Read this: 23/04/2021 Radio 4 Feedback

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts hello this week on feedback there a complaints about complaints please you start a call for licensee payers to register their satisfaction with your approach and how you manage the sad events of last week, please push back on these complaints well.

There is an extraordinary around 110000 to be precise making the blanket coverage of the death of the Duke of Edinburgh the most complained about piece of broadcasting in BBC History operation traditionally claims to be the national broadcaster can any organisation fulfill that role in today's multimedia world we will discuss and do you believe in the spirit world in poltergeists to be precise? I was brought up in disbelief free household, and I think I always had this fascination with belief with a thought of you.

Something more to be out there and as the result of his investigations does the writer and producer of radio 4S Battersea poltergeist now believe in ghosts will be finding out and out of your comfort zone feature.

We give to students front seats to front row.

Would they sit through it again never really listen to if there was a guess that stood out to me.

I could definitely see myself listening to it.

I'll students about to buy a radio for the first time and fully embraced this network find in feedback.

Last week we were inundated with complaints about the BBC's decision to amalgamate all its radio networks into one new service in the aftermath of the death of the Duke of Edinburgh with received even more complaints but for a rather different reason in a moment.

We're on a selection of them, but first here is the only statement the BBC is issued about the coverage 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 we acknowledged some humans were happy with the level of coverage given and impact this had on the build TV and radio schedules.

We do not make such changes without careful consideration and the decisions made with the BBC plays as the national broadcaster during moments of national significance we are grateful for all feedback and we always listen to the response come out.

Justin Walker the BBC so-called response to the complaints about its Handling of the death of Prince Philip epitomizes the corporations disconnection from the parent contempt for its audience and is Sutton you speak in the first place the response did not acknowledge the record number of complaints Northern nature of the complaint not show any recognition of what a bothered listeners and viewers secondly, there is no explanation of the decision which is what 110000 people will looking for Stephen Bowers thank you for airing the views about the recent tragedy and the over-the-top shutdown of all the BBC radio stations the very does the BBC's response refers to us as viewers speaks volumes about their attitude to radio John broomhall from Balerno just outside Edinburgh

Is a corporate decision not to put a spokesperson forward to discuss the most complained about scheduling and history of the BBC considering how the BBC right when politicians will not put themselves forward for scrutiny.

This is an active extreme corporate apocracy and Cardis response to an organisations weight of Chris such as this should be immediate and from a senior decision maker Nick Morton East Riding of Yorkshire can I make the points and thank the BBC for the blank coverage which was totally right and well judged.

I worked all weekend driving a truck so hard Radio 2 tuning all day and the Handling by the presenters was brilliant.

It was so touching and respectful listening to well-chosen music and the memories sent in by ordinary folk from around the country the BBC would do well to follow.

Complaints in the waste bin Lane Brooks maybe the BBC did overdue the coverage of the death of Prince Philip but you know what I don't care.

This was a momentous day for a lot of us.

He was a great man who gave his life to this country and to complain that you've missed an episode of EastEnders for example is what I don't understand is why the BBC open the book of complaints instead of a book of condolences Bryan Wyatt I'm a pulled by the reported 110000 and plates regarding coverage of the Duke of Edinburgh death coverage it appears that you have almost encouraged is by categorising them and releasing their numbers.

Is there any evidence of clusters complaints from focal as simply taking the opportunity complain or simply taking this opportunity is complaining about the royal family in general response your comments but no one was made.

I'm delighted to be joined by Peter Lunt who's Professor of media and communication at the University of Leicester Peter were you surprised by the extraordinary number of complaints the greatest thinking the BBC's history.

Well.

I think we were all surprised by that and it was an extraordinary headlining itself.

It was a really exceptional change in the schedule, so I can't remember at all of the BBC stations were taken over for one event of this kind.

Do the BBC is the national broadcaster now in the sense that he could say it was 3040 years ago.

We think of the history of the BBC there's been an extraordinary transformation in its third time from being a monopoly broadcaster arguably being able to make the claim that it was the national broadcaster because in a sense it was the only broadcaster for large period of time and iconic event perhaps was the coronation of Queen Elizabeth 1953 which was hugely.

If you look on the BBC website, they have an account of that as being a central moment in the history where they began to realise their potential to be the national broadcaster, but there's a problem here the part of the audience and expect the BBC if you like to change on the death of a monarch or a significant royal offence and then become Innocence the national broadcaster simply reflecting the unity of the United Kingdom which is represented by the monarch in that is job another say hold on know your job is to satisfy the interests of the listeners and viewers which are far more diverse right and these two things classed as well.

