Read this: 06/11/2020 Radio 4 Feedback

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts, it wasn't a Biden blow out the polls got it wrong again and distinguished but now xx BBC voice thinks the reporting was flawed as well.

I think people got this election wrong or got the support for trump because people when going out and talking to people finding out what they believe why they support trump to me.

That's the heart of what journalism should be about not understanding what song did Mark Mardell is the BBC's former Europe and North America editor who most recently presented the world at one of the world this weekend last week.

He left the corporation after over 30 years this week.

He tells feedback about his worries about the cats in BBC News which have resulted in fewer reporters and which she believes threatens original journalism, is there no other way that the BBC can make cuts.

Is there nowhere the 2nd of the I think five or six.

Both Hayden news in their title and look and see other way areas where there's too much fat on the body of the BBC and what will UK be an American listeners make of a five Live podcast about the environment, do they think it would change anything programs like this? They will by dint of their Mere existence and the public to understand the issues, then that's high proportion of that public will make a change in their own lives and become more active but did honest as learn anything new find out later in feedback.

The Captain's and the King's depart over the past few months some outstanding BBC have left the operation they include the form of China editor Carrie Gracie Norman Smith assistant political editor the Northern Ireland political correspondent and James Robbins diplomatic correspondent BBC News having to make budget cuts and a forthcoming cap on redundancy payments have concentrated mine's go early and get a better deal another is Mark Mardell renounced his departure last week on the world at one of the Sundays well this weekend.

I'm leaving the BBC after 30 very happy and fascinating years in Westminster Europe and as well as for these last 6 years in front of this microphone.

I'm not planning to slip away gently to prune any Roses or repay the spare bedroom so thank you for listening and I hope don't you know where or when?

In some form, we'll meet again.

I plan to be pretty activator time we all need to be as well informed and educated as possible some Valleys do enjoy you know although I might use the account emoji :-) so for the last time the M25 I Mark Mardell and that's the world 145.

This is how some of you wanted to Marks and uncemented Maurice Piper I heard Mark make his announcement on world at one today.

It made me pause to reflect on another favourite broadcaster departing to hear it Judith Hudson mama Dells boys will be missed the frames questions seem to hit the mark without being threatening and aggressive or conference towards the interview interview in general this really have Emily I'm so very sorry that Mark modele has left the BBC he has the most.

Radio voice warm friendly reassuring which has been marvellous company for years is understated manner serious or humorous as needed will be so much missed.

I wish mark well of course but sincerely.

Hope he's not retiring but might lend his voice to a podcast all too well.

I'm delighted to be joined by the man himself Mark Mardell good morning or rather good lunchtime.

It's Wednesday lunchtime.

Have you been up all night listening to the coverage of the presidential election not quite all up all night when I got to Florida and when I saw how he was nowhere for trump.

I decided it was going to be a very long night and we wouldn't know anything at the end of it.

So I went to bed at that point but fascinating.

Did you think some of the reporting of trump has been flooded in the the seems to be this constant misunderstanding of its support base an underestimation of it absolutely I couldn't agree with that.

I'm in my worry about.

Trump is that people behave I mean I'm not saying he's not a strange man and it's not weird and it's not unusual president.

He is and I'm certainly not saying we should be Bland and not say all that the reporting over the years seems to me.

Just going well.

That's amazing how extraordinary my jaws dropped again and again and again.

It's like use of dragon elephant on the stage and look at that funny Long Nose look but you're absolutely right.

I think people got this election wrong or got the support for trump because people weren't going out and talking to people to finding out what they believe what I why they support trump to me.

That's the heart of what journalism should be about not understanding what song this but the difficult things understanding why he's a strange man he is a strange present.

Why do people still do you mean such huge numbers? It's essential to go and talk to people pick up that a little later, but you must answer this question from Mr Emily said you're not retire entirely surely there must be a podcast so to worry.

To come and is anything is not pending but then exploring lots of Alleyways and avenues and yes podcast or two or three or four or five or six or seven couple of books but maybe memoirs maybe only I was thinking of turning brexit Love Story into a book.

I'm trying to negotiate that at the moment.

Are you living because you're into your 60s the BBC is trying to use it's headcount and there is a the government cap on redundancy payments are there but and anyone unwilling departure no, no, I mean I don't approve everything has been done at the BBC and I'll be very Frank about that.

I think people feel difficult when they leave some people just want to laugh out loud things that they've disagreed with put up with 4:30.

Also others are over friendly and don't want to criticize when because they believe in the Ethos as I do and believe in the licence fee as I do believe in what the B&B

This as I do and so they don't necessarily less of chunk of light in the highlights that you've had to recreate you've managed to be the European editor than North America editor.

