Read this: 09/08/2019 Radio 4 Feedback

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts James Taylor sang when you're down and troubled and you need some loving care or to put it another way when you're fed up with the BBC what can you do well you got a friend in us of course listening John Broadbridge from Devon certainly thinks so I've always thought the best regulation for the BBC was its duty to answer any quizzes and voiced by other sections of the media and by its own listeners and in the case of the latter facilitated by feedback, but we don't have the power to sanction the BBC in any way to and a half years ago this responsibility was given for the first time exclusively to an external regulator Ofcom and John has some concerns about that who is Ofcom on civil to if it's government surely that means political control of the BBC by the side door.

That really is an owner in feedback this week's ofcom's content group director attempts to allow those fears we run through to the Parliament first and foremost not do the government borrow certify Parliament disappointed make very clearly to jump will hear more from Kevin bakhurst shortly also this week in or out of your comfort zone feature two more listeners.

Turn reviewers and what on earth.

Do you think they were listening to this time? I thought it was pretty funny when she was saying that people much happier to talk about having sex with robots and they wear about having babies at outside but more on the Moral Maze surrounding bad babies in a moment and the comedy legend that is Barry Cryer attempts to almost impossible somebody said analysing comedy is like the setting of frogs nobody laughs and the Frog dies, so don't analyse don't try and convince somebody.

Something is funny leave it you were told it was they're told it wasn't move on but not before Barry offers some invaluable advice to comedians and those who commission them but first feedbacks job is to answer your queries and enable you to put your concerns to the producers and presenters of BBC Radio just recently for example.

I was joined by today's Nick Robinson and pm's Evan Davis but we can't adjudicate on complaints or punish the BBC for any wrongdoing what a shame.

That's the job of Ofcom just over 2 years ago.

I've gone was given the power to regulate the BBC Kevin bakhurst.

Is it group director content and media policy? I asked him how often differs from the old BBC Trust wood used to have the responsibility of holding the corporation to account the reason that we were given the responsibility for the BBC is there was a look at whether the regulation of BBC was working as it was before and I think the view was an independent.

Later would be a better arrangement for the BBC both the organisation and certainly for the audience and listens and this is what particularly needed because in the past have been two bodies running the BBC the board of management of gonzo the BBC trust who won this one body.

Is a possibility that if you like of the governance and getting caught out by then the executive and working hand in glove on the audience not getting a look in his that one of the ways it's very difficult job to be a cheerleader Anna regulator and I think the idea was it be much cleaner if that is regulation was done independently and separately from the PC board who's your biggest not run BBC down the first the beaver leaders of BBC about post external regulation because they said look this is government interference and this is reflected in an email.

We got from listening John Broadbridge I have always thought the best regulation for the BBC was its duty to answer any quizzes and voiced by other sections of the media and by its own listeners and in the case of the latter facilitated by feedback.

I do not know what qualifications of compound in this role, what influenced they have already impose or what they intend for the future, so these three points would be my questions who is Ofcom answerable.

If it's government sure you that means critical control of the BBC by the side door that really isinona sell Kevin bakhurst, who is Ofcom answerable to wear on to ll22 Parliament first and foremost not do the government borrow set up by Parliament we set up as an independent regulator and I think it's really important.

I'm in this abhorrent.

I make very clearly to John which is the independence of a regulator independent from government independent from business and independent from vested interest regulating the BBC is another layer of independence for the BBC but where do you get your authority from our I mean? You're telling the BBC for example are you did couple of years ago hotel Radio 4 it had to carry more documentaries.

You periodically says Radio 2 Radio 1 at the should be more news whenever on what basis.

Do you make that decision that they must do this while we were given responsibilities in terms of how a parliament filled the BBC should best deliver.

The BBC's mission and its public purposes and the quite specifically there were some areas that Parliament said in the first operator licence Ofcom needs to ensure that the BBC carries on delivery muse important types of programming such as news such as religious programming arts and someone go to the broadcaster first gift the BBC take the complaint to the BBC first in what circumstances would you entertain a complaint from a listener well first of all I'm in it with a slightly different rules for the BBC and for the broadcasters and again.

This is part of the arrangement of the church and Ribbon when the new regulation system is set up so if you have a complaint about the BBC as you rightly say you need to take it to the BBC first and then BBC will consider it.

However you if you go through the BBC process and you're not satisfied with the outcome.

You can bring it 12, and I just added by the way that if you have a complaint about.

Venison privacy you can still come directly to Ofcom you don't have to go if you don't know that's when you found against the BBC BBC Radio 4 you said Brook accuracy rules in a Nigel Lawson climate change interview that was in the summer of 2017.

