Read this: 16/04/2021 Radio 4 Feedback

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts hello there have been nearly 110000 complain about the BBC's blanket coverage of the death of the Duke of Edinburgh making it the most complained about piece of broadcasting in BBC History who on Earth made this little scheduling decision for heaven's sake he was 99 the sad of it, but this stick of fantic.

Overkill is an insult to the Queen and to his memory all radio channels all mainstream channels all night control is trained we Retreat back.

I've been inundated with complaints and the BBC Television audiences plummeted, so should the corporation of done much less and restore normal service much sooner.

Got to served every audience every minute of the day with every program choice that audience might prefer it has to just do it best it did its best it may have overcooked the notification talking to a former comptroller of editorial policy at the BBC Richard are and from the Royal to the sacred the Reverend Richard Coles talks about the role of priests on radio Elvis of people are hungry and they can't watch for food, but the menu is in a language that don't understand in the dishes they've not had before perhaps one of the jobs of vicars in media is to try stop articulate in that conversation in a different way and to drama students listen to a controversial radio play which deals with the thorny version of when no means no.

I don't think they may be in the moment.

He was thinking about that.

I don't think a lot of boys do which is the problem really out of their comfort zones find out later in feedback.

Following the announcement of the death of the Duke of Edinburgh last Friday shortly after midday the main BBC radio stations scratch their plan programs and broadcast the same rolling news special play mirrored situation on BBC television where BBC's 12 and 4 card the same output some 4 hours later radius 11 extra and the Asian Network broadcast and then return to their own now amended programming an hour after that around 5 p.m.

Radios 236 music and V live return to their own programs, which included a mix of the usual shows and specials.

There was some changes to content throughout the weekend on BBC Radio until Monday morning when the schedules went back to normal Radio 4 ex was the last station to resume broadcasting its own programming at 6 a.m.

On Monday audiences for BBC TV shrank and the most popular television programme on Friday was Channel 4.

Gogglebox according to figures released by the BBC complaints unit they received over 100000 complaints for both TV and radio the highest ever we had feedback so been inundated with comments mainly negative his some of it John hobday.

I'd like to add my voice to the thousands if not millions you think the BBC's coverage of Prince death was very much over-the-top.

What was particularly irksome was what in effect was the shutting down of radios 123 and Four Extra possibly others ready for I was only switched on again today Monday the hill.

It was not acceptable to blanket the entire Airways of a public channel.

It was a consort not the monarch dedicated programs prepared and created for those who are interested in his life could easily have been arranged over the coming days, but scheduled for toys.

I really thought I was back in Russia installing times Andrew Keenan

No disrespect to the memory of a unique figure is deaf and milestones in the country's Monaco history to wonder why last Saturday's Radio 4 programmes including the giggly 9 a.m.

Slot Saturday went ahead as scheduled well hard work behind Radio 3 day-long stravinsky celebration with persponed replacing music programs with programs of music Gareth from Sussex claims to be an unbiased source with all sides and views taken into account and I believe the Radio 1 programming completely missed the mark the target demographic is 15 to 29 year olds group you support for the monarchy is 29% The programming wasn't representative of this mentioning and doing a news article fits full cancellation of the day scheduling does not John Baines maybe the BBC felt it necessary to show their patriotism in case they were criticized by politicians in future perhaps the decision.

More about their licence payers and less about right wing Tory MPs I knew you were damned if you do and damned if you don't but it is all about balance and in this case.

I've got it wrong.

I'm sure that you could have been rather embarrassed by the whole thing after all from the coverage.

I did listen to this was the kind of sycophantic washing the he would have brought Henry Marsden nation liver 1000 years, but should the green regrettably passed away are the BBC plans to be even more draconian than in this instance Carrington in the news today that the BBC was receiving criticism for its coverage of Prince Philip's death and changing programming to accommodate it.

I'd like to tell you how much I have appreciated and the respect that you've shown I'm a regular listen to Radio 3 and 4 I felt it was appropriate and respectful to change programming in the last 24-hours and to have special programs.

Listen to several programs and learn new things about Prince Philip well done and thank you.

We have asked for a BBC representative to come onto feedback to explain the corporations and their reaction to such widespread criticism no one was made available instead.

We were given the statement after I had conducted the interview with Richard are the passing of His Royal Highness the Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh was a significant event which generated a lot of interest both nationally and internationally acknowledged unhappy with the level of the coverage given and impact this had on the Bill TV and radio schedules.