You heavily involved in domestic politics as well.

I'm a newcomer the Waterfront what are the highlights it's an interesting question and there are things that sticking your mind whether it's covering the fall of Thatcher as a relatively young reporter too much more recently waking up in Brussels on the morning of brexit.

There are tragedies that stick in your mind like covering the memorial for Sandy Hook and the Boston bombing and strawberry lockdown carrying under table in Paris after the after the attacks when we're only thought there was gone when outside the cafe, but those things to get the front of mind but the the reporting that I really love doing was just going all over the European Union going all over the United States hearing people stories getting under the skin of their story.

Why they felt the way they did and try to spot trends as they were happening well at the moment at the point of which you leave the issue of impartiality is obviously at the forefront of the political debates the media in Swan the first things that Tim Davies new director-general addressed the Assumption all the presumption seems to be that part of the BBC have been less than in partial, how difficult did you find impartiality when you are reporting? I think I've been doing it so long that I often find myself then and now I'll give me friends say it's not quite easy absolutely completely back Tim Davie on this not because I think the BBC is somehow infected with left wingers or anything like that.

I don't think that's true.

I think there's a bit of 6 in this but I don't think impartiality means being kind or nice to the government it means being able to take a stance the where people know listeners know that you're if you're saying.

Rowlands got something wrong or has changed their mind you're saying it because it's true because it's objectively true not because you have a partial view that you hate his or her party or his or her policy.

I think that's absolutely critical and I just find out if people think the BBC is a bystander obviously the difficult issues here, but the last 506 people to have BBC Jonah political party more gone to the Conservatives I don't say that.

I think pendavey is writer in a broader sense that we live in a very partisan world of social media of lots of aggression and bitterness and we also live in a world.

Where as happens in America the media the broadcast Media is biased one Way Or Another and increasingly is happening here and I hope what he's saying about impartiality is a plea for somebody who tries despite all the difficulties despite all the hardships does it's not easy but stand above that and say we are.

Impartial not just left or right and he said this she says that there's 360 where exploring all sorts people's views, but sure there's a difference and some people get rather confused about this.

I think we've had impartiality to a conclusion some people are so well if politicians his dark outside something it's like outside and you just say well one says one once the report is out and say what it is.

I mean in charge.

It does not stop you coming to conclusions no absolutely not and people often said when I was Europe editor or North America Reddit why you saying that it's just your opinion when it's not just my opinion it maybe my opinion but it's based on fact.

It's based on years of observation knowing how politicians behave so of course you come to a judgement.

I think there is a difficulty for impartial organisations the BBC where you say about dark outside we don't put flat earthers on the radio or television because nobody is really arguing about that when does controversy when they were.

Parties Wiltshire saying things which some people think I just fundamentally on true we have to interrogate those politicians putting those views.

It doesn't mean we shouldn't put them on can return them to the question reporting because BBC News having to make very significant cutbacks for the BBC has bad news has particularly difficult targets one of the ways.

It's been choosing to do this is to reduce the times of reporters and eliminating certain areas that programs like today have programmed have it sorted today editor can no longer as it was reported.

I think this is a good story.

I spotted it gone do it because they won't have a report the decision to go to make more centrally.

Do you have worries about this? Yes absolutely fundamentally I mean you're right.

We have to make swinging difficult and if I truly believe that the only way the only fat on the bone.

The only thing that could be cut was reporting and the programs budgets.

Say that's a great shame and does great damage, but you know we've got to do it to survive but is there no other way that the BBC can make cuts.

Is there nowhere nowhere the 2nd of the five or six people who have both had and news in their title and look and see other way areas where there's too much fat on on the body of for the BBC I do worry.

Yes, I do very much because I think reporting is absolutely at the heart of everything.

We do it's fundamental if you don't know what people say it's why people misread brexit.

It's why people misread trumpets misread several elections.

No because we are we did trustee opinion polls continually too much but we're not going out there and listening to people stories and you've got to do that.

I think command economy of news probably doesn't work.

There's no need to reinvent the wheel but they are worried about the BBC News decision when I talk to the controller Radio 4.

Didn't August he said he was concerned about the huge changes he understood.

Why they had to be made but he said if we are losing the count of distinctiveness and original journalism that we noted for when will make a noise about that you seem to suggest that that distinctiveness and original judges and will almost inevitably be affected by those cuts will the kids affect Radio 4 is losing the programs like world of wine and Today programme I losing all their reporters.

