Read this: 21/04/2023 Radio 4 Feedback

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts hello, I'm Andrea catherwood and welcome to today.

We are tackling the serious issue of Radio 4 comedy.

I do like the fact that the BBC offers new Talent showcase the Now Show is funny, but still features mainly middle man making fun of another set of middle age men Radio 4 comedy Supremo Julia McKenzie is here to respond to your comment there is a growing number of Us in this who actually see the ridiculous.

Royal family is less than interested and don't think they're particularly admirable is the BBC's coverage of the monarchy impartial in we hear your views no Radio 4 has been broadcasting comedy ever since it took over from the BBC Home Service

Back in 1967 show conversations from a long marriage only mountain near Chester to the see I waited in the banana skin and had it for my tea.

I know what you're thinking who is this woman and what on earth is she saying but I told you before I'm actually story I'm from Glasgow you'll get used to my voice and this is my own most true story the shoulder ask so guess to live in an audio-only world and decide for audio clips to see if they can figure out what the hell is going on.

Launch hundreds of shows many of which have become long-standing favourites, but nothing divides Radio 4 listeners more than comedy the person responsible for choosing which who's made and hopefully for picking new hits is the comedy and entertainment commissioner Julia McKenzie so I asked her about the process of how she chooses which programs get made the way we organise it is to put things into commissioning rounds and that enables me to compare all the different offers are submitted to me so I put out a brief where I'm hopefully inspiring people to be ambitious creative suggesting the different types of formats and I might be open to and talk about the different time slots and then all these different companies will pitch to me and an example spring round I got about 360 missions yet, but I can only commission just under 10% of that so I have to do an initial sift where I'll reject someone.

Give people the opportunity to develop a chat and a bit more about their idea.

My name is Marian movie of Easingwold n.

Yorks I love dead ringers Now show all absolutely on the button, but please get rid of Andy zaltzman.

I used to listen to the news quiz right from the very first episode but I listen to it.

I cannot stand that Andy zaltzman.

Red triangle blue triangle white triangle red triangle blue triangle white triangle has been planted.

We are ready to begin is listening to Andy zaltzman.

So close that goes to the heart of the it must be very divisive no comedy is one of those things that it's hard to please everybody all the time.

Isn't it? Yeah well, that's true, and it's great when people.

It's in a while.

I agree with you on Andy zaltzman.

I think he's done a great job and making it his own, but yes you're right lots of different opinions, but that is away is the joy of the job really trying to reflect lots of different tastes and different viewpoints and what you find is there's something for everyone I am Margaret I live in North Worcestershire in the country in the lot of Wheatfield I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue and the News Quiz virtually kept me alive through the 9th and I'd like you to sing the Postman Pat theme tune of climb every mountain stories of save the bottom of the list would be just a minute.

I used to listen to it years ago, but there's just too much bigfoot is a really kind of character was created by

Back in the 1930s not really a grill creature in NYC my name is Miranda I'm from Witney in Oxfordshire unfortunately.

I generally switch off at 6:30 since the comedy just isn't funny.

Please.

Please could you bring on all of those button comedians out there who aren't very well known yet.

Have huge Talent and potential and who are genuinely innovative the Now Show is mainly because it's ridiculous the establishment, but still features mainly middle age man making fun of another set of middle-age man so predictable is it this week that we are unlikely to limit the global temperature rise to 1 1/2 degrees, but rather than just giving up there.

Still a lot of positives to focus on for example energy companies have been doing their bit to limit.

The rise of homes yes because nobody can afford to turn the heating on.

I think just a minute is classed as a comedy show but seriously what is funny about it for me.

It's just a bunch of clever dick playing a very tedious game isn't it time to ditch it? I wonder if those old favorites even if some of them got new presenters these days, but on those sacrosanct.

We have so many well.

Love very long-running shows and Dave deservedly built a huge fan base and many other words a huge part of people's lives and I think my job really is to work out that balance of keeping their much love shows on their thinking about the shows that maybe have had 23506 series and still developing and then also making sure that I've got enough space for new commissions so sometimes that will mean that I need to bring some shows to an end because otherwise it.

Play no room for new show so I will a case we have to make difficult decisions around that but that is the nature of my name is Trevor cave.

I've been killing radio comedy since the 1950s a lot of modern comedy seems to be seen teenage self centring rubbish Comics used to prepare until clever jokes which means the audience modern Comics centre, Leyton Crescent storage from their lives and expect the audience to live with me in Croydon is 9 years older than me to most comedy like a bus won't show in three probably 125.

Are you driving a new audience or discouraging an existing one to Julia this must be?