We do not make such changes without careful consideration and the decisions made reflect the role that BBC plays as the national broadcaster during moments of national significance we are grateful for all feedback.

We always listen to the response from our audiences by Richard was a former member of the BBC trust and controller of editorial.

Thank you very much for joining us Richard are I believe that you were home in the middle of the 1980s and you were then responsible for putting into place and the response to the death of a leading member of the royal family and leading politicians.

There was a plan on network radio to guess what bring all the radio networks make the announcement of death of the sovereign V8 of the throne and the sovereigns husband Prince Philip and for those the rule was the decision as the palace alerted the BBC that announcement was imminent the BBC would bring its networks together on radio and on television make them.

Play the National Anthem and does a good reason for bringing the networks together and that is the evening this day of social media when we all have our mobile phones on us the best single way of reaching the largest part of the population in mediately with news of major national importance is frankly through the BBC because there are millions and millions and two people at anytime who are either watching or listening to or at least have on in the background of BBC network the big question is not whether to bring those networks together, but how long they then stated yeah, so that depends in part on how shocking surprising significant the news is do you want the problems here is there was little News24 once you said you can't die once you've run the documentaries about his life.

What is there to say? I think that's exactly the judgement that has to be made.

Network by network station by station behind the scenes at the BBC while the news department is keeping both radio and television running and clearly in the case of a man who was 99 listen to come out of hospital who died peacefully at his home.

It is inherently a less newsworthy story in the sense that there is less play newsworthy, which will happen following the announcement of that makes it pretty hard for news programs to to sustain for very long.

However, don't underestimate the number of watching or listening at home who actually did want to hang on if necessary throughout the day to hear more tributes being paid it easy now to take account of the many many thousand to complain.

It's impossible to take account of the many many thousands and probably millions who didn't so the different situation I suppose from when you were talking in the 80s original.

Now is the population has a well has a wider range of choice outside of the BBC that it can go to but also that the popularity monarchy perhaps as diminished somewhat.

Do it strong if the BBC's job in the responsibility is to satisfy the needs demands and desires of the whole population should disable list provided some networks which catered to those who did not want to watch World War coverage of the Duke of Edinburgh well, did the BBC maybe keep some of the networks together for long probably not everybody would agree with that but will the BBC adopt a different approach next time around that tricky is going to BBC world think about the number of complaints.

I'm sure the BBC will think carefully about when to let networks at part and and serve their normal audiences.

And expected to be quick because frankly the next royal death maybe even more important and maybe even more newsworthy than this one has been happy, but there are some people who think that the BBC was intent on institutional survival someone said this is a frighten BBC opting for safety there for garage wall coverage.

You might lose them audiences, but the right-wing the Daily Mail the government will not complain any truth to that you think it's not a picture of the BBC the recognised by think on this occasion.

They probably heard in keeping some of the networks together too long particularly the souls waiting for the return of Radio 4 Extra had three days to wait but I'm still baffled by the fact that it took until Monday for for extra to come back.

Why would that happen? Why would it take so long Roger I don't have great insight into the running of for extra.

I think the most likely answer to beetroot for is.

Is the last network on network controllers Minds the BBC is motivated on these occasions by it wish to get the tone right not to cause necessary offence at what is a very solemn moment for a very large number of people and frankly of course the BBC is there to serve all audiences.

It hasn't got to serve every audience every minute of the day with every program choice that audience might prefer it has to just do it, but it did its best it may have overcooked a bit on this occasion is going on in the world after example the trial of the man charged with the killing of George Floyd does the chaos continuing case in Northern Ireland covered is course it's still wrapped around the world not least in Brazil BBC World News was just running coverage of the Duke of Edinburgh is that editorial decision you is a former deputy chief executive of news would have agreed with.

You spell try not to make comments about how good bad or indifferent the news is because it's it's often better than it was in my day on this occasion.

I'm afraid I think you're absolutely right.

I was extremely frustrated myself to find it so difficult to discover news about what's happening around the world and indeed around the country apart from these events, but don't underestimate Rodger extent to which the people involved are running around like crazy folk trying to do their best to get the story from every angle and sometimes.