They are going they are they made leave the BBC they may go into a pool they may work elsewhere but as you say the editor Today programme or of WWI cannot say go out in the morning and get this the story for us.

I cannot commit to a long series like my brexit.

Love story like people's long like manveen Rana wonderful stories on refugees.

They won't be able to do that that to me is a lot of distinctiveness.

What worries me about.

This is that I haven't found a c.

Person that says no you're wrong.

This is a great idea.

I mean I'm being objective about this.

I've looked I've asked people what they think they might come on your programme and tell you it's pile of rubbish and it's all about a desire to build Empires but I can't find a single person who says it's necessary beyond the cuts that need to be made and looking for a more diverse order which I completely back.

We do need to get young people and we do need to get people to feel unserved by the BBC doesn't mean you enjoy and dismay your original basic audience as he isn't that because the BBC singing on the one hand with the residential been out of touch.

We must get more in touch with the country one of the ways you do that of course is sending people out report is to find out what the people think and find out what the things important to find stories that the centre doesn't know about on the other hand the financial pressures artist centralised decision-making among a handful of people who sit in the same.

The same building and then they commission and the rest of BBC response so there's a real tension between those two things on at the cutts pull 1-way and if you like the need to report and complicated different country and will cause the other yes, I don't think that's superb something up.

I didn't see how sitting in London and being in charge of a command news economy turn on the stand Britain a bit better really I think you need people going out there being based.

They're telling you what's going on and one of the great losses for journalism.

Not just the BBC is the loss of local reporting.

I mean the number of times on World of one.

We've wanted to get her a local take on the story ring up the local radio station local BBC station and the person on is is there anyone there? They haven't got the staff now again? You know it's financial cuts.

There are local papers around anymore.

I think the loss of local reporting and Alice all that.

National international journalists get your stories from when you go to a small town you look at the local paper see what's there.

There is no local paper in lovecases, so that's a big loss as well.

Well Mark just before we go for the moment at least I have been able to talk in the future about something at listening Jeff Matthew has this question hello Mark I just got you a journalism originally and if you were 21 today.

Would you follow the same path again? What was your past? I did politics University I sort of his vaguely interested in the idea of your broadcasts Rosen sure about it, but I was lucky enough to do a course London College of printing as it was then cooled and radio journalism and something just clicked.

I'd love the storytelling.

I love the writing.

I love the I suppose a bit of showmanship as well.

I love talking to people.

I love the cross skills learning that and so I just thought this is what I want to love the short-term.

That's why I didn't know but something clicked and I just loved it.

Joined radioties the commercial radio station has just started up when journalism was taken really seriously again.

I'll bang my point home that you don't get that these days and commercial radio and often tell Square either so it's not difficult in many ways to get into thing but would you still want to do it again if you were 21, would you have another crack? Oh, yeah, of course? I would we live in such strange time.

I think even now whether or not as 2162 if it we didn't live in Strange Times I'll be taking my newly bull recorder and going off somewhere finding stories and trying to sell them now.

That's the trouble is how do you pay for it home? And I'm lucky at position the money can a 21-year old starting out but you can that is the big difference you can go out there and just put stuff out there think you'll be doing that in future when you Mark yes, I hope so very much so watch this space.

Thank you very much well, we asked for a response from the BBC to that interview with Mark

But the BBC declined to comment but of course you can so please do tell us your thoughts about that item or anything else to do with BBC Radio this is how you get you can send an email to feedback at bbc.co.uk alright.

Let the address is feedback PO Box 672 34 se1p 4ax.

You can follow activity on Twitter by using at BBC R4 feedback or you can call us and leave a phone message on 03345 standard landline charges apply, but it could cost more on some mobile networks all these details are on our website each week.

We're asking to BBC Radio listeners to step out of their comfort zones and listen to a program that wouldn't normally be on their radar.

This week we have two listeners originally from this country, but who lived in the United States for many years Chris Collins from Albany New York state and Danny Lee from Palm Springs in California and is to give us an idea if you're listening habits, what would be your top field programs if you were stranded on a desert island, the first one would obviously have to be Desert Island Discs and I would certainly want to think about.

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue and I could not be without test match special especially when it rains Danny where about you well, I've been listening to the BBC since about 8, I think and for decades I've listened to any questions in The Archers and money box when we asked you to listen of course to none of those instead of wheel asked you to turn on and environmental podcast made by the five live team what planet are we on?

Two-part series at Chris how would you describe the program explain please what it's all about pretty interesting it was a good split at the start.

It was talking about gender issues, if you like current issues.