Why did you feel it right to intervene then and what was the logic behind your finding so we have complaints against us about that and the BBC looked at it was there was partially upheld by the BBC we felt we should look at it because it was so serious issues put in public interest wheel Sheffield the beauty Crush out.

She previously had already ruled against a very similar issue on this a program with Nigel Lawson a few years before and frankly this is a very similar issue about accuracy and we felt it was actually certainly one that we should look at other more popular because it was as it were second offence yeah, because you know.

I mean regulation only works if broadcasters take on board findings quite often and do what they can or Britain systems to stop them reoccurring and that's generally the pattern that we would look at witches in our first offence people make mistakes depends, how serious this clearly but people make mistakes, but if they've already made a very similar mistake and had a ruling from the regulatory body and they do all miss very similar thing again, then we obviously take take a pretty good view of it would strongly advise the Today programme not to commit a third offence absolutely over think it would be a thing ever.

I'm looking very dimly not just in terms of individual programs, but also the general composition of people work in the industry of Commerce taken quite EventCity offline, but also you've been absolutely adamant that the people who work in behind the microphone in Front pants printed front I've got two more accurate represent the religious and

Testing makeup for people in this country and the BBC is doing better than most but not good enough for Call of Duty why do take this so strongly? Why do you think it's your job to push this I first saw it is part of our remit second against explicitly Desire Parliament the we look at this and fairly.

We think it's the right thing for media and broadcasting in this country to properly represent the People's of the United Kingdom whether that's the people from different Nations or people from different ethnic minority backgrounds and the broadcasters in a should be doing the right thing and Frank Fitzsimmons what's the right to know because some people would say look this is getting crazy you want the best broadcasters.

You don't want them and the best produces the most heaven of course you know you don't want to get the balance, What matters is the quality of what they do not the colour of their skin it cost quality absolutely matters someone saying people shouldn't be chosen.

You know for the quality of what they do but broadcasters have got a

Very patchy record in terms of the range of people who work for them wheelchairs people with disabilities people from different ethnic minority backgrounds and we know the audiences across the country absolutely value authenticity and the value being broadcast to buy people like them and in a frankly the BBC because of his nature of its funding everyone pays for the BBC everyone in the UK and every UK's gotta absolute right to fill out properly represented by the BBC in terms of on there, but behind the micronas as well.

Pakistan Curie much now back to programs and two are uncomfortable feature each week will be asking to BBC Radio listeners to step out of their comfort zones and listen to a program that wouldn't normally be on their way.

This week.

We have Carol Johnson Chapman from Birmingham and John Challis from London council.

Just to get a sense of what you're listening habits.

I won't be your top 3 programs if you were stranded on a

The diamond if I was stranded on a desert island, I would like to listen to Desert Island Discs and the Today programme and the art Joanna Newsom politics at it, so Today programme week in Westminster and then just for a change a good read well.

We asked you to listen to Stranger Than sci-fi broadcast of 9 p.m.

On Radio 4 starting on July 17th and Alice Fraser and I'm Dr Jen Gupta which having a parallel universes of Science and science fiction because the beauty of sci-fi is that it lets us open up imaginations and imagine a completely different world and even a different universe and the beauty of science is it tells us how possible those imagined world's might be this episode was called babies in bags that can how would you describe the program the concept of science behind and babies being born outside of the womb?

Grown outside of the womb and the link with scientific theories really and sci-fi objects attracted to or is it something you never had been for asking you you wouldn't have listened to I would have listened to this program because my background I'm an earth.

So this sort of fell right into my lap as been an absolutely amazing program.

I can't wait to listen to it and John did you win wait for this with great anticipation night? I had to force myself to listen to this and other sites, but I'm really interested.

I know why I love the Life Scientific and things like that but the Sci-Fi bit of it really put me off with good rates for me a real number of moral questions that will never go to me for example that the abortion debate if a baby is going the bag and not in a woman's body than the basic argument that until it's gone it's a woman's body in the woman's decision should be final Innocence comes into question doesn't it? So that the

Absolutely that lend it to me.

I thought was at had been engaged by then and I really know what it does to the pro choice Debate and and and the genus Jenny kleeman.

I think her thing that we have to refrain this now before it's possibilities because of abortions only about not having to carry a baby.

It's a very different thing to what pro-choice is about me.

It's about giving up a lot of their power or after other questions can occur to you Caroline you in your day to day work as a nurse and I had lots and lots of questions because actually I think they talked about it towards the end is then yes, we're going with the baby in the bag.

What about conception? How was the baby going to be born the bit about the euthanasia the lamb that absolutely took my breath away, then? I say thinking about human beings.

Would you be able to do that as well?