I think they did on this occasion.

I think the Innocence my point about the reference to the coronation was the Innocence they tried to reproduce the conditions of a monopoly broadcaster Innocence let's do this across all of our channels.

Of course.

That's a very strong Mark of respect you could argue.

But it wasn't well received by all of us and all these issues about the role of the monarchy about what constitutes to nation about what our position at Citizens years in relation to both the PC and the monarchy there are many diverse opinions on these issues nowadays and not so much maybe I can sense as they might have been in the 1950s the Paradox here is the BBC is if you like technically in a very good position.

It doesn't have to make the choice of had a single channel.

Do we cover blanket coverage not it's got so many channels right so many radio networks.

It's got so many possible ways if you like reaching the whole population and satisfying the vast majority of it.

So it doesn't have to make the sort of choices that it might have had to do in the past and yet.

It's looking over children never too late government and wondered are we there?

Should we in the short-term sacrifice the audience in order to sustain relationships with government and son and I think these are what's behind again some of your listeners Atkinson they wanted more from the BBC in terms of explanation as to why are covered the event in the way did they opted for blanket coverage? I think there was a sense of people were surprised by the decision to do it that way and they wanted some explanation from the BBC on that you said they'll be surprised by the brevity shall we say and the general nature of the BBC's response and the feedback? I think what we were talking about about the changing culture in terms of people's experience.

I think it applies to the sort of notion.

It's very first now.

So people as well as having ready access to have a voice and to get involved in public social movements issues of public concern that people are increasingly expecting the key institution.

Life to respond to them in in a similar segway Innocence if we think of consumer affairs is the distinction between a consumer who's got a complaint about a good they can decide to return for their money back where they can go shopping and another shop but then someone else might be concerned about a company in terms of their environmental policies and their sustainability there interest is the consumer but as a citizen in the role of that company and whether or not it's a contributing to sustainability and someone and I think I'm reading some of the reviewers comments in line with that.

They're saying to the BBC we want to address you and address your policies and we want you to be accountable for this product and that's what they calling for her.

Thanks to Peter lunch professor of media and communication at the University of Leicester Andrew register know what you think about that interview or anything else to do with BBC Radio or sounds.

This is how you get in touch you can send an email to feedback and have bbc.co.uk or write a letter the address is feedback PO Box 674 London se1p 4ax you can follow your activity on Twitter by using at BBC R4 feedbag, or you can call us on 0303 444 5004 standard landline charges apply, but it could cost more on some mobile networks all those details on our website.

How often have you turned on to Radio 4 at 2 p.m.

On a Friday lunchtime expecting to listen to a fresh episode of The Archers and another danwood step-by-step alcoholic Oblivion only to discover.

It's not there.

What's the 6 episodes a week now in these cold times that I just fall then if you've been in touch to ask when.

Service will be resumed will the answer is not yet.

I'm afraid the Archers team told us that under current restrictions.

It takes longer to produce an episode of them before so for the time being the number of weekly episodes will have to remain at for making plans for more episodes to be made when it's safe to do so and they will of course let us know when changes are eminence.

I wish I could also tell you that I think Alice is finally on the road to recovery but I feel she has further to fall each week, we asked to BBC Radio listeners to step out of their comfort zone and listen to a program that would normally be on their radar this week.

We've gone for now listeners again in fellow.

Queen Mary University Students rumour Heighington and Luke Pereira who both members of the same drama group usually listen to

But I do listen to some radio shows I guess but not really just leaving party, but my dad has won.

So do you ever do on BBC sounds and check what's on things? No, I don't but I probably should it seems quite good for my university degree, but I can't say that I do and how about you look you've left your radio behind at her home.

I take it still in the box sofa music it would be Spotify definitely but like over lock down.

I've never really listen to podcast before and I picked them up a little bit and I have actually been on BBC sounds because I enjoyed the Louis Theroux grounded podcast which I think was BBC Radio 4 on BBC is desperate feudalism sounds is putting lots of men podcast and it hosted sound is the sort of big thing which will go to in final range of thing is he getting through to people of your age of universe?

Hey, let's go to BBC sounds not to Spotify we'll let see what delights are available for us.

They like to do that.

I think that definitely go in the right direction in terms of like putting money into podcast that are in now with young people especially but I think that data probably do better in terms of promotion.

We don't really here too much about it as opposed to like the streaming platform which way so familiar with right listen to you both.

Hope you both have interest in the arts.