See the pandemic Extinction rebellion etc, and then the second half was an excellent interview with Sir David Attenborough which I found really sing is always been one of my favourite chaps so knowledgeable and the Natural World is a great interest of mine.

So I found it quite interesting and don't know what did you think about it? I did find it interesting although I struggled a bit with the length of interview for David Attenborough one of my goals.

I think if I was listening to this program will be to listen for solutions and I think they did a great job in explaining some of the background to climate issues and the environment but I was.

Really for more detail about what we do now.

How do we solve this? So it was a balance for me between setting the environment issues in contrast to Solutions suggesting that you weren't surprised by anything in the program and Chris did you find learn anything new from the programme David Attenborough always a wonderful interview it, but he's been heard a lot recently.

Did you find something out in the spring? We didn't do want two areas that I did find them giving you information to one of them was related to something that Danny just picked up on a concerns of Solutions David Attenborough came across at some points is to being somewhat frustrating that he felt with the Solutions existed, but it was very difficult to implement them because of government and transitions putting people together getting ever.

The table and I think that came across and his voice and his his demeanor in some ways and so the Solutions that were sort of describe neutered.

They were interesting ones that was some of them when you but also it was interesting to find Attenborough the to me for the first time.

He's usually so upbeat to seeing for the first time little bits of despondent have to get together.

There is no should be no dominant nation on this planet and I believe that there's a time when we can begin to realise the time for squabbling the time to say I've got to get the best bargain to my nation is over we've all got to recognise that we're living on the same clothes and some of us have been very lucky numbers of Taken rather a bigger share of Glory wealth of this and then we deserve and there are many that much much less.

Well, now we have to sort that out.

How do you do it? How can politicians say to the the electorate? Well? I'm going to go away and as a result it's going to meet you and that's what I responsible.

How do you say that when judging whether the presenters of this program did a good job Lisbon in particular as a good morning.

Did they make the fairly well-known interesting and the second question which is due think it will have energized anybody to take action whatever action.

They think there's a terrible sense of fatalism around isn't that you think that they'd energized the audience through this podcast.

I don't I don't think they did in this particular because it's great that Attenborough was on everybody loves him.

He was introduced as a National Treasure but he's not news and I think it was another case of.

David Attenborough talking about body really knows about what is a great advocate for but there was nothing new there that would make people want to say I'm going to do some this is absolutely right.

So even though I have found it interesting and informative.

I don't think it was life-changing enough for the people that would have been listening to this.

What about you? Did you agree? I agree with Chris's comments there because what I was looking for at least towards the end is more solution-oriented material and really we were stuck in the brother down at aspects of the whole situation, so the environment needs.

We haven't got there yet people should be doing something but we didn't define what and governments need to change and come up with Solutions

Places like Brazil but we don't know what what for them to do that, so that's not going to Energize anybody.

It's actually gonna frustrate or depressed people and I'm not sure that was intention.

I'm sure it wasn't but there is a second part of second program.

Will you be tuning EN4 that all not bothering yes actually it's queued up on my podcast right now, so I will be listening to that second segment partly because rather rather frustratingly at the beginning of that first segment the introduce Three presenters, but we only heard from David Attenborough so I'm I'm curious to hear what the other two months say and what about you cos will you tune in will you add of your comfort zone and will you tune into part of my comfort zone and I think I would certainly to Danny Lee from Palm Springs California and Chris Collins from Albany New York State thank you very much indeed for joining us and what planets are we on with her.

A podcast by five live can still be found on BBC sounds and do let us know if you would like to be put out of your comfort zone.

Bringing up Britain on Radio 4 has prompted lots of listening response could not believe how one side of the programme was all evidence discussed pointed to the fact that the only child was final preferable but nothing on the side of the last week.

We promise that we would be speaking to the editor of being at Britain but we had to postpone that item until next week.

So please join us then and just before we go last week.

We also heard from an Elder listener Naomi Bowen who lives on her own.

She made a heartfelt plea for me not to use the phrase keep separate when I sign off this week.

We've had another email on the same subject from a listener who wishes to remain anonymous keep safe keep separate you repeated use of it through the years been genuinely helpful as the people got more and more cavalier about things and ever to be leading to another Richard lock down your reminder was one of the few constants and help people who were trying to do the right thing reassuring them that they weren't.

They hadn't missed the memo you said consistently hang on we're not out of the woods yet when it felt as though so many others are in denial.

We need that reminder still so just in case your self reflection made you question whether you said the right thing you did I shall miss keep separate if you no longer say it and I think it says important now as it was earlier in and possibly more so but I understand if you drop it, so what to do until next week keep safe and help keep other people safe to goodbye.