Dilemma for you as to Hollywood tracked a new young audience without excluding your existing order audience alienate people who are listening for a long time, but I also feel it's important that I do offer a range of Voices so comedy is obviously very subjective than you remember when the shows that we now look back on TV show such as young ones and other really iconic shows that people now talk about Classics when they first emerged there, was you know horrified reviews and you know people feeling it was waiting for them from generational point of view and sometimes you just got to just do a bit of given-taken live live and let these are their chosen.

These are the talented people find their audience Richardson Lancashire and I've been listening to Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 comedy since the early 1980s when I was a teenager and I still listen at the moment.

News BBC sounds tell me 5 things to listen to and I do like the fact that the BBC office new Talent a showcase sometimes it's good times.

It's not you've talked about the fact that you need to and want to bring on new Talent but I wonder how do you work out what has been Acer Zest do you use focus groups? Is it about ratings is it your own got feeling particularly new shows off and they don't work and how do you know yeah, the loss of creative processes can be messy.

There's no formula that you you hit when it's creating a comedy show really and and there is a degree of panning for gold and in terms of trying to work out.

What success it is.

I think it's a combination of things seem a radio is a blunt tool when it comes to short-lived comedy series.

That's the ratings.

Yes, that's the ratings traditionally for radio but we can be a bit.

Now we've got BBC sounds so we can have a look at Download figures.

We can also in some cases be quite forensic and we can see how long people have stayed listening to a particular show obviously a lot of it is just that my many years working with comedians and comedy show you also sometimes take a bit of a leap and a risk and sing the potential that there is there and thinking will stay with this his somfy let's see what series 2 sounds like no so it might be a bit of conversation around social media all people getting in touch saying that they like a show so it's a combination of hello this is from Tonbridge and I'd love to know why there is no live comedy back on the radio as it's such a very long time and what would you say tonight or is there any live comedy proposed in future there isn't but I'm not against it the risk bear is that with comedy.

Do you want to record a lot more than the slot offers so for example the News Quiz record about an hour and a half of material for that 28 minutes and then it said as a done to the best bit exactly because often these are brand new jokes that have never been heard in public before and sometimes things will land and sometimes.

They won't and sometimes the subject you're talking about will really resonate an audience will love of the times that I don't really get that and so yeah, we want to present the very best of that program and so it can be exciting to do live comedy exciting for the production team, but I just need to make sure we get the best result for me origin as well.

Not a few listeners have commented on canned laughter.

Do you use canned laughter on Radio 4 comedy programmes for avoidance of doubt what I take canned laughter to me in this context is that people believe there's some sort.

Laugh track that we select cd47 track 13 and we just pop in laughs against the lies that definitely doesn't happen I can assure you what happens.

Is that we code in front of a living breathing audience and then they laugh when they find something funny and then sometimes I've been a producer where I've actually had to say to the audience.

Thank you for your support, but could you laugh a little bit which series in same but you said I think they won't believe this when people are listening on the radio.

So no, it's all genuine people having a lovely time and laughing at things.

I find 5 tiny from Haxby York my biggest complaint about the new comedians on radio is the way they think they have to shout to make it funny that was Jeremy Corbyn believe the mainstream Media

Passionate and that's very much part of his appeal in the way he interacts with the audience and often it's that sort of photo indignation which is really part of what drives him and we could say the same for Mark Steel as well.

If you music successful one of the most popular comedies last year was Mark steels in town is the capital of all of whales apart from the northern and the southern bit and love of the art.

I want you to engage with your audience so for some people it might need to lean away from the radio bit but really it's just that sort of Joy of what they're doing with your I'm thinking of Alexei Sayle and other comedians when it comes to the issue of impartiality and comedy you're never going to get that kind of 50/50 representation.

Are you that we seek elsewhere?

Really, but what we can do with June partiality with comedy radio just making sure that we have as many representatives viewpoints this week.

Do you find it hard to find the right wing vs.

Right wing comedians under are left wing comedians, but some of that speak to the fact that we've had conserve government for a good while so inevitably a lot of the critiques are towards that the government but we do get a range of Voices might not always be comedians could be journalist commentators over Whitty commentators.

Not really quite as binaries left and right anymore.

It's you know talking about generational difference different perspectives different lived experiences different classes, so I'm trying to get that really wide range of perspectives Gary from Middlesex it comes from the Radio 4 schedules.

Ottery St Mary yes of course was famously Martin by being eaten alive by otters be lucky to Charlie's first of all cabin Pressure it seems that our listeners really miss it.