So we thought be a good idea for you to listen to an addition of front row on Radio 4.

How would you describe the program? There was three different sort of things you have to listen to through different parts of the first one was about the woman on The IT Crowd the second one was about tiktok icon pop quiz about but I liked it Katherine Parkinson was the first then there was Louise Kennedy was not listed some short stories choosingcruising Sligo and then there was.

Fat the years on years at band Aid released types of the First Time part of the latest recall on tiktok pretty wide range really yeah, it was an easy really easy listening Saturday with my breakfast listening to and that was definitely the one that was the most interesting to me as the youth with all obsessive tiktok directly can talk about that won the most think or understand that won the most a mobile phone.

That's the new single from years and years the band fronted by Olly Alexander who recently won acclaim for his starring role in The Channel 4 drama series thin that song is out on streaming platform ok, and how are you? Did you find the items were well? I'll hang about because I'll be interested in some of them or did you interested in all of them? I don't know them.

I did I can't say I had like equal interest in all of them.

It was nice to hear light in the tiktok thing cos it's very kind of relevant and current and it was talking about something instead of someone disgusting like their current projects.

You know me so popular among the other people but more and more pop groups whatever stars will start to put the music out first on tiktok.

I think so yeah started already really but it's more about like the commercialization and like how long before it becomes.

Just another way to make money instead of this outlet for fun day has been especially the last year and a half.

What did you think of the range of the item? I think it was good because I think it definitely apply to audiences.

I think most linkies would have been interested in listening obtaining into each individual part right well.

Thank you very much for listening.

I have to conclude this as I always do by asking whether you're you were out.

Listening to the programme front row in this case so look what you have your comfort zone and will you go back to front row for another edition definitely with this one? It's not something that I never really listened to and I could see myself because obviously they have on with a variety of gas if there is a gas that stood out to me.

I could definitely see myself listening to it, but it's not something I tune into week, but how do you find weather was guest on that you're interested in will maybe that's a question for BBC Radio 4 promotion team in and will you give front row another chance? I definitely was out of my comfort zone, but I think I am probably more likely to tune in and see more of what they have to offer as front room definitely well.

Thanks very much and please enjoy the rest of what remains have your university you.

Thank you.

Thank you and do let us know if you would like to be put out of your comfort zone.

do you have to believe in going to enjoy the Radio 4 Series and podcast the Battersea poltergeist apparently, North according to our post box the program investigates house hunting dating back to the 1950s involving an ordinary working class family living in South London and is a mixture of documentary drama featuring A mother's the great Toby Jones the presenter Danny Robins is also is writer and producer and he joins me from his now famous shed in South London the first some of your thoughts about the programme first episode and Alex and Chris Jones from Oxford I'm absolutely loving the Battersea poltergeist series the perfect gripping story for bedtime Imogen America from

I left the Battersea poltergeist the music really set the atmosphere and I like the work was balanced with the perspectives from Believers and deltas despite all the opinions the last episode was the clincher for me what Danny Roberts thank you very much for joining us.

How did you come across this story where you looking for a ghost story because you think well, there's really work well in podcast.

I met this old guys done to the legend of the British paranormal Finn and he said to me.

I've got this case you might be interested in and he introduced maternity told me it's 12 years long.

It's incredible array of phenomena and this box of files from the investigator and of course the woman that happened to who was 15 then in 1946 is 18 hours he still alive and she prepared to talk to you about it about 2 years researching and looking it up and then thankfully the BBC want to let Me Loose of it, then you know the battery poltergust was born ghost stories work particularly well on radio if it's on radio you can let people.

Imagination definitely that relationship that you have with audio really lends itself to scare.

Thank you.

You know that we've all had it properly I'm listening to her podcast the radio and doing the washing in the scary moment still find myself jumping is here.

Stinky shouldn't really be giving such credibility ghost one in particular was Robert this is styled as an investigation and his part documentary part dramatic destruction of events the fat people experience he sings in a genuinely interesting subject to investigate but I was dismayed to hear just how much credibility the program gave to the idea that this was a real goat is explicitly presented as a plausible explanation and this was made possible by subtle sleight-of-hand that could manipulate the listener into buying the idea so the question is what's really investigation.

I think definitely I would say you know tell that to half hour audience for you that I think you're not half of our audience are incredibly convinced that ghosts exist and one of the things that I have had for our investigation as well as all the questions and theories that people have emailed me with I've had a lot of people emailing me their own experiences and what I would say is that there is a huge number of people out there probably way way more than we think.

