters have had time to adjust to their new surroundings has the audience is anger abated is Radcliffe and Maconie Jackie Holland the Redknapp show it's not just about the music.

It is the conversational warm badinage that people love this.

Just does not work for most of the shows listeners at the new time of day.

My name is Claire O'Brien and I live in Manchester I guess the only way to progress and move forward his by stepping outside of your comfort zone and I think the reshuffle is done this.

It's great to have two strong female presenters 2.

Le nouveau music on the primeslots Nick Hartley Radcliffe and Maconie Isleworth the licence fee all on their own the move to weekend breakfast would not have been my choice if I was scheduling, but they're making a rip roaring success out of it in the daytime cabinet reshuffle has breathe some fresh life into the station giving brace from Jersey understand that cross the BBC at the moment.

There is a trend to try to attract younger listeners, and I understand the need for that, but existing listeners have been alienated and angered by the changes Paul Rodgers is the head of Radio 6 Music and the architect of the changes I asked him why he decided to shake up his schedule in the first place.

I think you can see that these changes are actually an Evolution of 6 Music the changes are really putting our faith in the talent.

That's delivered 6 Music success so far.

So why are you changing it because it's been quite a reaction up as back.

They were very happy with what you were.

Very little criticism and yet you said you've got and looked at the schedule that offer has been there for about 8 years now hasn't been a lot of movement has six music so we certainly have been committed to it, but we need to do is look after the health of six music now, how many to keep it relevant in the future, but that's always been the case and it's only always have that responsibility.

So why now in some of the people writing to us a suspicious.

Hi this is Chris from Edinburgh just want to take this opportunity to complain about the recent schedule changes to Radio 6.

It's been a bit of a disaster to be honest and for me it's been done in the name of gender equality, but it's not in the name of quality and it actually smacks of ageism as well.

Have you been under pressure to get younger presenters in or to deal with it perceived gender gap? We haven't got any younger presenters in as I said because we're relying on this selfsame currently sits delivered 6 Music So Far if you want to talk about the gender gap then 6 Music has always had fantastic.

Female presenters on it in very high profile slot so Cerys Matthews who's a brilliant presenter and she's a woman she presents our biggest single program on Sunday mornings is true that after the schedule changes there's been a change in the ratio is closer to 5050 than it was before it's still not there yet.

What was it before about 30% of those with a women but I do want to increase that you wanted in fact is that close to 50/50 but we are getting close to 50/50.

I don't think that is a bad thing to do.

That's why we're doing this thing with a specific things you wanted to achieving specific slots.

Yeah, we want to renew our focus on music.

I think that is what our audience have been always telling us that they want from 6 Music they wanted to be a place to explore and shares music that is largely not played in other areas and we are approaching music slightly differently we now have got more music in the schedule and that gives us opportunities do a greater range of music in the schedule.

Wheat play more like music other places in the schedule and the flow of music through the schedule is different in particular.

We've had some people very concerned that Radcliffe and Maconie are going for 5 days a week 2 days the weekend the breakfast shares my name is Michael in Church Stretton Shropshire for me Mark and Stuart with 6 Music flagship show and I am completely at a loss to understand why it's been moved to 7 on weekend mornings, which isn't my favourite time of day.

What were the buses at six music thinking why he done that what people aren't happy about that.

I give my baby loves mikuni.

So why change them? We knew exactly how brilliant market Stewart were then and what we're asking them to do is to take that brilliant into a difference light and a tree asking them to do a different job on behalf of 6 Music frustration lights 6m.

How many broadcast and digital weekends rokicki part of the offer DAB listening at weekend? There is a lot more people at home able to listen to dab.

We think that Mark and Stuart open at the weekend for us with a brilliant Breakfast Show will support the whole of the weekends and will be benefit to the rest of six music because of that such an important important slog and we're asking to an important job there to do three lectures per week.

Is that something that happy with and they were surprised when I spoke to them about it, but they understand the nature of the challenge and I need this week.

They said they really enjoying it and what about The Weakness of defecating well.

Just give me more music in those slots and certainly Lauren Laverne is playing tennis 15% more more song she's busy Lee making a new kind of 6 Music Breakfast Show Mary Anne Hobbs is doing a very music Focus show in mid-morning the bingo all their expertise or a long experience in all their ability to look forward to music in the future.