They are on the side of telling a story from every angle once too often and forgetting the life goes on for the rest of the world be a case for reviewing the coverage of all members of the royal family and saying in the light of the flight of audiences on television in the light of the number of complaints have been had in this case the BBC should.

Steel down its coverage of anything other than the death of the monarch.

I think it would be inappropriate to consider future plans in the light of audience numbers and the fact of the lot of people chose to watch Gogglebox why shouldn't say that doesn't determine the BBC's policy on these occasions however if you ask me save her majesty the Queen who's clearly now elderly when it comes to the next generation of royals will the BBC still adopt the same policy and approaches? It's done in the last week.

I be astonished if it did I don't think it should and I think there's mate should be reviewed, but it will still be appropriate for the BBC as the national broadcast to show respect in reporting the death of a senior member of the royal family we happened to be a constitutional monarchy.

These rules are important these people are important.

Death is important.

It's important the BBC reflects that my thanks to Richard a former comptroller of editorial policy at the BBC and a former member of its trust and do let us know what you think about that interview or anything else to do with BBC Radio this is how you get in touch you can send an email to feedback and bbc.co.uk or write a letter the address speedback PO Box 672 34 London se1p 4ax you can follow our activity on Twitter by using a BBC R4 feedback or you can call us on 0303 444 5444 on some mobile networks all those details on our website now.

This week we asked to BBC Radio listeners to step out of their comfort zones and listen to a program that would normally be on their radar this week.

We've gone for tune on radio listeners again shadow Queen Mary University Students rumour Heighington and Luke Ferrara both members of the same drama group.

What are you listening to and how do you access it? I am listening podcast I do like podcast but normally they're on Spotify or apple music.

It's probably the most easiest platform to get them definitely so first in the morning.

You don't automatically you have a radio to switch on I do have a radio by don't think I've switched it on before which is coming up today, but ok, how about you? Look the same for me you really just say music in podcast.

I don't even think I have a radio students with a love of drama.

We asked you to listen to a Radio 4 play and in this case.

It was one that went out on Radio 4 in the air.

It was called endless second described as unflinching drama about consent and went on to students fall in love, but one drink and evening Everything Changes and description of the plane.

Yeah definitely I think it was definitely gripping.

I was listening to it sat on a train and I was a little bit about you rumour.

I mean it was certainly for a person of my existing in the afternoon remarkably Frank about the tentative.

Shall we say sexual relationship that body's too young people was it believable? I mean I can fully grayslake I think that it kind of covered a lot of issues.

Why I don't think a lot of people really talk about them and have them on the radio that most people listen to the message to get out there.

She Goes by the content.

She just agree that the actor about the acting.

What did you think about that? It's so amazing people can make you believe and like view view.

Storynory Head by just using their voices like it's crazy in a way.

I can't imagine this work in the theatre, and it was originally written for it.

I can't imagine being in a theatre in the audience something how the actors would create the sense of intimacy that you got on radio.

No definitely I think after listening to the play which I've never done.

It never heard the play on Radio before never love listen to this.

I couldn't imagine it being better in the theatre like it was really a massive and that was completely down to like the acting and the rising of the Sun streams in through the curtains and her eyes are open the breath is like you always does.

He makes breakfast, she's in the days, but eyes look like they are looking into a pool of shallow-water.

Are you ok? How's your head will be playwright.

Obviously wants to explore the question of what is raping.

What isn't rape and to do with that obviously he had to create a scenario.

Who's the real question mark about whether it was and wasn't it wasn't and he also had to make the behaviour of the characters credible first of all.

Can I ask you about that scenario.

Do you think it was a credible 100% I think that it all comes down to the end of the day as to how educated you are on on the idea of consent on the matter of consent, but I think the thing it was quite interesting was the fact that they made him such a character.

So even you at some point for thinking like oh, I don't think that was his intention but at the end of the day.

It's still was raping it still was a horrible but the girl to have to go through definitely.

The playwright you got a situation.

Whereby the the man was extremely polite attentive in most of his life really quite likeable and then you have that moment where he doesn't commit rape.

You have to debate about whether it was Jewsons at the character again with believable and that situation and the way you perform was believable at the performance definitely I think what a lot of people would have found some dancing with that is that it existed in a grey area of which traditionally taught that it's a very distinct idea of what rate should be it's about like taking power away from someone like this is Big dark like shadowy figure.