The thing about that the experiments that are being carried out in a bag of lamb at the end of which they said the latter is used otherwise they killed it for me.

I wanted more really so this program opened up more questions for me and the rather give me answers cos I wanted to know it's ok then so if you're going to put a baby in the bag.

We didn't know if the lamb with that she survive after the bag was opened and would the baby who would feed the lamb would it be given back to him? You know an adult lamb it if it's going to be baby.

You know the whole process of giving birth with actually stimulates the hormones which lead to breastfeeding so there was lots of lots of questions for me that actually could this actually work and would we be designed babies? Where would be put these bags with ab on the kitchen top? Would you be able to strike it every 2-3 times a day of absence of a pint of science fiction is the you're looking forward and you're not talking to present a look in the possibilities of the future and this is illuminated and in a way which.

It's quite disturbing chat, but I think the bid for me.

It was when you got from saving and very premature babies too in quotes rescuing some babies from irresponsible parents and when you decide what am I responsible.

It said is that is all of that didn't like you but what about the fight itself? I mean it sometimes people write to us and saying why do comedians have was have been put in front of these programs signs print as I scared that we can't take the sign said let me ask you can what did you think of the former comedian? I don't think needed to be a comedian.

It could just be another person but I would actually argue that actually put some a male perspective much butter.

How about you done initially? I was really irritated by Alice phrases for tea and and I did wonder why she got so much of the particular technical interview and where Dr jeong doctor would have been to me a better person to prove sum of the actual medical stuff.

Gary Norton I supposed to the argument that usually is the diffuser general if they might ask those questions that has the word than all the rest of us would ask as processes reproduction shemale interesting facts on Italy encouraged to go and listen to more Stranger than sign on my way.

I will be listening to your program because it's order opened up a whole world for me.

I've got list of books now.

I want to read I want to know more about it and want to as a conversation piece when I'm having parties as I just want more and Jonathan ke I mean it did remind me of the handmaidens tale.

What was it 30 years ago? I never wanted to go back to it and didn't want to sit on TV the bit that I'll have to be disturbing that I mean I know it's optimistic too many Goodreads I've got too many books.

I want to read anyway.

I don't need anymore.

I might also read Jenny cleve sing about sex robots vegan, and that is unfurnished.

I thought it was pretty funny when she was saying that people much happy as a tool for having sex with robots and they were about having behaviour outside of us, if you'd like to take part in that feature or become part of our feedback panel on just let us know what's getting your go to that BBC Radio then, please do get in touch and he is a mystery voice to tell you how to do so you can write a letter the address is feedback PO Box 67234 London se1p 4ax you can follow our activity on Twitter by using at BBC R4 feedback or you can call us and leave a phone message on 03 triple 3 triple.

4544 0303 444 5004 standard landline charges apply, but it could cost more on some mobile networks all those details are on our website.

That's the voice of a comedian and writer who was once bottom of the bill at sohos Windmill Theatre after the last of the new tablet.

I haven't a clue what he's going to say when I ask him about the state of BBC comedy today.

Is there anything inside which might have this staying power of his Hardy perennial.

DuBarry I would like you to sing the words of Psycho Killer to the tune of Old Man River 2.5 second anything compared with that of course.

I've had your say on the latest comedy offerings Nick Morgan Vane to be staple North Yorkshire some of the new comedies.

It's a fair cop example is a monk's the funniest programs radio Falls ever put on but most of it particular sketch shows has Sophie but the comedy on Radio 4 than one of its crying and glories and it's rather depressing to see it so diluted.

Who on Earth commission the show that was broadcast on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

It's utterly Dyer what's happened to the programs of the calibre of dead ringers and the News Quiz can't listen what a terrible shame Beverley I haven't laughed as much as a radio show in the years while listening to Madame there.

Is there a plan to commissioner broadcast more episode hope so Brenda gilhooly remains a major yet underrated Talent for more than half a century of Barry Cryer has been a writer at the coalface of British comedy is written for everyone Morecambe and Wise the Two Ronnies Tommy Cooper Kenny Everett and many many more as well as starring in one of the greatest BBC panel shows of all-time who better to analyse radio comedy today and compare it to the past I asked Barry first if you thought there ever was a golden age of BBC comedy Arthur Askey who people don't talk about anymore.

I do else rash.

Is brilliant I will Colton directly should Every Generation the same a load of crap on a few brilliant people and Every Generation the same I never say a golden age and we were this and you are just that it's different now.

We're not naturally better than the current generation and they're not naturally better than that.

It's different now.

It's the me generation of comedy the men and women in comedy now talk about themselves my life.

What's happened to me and I deal with serious subjects and they replaced life generally at 8 Rodger that it's me people now locked in the headphones.