I think for Shaun Keaveny he's got more room he to complain or music but also he can of established that report is got rooms established that report that you didn't have him breakfast and that sense of community with his audience.

How does the expression of BBC sounds that impact on 6 Music do you have plans for my podcasts? So yes, we are planning to make more content to BBC sounds BBC sounds to do an awful lot for 6 music radio stations are contributing towards it all these behaviours are definitely changing its import nothing that the BBC understands that and serves that evolving need I was on the train up to Liverpool for the 6 Music Festival I downloaded a radio for reading ipaca.

I Confess is John Lanchester the wall and I started listening to that but then I went to listen to 6 Music live on BBC sounds and after that I listened to the John Grant playlist that he put together to tie in with the 6 Music Festival in Liverpool and then after that I shared it now most of that.

I wouldn't have been able to do without BBC sounds and I wouldn't have been.

How to do it all in one place either so on the one hand you've got to balance being aware and being where the new audience the indoor on his ears on the other hand you haven't a desert the older one happy now.

I think that's the circle that we've always got Square odbc.

We've got to look after the future and we got to try and keep people as satisfied as possible at the present because the licence fee is paid by everybody and if we value the BBC we've got to find new ways to serve people with public service content and broadcasting services and the average do this at a time when there are cuts happening elsewhere in the BBC are they happening to you? Well, there are savings targets is so they're quite exacting that's 800 million in 2021 and I think all the radio stations have had to tighten their belts in understand where they're spending money and the value of the money that that spending was 6 Music has made its savings already he did it quite early in the process and it's savings you know I think we're banked to be honest Paul Rodgers head of Radio 6 Music now.

I

Which debuted on Radio 4 in 2007 describes itself as the weekly companion 1400 where the expertise and insights of the BBC Radio 4 audience shaper program that sees news differently well, we will ship it no longer on Friday last week presenter Luke Jones gave its listeners some unwelcome news so that's it from Isla and IPM forever in fact.

I'm afraid to say it is no more it has ceased to be thank you for your company and for your email.

It's a great shame and I think that reflects how it's nice to have a counterpoint to the source of endless new Cycle it's like a breath of fresh air when we have been a very intense political crises going on and a world that is internal to actually Ford Focus on the TV and you know the day today.

It's kind of grounding so

Managed to determine where is Ashes are and we've managed to determine that they've yet to be scattered and we also not very happy about where my name is Esme is offered me a refreshing break from Jess news and reading sad times.

I would never have believed that I've been living for Scottish island and having it for me it created the reaction because of what it represents emotionally this is Shawn from North Wales have lessons for many years the Frank and searching conversations that all sorts of things episodes about mental health struck a chord because of my own difficulties in that area but many others will linger in my memory cleaner covered about social media platforms and vulnerable people accessing harmful content on the site.

And what I will miss very much.

We have been discontinued virtually without warning and without any consultation with listeners the network told us BBC Radio has to find savings to contribute to the overall 800 million pounds worth of corporate efficiency is the BBC needs to make by 20212 22 and the difficult decision to discontinue IPM at the end of the last financial year was made with these savings in mind we take a number of factors into account when making such decisions including ensuring that the station's range of programming remains wide and distinctive do keep letting us know what you think you can email feedback bbc.co.uk to eat and sit BBC R4 feedback you can leave a phone message on 0333 444 5440 standard landline charges apply, but it could cost more on some mobile networks or you can write your feedback.

Show box 67234 London se1p 4ax always details are on our website now earlier in this series we visited BBC Radio Leeds to see it first-hand the efforts of corporations making to reinvent.

It's local radio stations.

I remember child walk to Monday and just said you need to listen to this and I just put this on and I heard a presenter Alice I just looked up and we just both said yes, you know this guy sounds great when you to get your mum after years of cats and falling audiences more resources have been injected into BBC local radio and there's been a search for new Talent which it is hoped will broaden the appeal to attract younger more diverse audiences this comes at a time when the closure of local newspapers is continuing at a rapid rate and commercial local radio is also cutting back.

It's local journalism.