Who is like said rapist, but this happened within a relation that Sunday lot of people could feel quite seen by again heard about the weather man's behaviour was a believable rumour, but do you think though the woman's behaviour was?

Because they seem to have such a good relationship going and this moment is absolutely shattering in its consequences Jubilee rats believable 100% I think that it takes a quite a long time to even like recognise as rape as an assault because obviously she would like to think that he would never do that to her but then that was his intention to do it would definitely be quite a hard thing to have to recognise and realise that someone that you love to be capable of doing something like that to you if you went out to some of your male friends and play them then do you think I found number of them would say that's not rigs actually rape.

I don't think my friends at least would but maybe that's just cos I have better choice in Friends than some others do I I think that we as a generation that has like more of a clear I think idea of what rate is well.

Got to ask you out of your comfort zone and I think I would asking two ways one where you with the

Matter and secondly where you with radio for what about you look I was out of my comfort zone in the idea that I am not a radio listener.

This was something new that I've never done and it's something I would do again but with the content matter.

I think it'd be difficult to not be put out of your comfort zone, but I think that was slightly intention.

It doesn't make it like that.

You're going such another Radio 4 re-play then absolutely no idea how about you rumour converted U2 radio or not out of your comfort zone or not to listen to plays in my dad if I was in the car radio 4 but not go out of my way to listen to it, but definitely if there's stuff for the same calibre as that I would 100% be interested in tuning and listen to his name to it definitely and thank you very much indeed for John yes, thank you very much for having us.

Thank you and you can still find endless II on BBC sounds it stars Louise Holland and Sam auto and the writer is Theo toksvig-stewart.

No last week.

We had from Saturday Live the Reverend Richard Coles who also appears in the series three vicars talking with fellow priests Kate bottley and Giles Fraser in the first three programmes of series they spoke about marriage births and as hear about death of symmetry is up the hill, so I was coming down after funerals last year and I like to dress up in a Beretta and everything goes walking down the hill pleased with myself then take the trouble to dress up like now and a white van went past the bloody now and he looks me when Dumbledore in a moment.

I'm going to ask if there will be more three vicars talking first here's what some of you have had to say about the series Imogen aurora from London I think the Reverend Richard Coles great on Saturday Live I also really enjoyed three vicars talking it was funny but poignant in places.

I hope they do another series.

Pam Johnson I thought three vicars talking was in lightning and thought-provoking well worth a listen Carol injunction from Worcestershire can we have some more topics for the prefix, please? My thought they were excellent amusing and thought-provoking chats only surprising way, so I hope so and what we did originally was sort of focus on those moments when the church was really engages with the outside world.

So you should look through the calendar for Ascension tidal transfiguration Sunday or something find what we can do but it's really interesting or something that strikes me in a few people go to church, but there seems to be a some steady level curiosity about the people.

Who do it but I think that's kind of interesting so maybe it's people who make it commitment to it is what interests people and maybe that's what they were.

I just wondered whether you worry that even radio for itself compartmentalise is religion you know the suggestion my window cover the festivals and if you do something on Sunday or Saturday that's fine.

We've done it.

I'm actually work out.

There is an appetite.

If not for religion in terms of the way, it's practice to but religion in terms of its subject matter of spiritual meaning and purpose and actually there's a greater audience available that perhaps even commissioners realise that's right my experience is just wondering around as a vicar is that the sort of questions that trouble people and always have done always will have been a subject of deep thought and consideration in places like churches and mosques and synagogues and temples today's for him religion is just part of their daily life.

That's quite natural.

I think those of us who grown up in the world which I think would describe myself brought his secular that sort of become closed off and people.

Is questions elsewhere a very struck but people in Hart galleries often seem to ask questions of art that they would one fast of faith.

That's what we need to do is to establish the Contours of that conversation and helping people are hungry and they can't what's for food, but the menu is in a language that don't understand in the dishes they've not had before perhaps at the jobs of vicars in Media's to try to start articulating their conversation in a different way while a more three vicars talking if possible but finally can we rule out a musical come back and everything about it.

I can't remember any of the songs and also have used lockdown to start learning the accordion.

So maybe it would be the accordion which I was storm the chance again which is girls.

And that's it for this week next week.

We'll be talking to the writer and presenter of Battersea poltergeist Danny Robbins did it does it really exist.

Please do sending your questions and comments and until next week keep safe.

It's not over yet and help keep other people save to goodbye.