Had experiences in hoofield a real kinship with Shirley and the family in this program and actually have been frightened to talk about this.

You know they feel like they will be mocked Ali tears people will question then if you don't believe that she and her family that goes that's fine, but you can't deny the fact they went through a very traumatic experience that has stuck with surely her entire life when you hear her talking to me.

I think hopefully as I know you hear that free some of that you realise that she believes.

It's incredible effect on her pots and pans that were on the kitchen stove in the next room would come flying out the floating and go across the room and speed up.

They would suddenly come towards you you dodgem sometimes.

They would have her and then go down to the floor other times they'd hit buying into the wall.

Why did you decide to use the docudrama for you? Could have told me.

Different ways, why did you choose that so yeah? I mean that from the beginning and really the reason was that I felt the drama was an amazing way to very fittingly for are subject to bring the Dead back to life in a didn't have archive of this case.

It's not like the later Enfield haunting wear a TV crew landed on the doorstep quite early on you know there is no audio does not video this case and so for me drama was a way of if you can a creating our own archive you know we were bringing his characters Back to Life people who are dead people who we couldn't hear from but it's often really discovered documentaries because you're not like you often don't have the results of drama and it can sound rather stage this didn't and not least because you had a artist of the colour of Toby Jones with you.

I mean, how did you manage to get him? Well? I might take coronavirus felt slightly that everybody was sitting around waiting for work at the time and there wasn't filming so that might have been a factor, but I think Toby and Daphne who played Shirley were both really interested in the story I mean.

Maybe I learnt from some of the mistakes of docudrama in the past that often the drama feels like a little garnish on the end you no give a little bit of colour.

You're watching a documentary about Guy Fawkes and then you'll see the services in a corner, but actually I wanted something that was very balance that was very 50-50 and and really I think the moment where this took off was where I realised that the drama was part of the investigation.

It was a way of showing things another way of bringing moments that surely and having to use told me about to life and then it starts to flow organically not do things float in and out of each other and you know the door entry can be a scary of the drama because sometimes things that surely is telling us send a shiver down my spine so that their headphones broken and then we have the letters didn't your harold's letters which were you know obviously written at the time in Absolutely occasion.

What is really thought it wasn't you? Sorry working out what he was doing.

It was there in front of you.

Investigation notes with the family's Diaries with the newspaper articles from the time and even some reports from police and the fire brigade so much to work from and that alongside you know my hours surely that was very important to me and working with a living person and living witness to these events was really crucial to me.

I think and kept me grounded and making sure that the drama real for the majority of bus.

Did you deliver all your promises because we discussed up at one of your poems the first program and she on her out of your comfort zone feature and what reviewers rogercop census in the first episode of the Battersea poltergeist.

You said the mystery of what terrorized in a family will never be solved and I promised in return the did you didn't keep your word and solve that mystery I come round to your house and haunts you and I'm coming round very soon because you didn't solve it.

Brilliantly produced so I can't wait for you.

So Danny you confess that you did not solve the mystery writer and literally haunted me directly human health is a very divergent mean to be very different beliefs and I wanted to respect that in the ending that we reached you know it seemed clear to me that if we had a finite ending don't exist or a fine.

I don't think this will definitely go to alienate your audience.

We had a sceptic expert Ciaran O'Keeffe give me a conclusion we have Evelyn hollow our belief expecting a conclusion and my conclusion somewhere in the middle of those that it doesn't black and this is a great area is a mystery to this case that persists and that's why we're still talking about it.

You know that's in any great ghost story retains its mystery it has a certain sort of impregnable atiya.

Resistance units and people have reached many many computers fantastic conclusions and that's the important one.

What do you think about? What she said that you believe her? What do you think about all these events and haven't changed your opinion I like the fact that stuff the conversation.

I don't want to close that off by coming down with some particular stamp of an Ending that a lot of people when the group and you still sleep all night stay well.

You know you joke about this case has kept me awake a lot like you know people sometimes asking how it's effectively.

What do I believe and I think some people over dramatising quit my involvement in the case, but I have become genuine your first.

I've been in my shed non-stop every day for the last year think about this case and it's the case that has pushed me closer to the Edge and turn.

What do you believe that if you're looking for evidence that ghosts exist? This is the closest you will come to it and yes, it does give me sleep.

Goodnight and thank you very much.

Thank you and you can still find the Battersea

Nice on BBC sounds better not listen last thing at night or alone in bed, and that's it for this week until next week.

Keep safe and help people the people safe to Dubai