There's certainly a vacuum to be filled we asked you for

Thoughts on the BBC local radio output and David Savage from Harwich in Essex BBC's plans to refresh local radios most interesting particularly the idea of finding new young Talents through open competition Shirley Shepherd I've been an AVI BBC local radio lover for many many years tried other stations and got fed up with adverts and too much certo too much music BBC local radio have the right mixture for the district Birmingham I was listening to feedback do the week and was inspired by the Peace on local radio to have a little read through my car radio 2 BBC West Midlands the music is such an eclectic mix think I will be listening to BBC West Midlands open and then as well now.

Famous swimming pool reference local radio cannot understand the justification for it news is now disseminated in so many other ways to savings from closing local stations could be Devoted To The much-loved Radio 3 and 4 which reach so many more people were just so much more professional and which are being starved of cash to find out more about the BBC's new strategy for local radio and talk to its new head Chris Burns and ask her first well the fundamental question do we still need BBC local radio? I think it's really important is BBC to be in local radio and I think there are three things that BBC local radio can do and we're focusing on you can get the news from everywhere.

You know you can get the news online.

You can get the news on Twitter but what local radio does is take that news on we Own the local conversation we also reflect the area's were broadcasting in we also have a lot of.

Which programs are connecting with Ozil audiences and there's also an awful lot of innovation that's going on a local radio busy having mention their rather surprisingly as the role of local ready investigative journalism, because we see elsewhere in the country is looking his papers closing commercial radio cutting back on Talk are you saying to me actually looking ready can do the conversation but where is the investigative journalism holding people to the count of you like will always be an important part of what local radio does and the News will always be an important part of what local radio does but because you can get the news in lots of other areas.

I think it's one part of what local radio.

I've travelled a lot since.

I've taken up this new role and heard the various discussions people have had about brexit.

I've heard stories that wouldn't have been told necessarily on network ready, but very important locally but you still have to persuade the BBC at certain levels, but local radios important.

I think the fact that over 12 month.

Tony Hawk mega Gillard speech and he talked about the importance of local radio and the fact that we weren't going to go for a one-size-fits-all, but we were actually going to allow local radio 2 kind of work out what the identity of the community was trying to serve what's that's very important.

He was at that stage talked about the return of the evening shows in September of last year local radio launched 150 new shows with 39 new presenters.

I think at the moment I can never say because I think it would be foolish of me to say this that local radio is now immune from cuts.

It's not but I think that it's important for local radio distress three things it is owning that local conversation and only that local news agenda.

It is reflecting and connecting those audiences that no one else can do in the way that local radio can a radio in a way and not reinventing the wheel are you just going back to it? You could sit in that way.

I go back to the point that I think local radio is doing something different to everybody else will not try to wait Radio 1 on or Radio 2 or Radio 4 you know in Newcastle they have a a 2-hour phone in every night jazz on football which is about Newcastle it fits that picking her up story of the difference in little radio hearts in Sydney at the cut back in the journalism and we expecting to do more entertainment programme if you like there must be temptation beautiful.

Oh, if your audience is not drop.

I think what's happening in Commercial ready.

I can understand why they've decided in some cases like global and about to go down a particular Direction is also important to reference you know on DAB we are going to see a number of new services opening its also interesting to note the strength of things like community radio and I think those show that the still and appetite for low Converse

My responsibility is to make sure that localness is right and is really local within those Communities and reflecting that not eating anything else.

I do through this top 24 podcast do the things that my boss Helen Thomas has asked me to look at his what are digital strategy should be a part of that is around podcasting and a relationship with sounds in a we already do some podcast got the naked podcast we got things like multi-storey, which take the best of the local radio journalism, it's already there, but I think there are probably opportunities him and you talked about the investigative journalism who's going to do that and if you take England as a whole you know you've got serious like inside out only there's a really good journalistic.

Programs.

Could we as part of Sounds in terms of the audio offer of from England also make more use of those on sounds the BBC never quite succeeded in doing local radio for everywhere is there any

Possibility of Hope in the future the BBC Matt expand the number of stations, it's one of the things were talking about at the moment is whether we could have quite pop-up radio stations, but you could have almost a radio station on your iPad using an iPhone and you could be in a library and that becomes a radio studio, so I think that presents lots of opportunities to actually extend the number of local services.

We have maybe not continuously but actually having more programs from Bradford Moor pregnant and Wigan more presents and Scarborough and that's something that I really want to pilot it.