Lot of their screen and their phone the pain from st.

Is Narcissus generation.

We thought we talked about other people tell jokes and sing songs is a different convention, but I've worked doing the Edinburgh fringe every year but it take from this year.

New Year up and I work with the younger ones a lot now and more than one so said to me after show the gig that we've been doing you tell jokes zippers invented some new radical form of comedy.

They don't tell jokes, please say this is blood pressure to be politically correct.

Do you think that inhibit people yes two friends of mine went to see Jasper Carrott recently was been on a little son come back to after his that is a frame and I worked with her Jasper and they said he said to the audience the other night.

I could say the f-word all night wouldn't really bother you.

It's topics you have to worry about and I read recently a young, It was booked to appear to university.

They gave him a list of topics.

He mustn't mentioned and he said thank you very much and walked away.

It's unbelievable now.

Performers and you would argue to the way in which you treat atopic not the top of that performers coming from and that was always true.

I wanted to come here as well.

You choose.

Are you said that you much preferred in your work primarily as a writer to work with a co-writer the two of you together.

Yes now and you look sort of comedians.

They seem to have to not only perform at that a writer and material.

She thinks inevitably diminishes if you like the jokes.

I don't know you can't generalize about I rarely if ever wrote alone.

I was like banging ideas to and from know my background originally was performing so I had a feeling for what it was like being up there doing it but you had no great confidence yourself dancer performer.

See you spent a lot of your life writing writing writing and for people to say to me sometimes wouldn't you rather be doing yourself a refugee?

American army, are you serious? I could be better to apply material than they are now.

I was very happy being a backroom boy very happy about that, but nowadays people soon as I say to have to be writers and performers, but you also get a sense because there is so many options and because radio BBC Radio does not pay that much.

Yes, therefore people are willing to come along and do panel games.

They're not willing or find it less rewarding baps to spend two three four weeks writing a half hour script yes, and this is this is true of television definitely because if you have a panel and a selection of adult women sitting there and one said it's all about money if you did Skechers you'd have to pay writers from material.

You'd have to pay somebody to build a set this is the idiom now.

You just get people on load of people sitting together bantering away.

Active jobs that very funny, but yes, but it means did scripted and very clever if you like jokes some people think about to know but older person.

I move things are less less less problem.

Why do you think that? I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue remains though so popular in this very different environment well done the great Andhra Middleton are racial chairman said never lose touch with silly and what I can't now is sheer silliness and fun Malta was Tommy Cooper people they were adults growth of men and women being silly and there's very little of that now.

Just nonsense which I really miss the same sense of fun rather than this is a comment on on this is Santa Rising Sun there is a place of that of course but I miss you fun, but you're also in that program.

Get away with some of the filthiest jokes ever broadcast on Radio PSR how do you do that? Cos I mean has most of us in stitches and we were very just happy that we got away with it.

It's too long to 100 playing with the language and how we been accused of homophobia and all sorts of things through the years and how producer Jon Naismith adopt an archaeologist funds for his heels it digs them in now You're very you're very how can I put this you're very complementary to a lot of modern comedians and you don't like saying was better one that said it all that aside.

Have you any advice to offer beyond people who want to be comedians and perhaps 4 commissioning editors of comedy at the BBC labouring my old same again.

I just want to say that I think if you're young now.

You can make a real breakthrough beans.

The undoing nonsense there's too much coding comment and serious subjects which is often brilliantly done, but I'm never reminder steam here.

I want to return to Sheer fun and Milton Jones it is wonderful doing nonsense so it there is a home for it to this day people really want just to sit back and relax has comedy always divided this that's because our response lies that the people write always say something they love and sometimes they cannot stand and always been the case.

Yes, it's always you got the most naked part of the business you can argue about the play a song on musical.ly whatever but somebody said analysing comedy is like the setting of frogs nobody laughs and the Frog dies.

Analyse joke don't try and convince somebody something is funny leave it you were told it was they're told it wasn't move on one last question barrier some listeners have noticed that you have been appear on every edition of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue you will be in future seriously.

Oh, yes, somebody you said it was joking entering the other day and said why did you cut the sack around garden Friday night cutting down and I'll producer understands the travel doctors we love doing the show but we want somewhere a bit nearer sonar producer cages for it's not respect that you will be off.

You will hear you're getting on now.

Yes, yes, I love it.

Thanks to Barry Cryer a man who's left alone can light up the radio and it was no plans to retire and that's it for another addition.

It's not a bad job.

This you know presented feedback.

Not when you get to meet one of your comedy Heroes like Barry but it can give you stomach pains.

When we stop recording he never stop telling jokes and his timing remains in maculate, long may it continue goodbye.