May or may not work, but I think we should try it more local radio more local local BBC head of local radio Chris Browns finally as we mentioned a few weeks ago the Venerable occupant of BBC Radio spot in shed is about of it Katie's allotment Eric Robson is Stepping down as chair of Gardeners Question Time and at the end of the month is handing over his shed keys.

The newsreader Kathy Clugston while Peter Gibbs will continue to present around one-third of the programs Cassie's appointment has been widely welcomed, but Eric will be widely missed.

I'm trying American stalwart on the program and will be sorely missed so to join one of his metaphors onwards and upwards Derek Alex will be sorry to see the wise witty and wonderful Eric Robson go, but I can't think of anyone more perfect to take over Richard Hesketh I can't really express how I am leaving the program is being such a a MainStay that and a great study hands as I say, it's a marvelous and many many thanks.

Well, I want you to talk to Eric about why he's retiring and about his memories of Duty which is done for 25 years.

What better place to meet him in the garden someone to Oxford to the botanic garden, Oxford where is recording a program?

Erica never expected to meet you in an Oxford garden.

It's a lovely location to why not well.

It is indeed a candy Thomas 25 years till since you had a call from the then controller of Michael green and for Radio 4 to ask you to chair Gardeners Question Time did you hesitate for a moment not through this happened in the 4th floor corridor of new broadcasting house no longer with us of course in Manchester that's the voice.

I want for Gardeners Question Time it was Michael he said that than handing you the keys to Middle England when I took it over one of the word is on the programme said to me you do realise very good to be many occasions.

Go to where you and the team of the only people in the room with her own teeth and hair.

Hello, Daddy the demographic has changed considerably with much younger audience now.

We got three audiences one audiences expert god.

There's always as good as a panel and if you dare to say that something could be done the inbox opens with a bang and you get people writing in till about what you mean by that.

I've been successfully growing olives in Caithness for 40 years and then there's the second audience which is newcomers young people coming in and then there's the third audience which who's the other two together and that annoys people can't bloody Stan gardening and what character did you see yourself as a bridge actually between the expert Gardeners and the often in expert listed by tradition the chairman has always been a broadcaster not a god that and that's to stop it becoming inward-looking.

I mean, I don't understand that there's a big chance of the audience won't understand either and so happy.

I see one of my jobs is keeping them out of the denser thickets of 40 calls from Latin but also humour has a great part to play.

I enjoy the program.

I enjoy making the program and that enjoyment comes over in the humour in the way.

It's always been that way people were saved when I took over always gonna be dumb down he's going for a youth audience but you must always be a great partner were these people are clothes inside but some lovely story in some recordings about loads.

They were talking about Delphiniums or something and loads went on great length about Delphiniums I only finished was a Pause and sad but said no I don't know how to..

Either but it just seems appropriate.

But I suppose another thing is that you live in one of the most beautiful but to be honest wrong the most inaccessible parts of England in Wasdale you have to have to go on a Day's Journey before you get to mainline station not quite but it's something like that isn't it? You use to keep pigs.

I believe are you going to which you got rid of entry? Are you going to use the opportunity of a little more time at your home in Wasdale to to bring back the Pig's I would love to do that.

I haven't yet persuade my wife.

There's we should do that, but I am what I want to do in the next few weeks is just have a bit of time lapse spread our wings a bit and do a few visits and then went and done a lot of things.

I want to do in broadcasting term when you're in now retired reflective.

What are the programs that you remember I remember being on doing this year?

Are you on about in Windermere I also was told that you don't approve the new discovered and I hope you addressed Eric dressed down there for the occasion for a two-piece suit on the three-piece classic.

Just be quite a lot of pleasure that if you have to go which everyone regret Kathy Clugston is picking up the microphone.

Have you any advice for her? We've had a long chat about the pitfalls and the pleasures.

She is a consummate broadcaster in her own right and she's got a great sense of humour.

She'll fit in very well.

And will you be listening hello Eric thanks very much and after a short period of rest.

I hope you'll be back on Radio 4 in some other capacity mean well.

Let's play out this additional feedback with a piece of music recommended by the head of Radio 6 music on the phone so I heard a song from a new band.

I haven't heard of I can Tesco's squid and that was Duran can punk rocker with same first and last time goodbye.