Is there any chance of that coming back? It's such an iconic sitcom and it's lovely that people still want to talk about it and still into it as well and John is a superbly talented writers.

He's got a special coming up this May bank holiday.

Cos he also did a sketch series called souvenir programme but I'm just curious to say.

You seem to have disappeared the sitcoms.

I wonder if you think of those many with a live audience which cabin Pressure was because we've got a lot on we've got your conversations from a long marriage has recently finished is a sitcom that's on Friday morning.

So it's just finished we've got Ed reardon's week coming up which is a long-standing favourite fabulous sitcom called reincarnation, which I left my checking out.

You can get all of those series on BBC sounds and we've got Mark steels in a sitcom coming out called you night.

Which will be in its second series I could list heaps more, so we've got plenty and I do love sitcom as a form and I want to bring you sitcoms to Radio 4 as well, and I've got a few things in development and there's something I'm very excited about call Jonathan pie.

Which is a sitcom hybrid.

That's going to be coming out on BBC sounds in June which shall I say I'm very excited satirical sitcom that looking for would you consider putting comedy from the nations and regions on radio?

Yeah, I'll have to have a listen to those it comes to recommends and I have production companies from all over the UK who are making content so I got several based in Scotland Wales North East and the north west so I feel that we are being represented of getting those makers and most voices on there, but certainly not against those suggestions only take this very recently and you explain to us that the commissioning process take some time so I wonder once you've really got your feet under the table on listeners going to hear something different when it comes to Radio 4 comedy with you and charge.

I think so yes.

Yes, there's so much that's on at the moment, which I absolutely adore and it will continue of course but there is I suppose it all new commission as a sort of evolution as it takes on one of an expression of what that commissioner would like is the direction of travel but it takes a while because with commissioning we're working.

A half a head so going out this year and not my commissions and my predecessors in my previous as I have excellent taste, so I'm very happy to hear that.

We've got something exciting coming up at the summer a series of pilots in the Friday Night Comedy slot so have a nice gap between the end of dead ringers and the News Quiz across summer back end of July across August and I'm going to six different pilots of different topical comedy treatments than so there's going to be lots of opportunities where you can hear new content.

I really love to come back and get some feedback from from your audience and what people thought of those paw print Stinson great to see what people well.

That's what we're here for so I'm sure that I listened as well get in touch and Juliet thankyou very much indeed for being with us today.

My pleasure will if you would like to say on Radio 4 comedy or indeed anything to do with BBC audio you can get in touch.

Please do send us an email to feedback at bbc.co.uk.

Message on 0303 444 5044 at BBC R4 feedback, or you can write to us feedback PO Box 672 34 London se1p 4ax in-depth.

Look at how the BBC covered the Queen's death and her funeral we had plenty of positive comments but also some concerns about the Shield weight of coverage and a perceived lack of impartiality it was Ian Callaghan calling from Dorset the key for me now will be had a BBC covers to Coronation like the accession of the new king this will be a political event and be treated as such by the national broadcaster that treatment must reflect the fact that a substantial minority of people in the UK overall and about half of 18 to 24 year olds according to surveys.

Oh believe the coronation shouldn't be happening at all.

They have every right to believe that and the BBC needs to ensure that gives a voice to their concerns and a voice moreover that reflects the Republican constituency in our Democracy in response the BBC's director of journalism Jonathan Munro told us agree with that point you know from that member of your audience something you need to find a place for all views the gym impartiality point kicks in we're not trying to achieve false equivalence and say that that view is an equal number of people as those who support them all the considered to a debate about the future of the monarchy are welcome on the BBC and we will find ways of ventilating that debate because the

Is the host proper debate the BBC's role is to moderate discussions between different parts of society so that audiences can make their own mind soup has that been reflected in the cover over the last 6-months and have listeners notice any change in the town or the content we are seeing as I can tell you sing quietly trial on the main channels actually anything it's kind of got worse than I think the BBC is basically become a kind of relay station for the palace Media office dozens of stories about really pretty trivial aspects of the Coronation just rehashing the century her what sound like Palace press releases your queen, Buckingham Palace say that after next month's coronation the Queen consort will be known as queen Camilla the title is your pocket guide to everything.

to know about the coronation of King Charles III

In this episode, it's all about the Orb and Sceptre by Royal Command from my coronation read the headline in the Daily Express is it features the recipe chosen by the King to celebrate his next month the dish was chosen in particle you the Telegraph because it says my name is Charles Whitehead from blisland.

Inn Cornwall yoy yoy need a 2-week build up for the Coronation on the BBC alright hasn't been held for 70 years, but it's a 90-minute event perhaps with another 90 minutes between getting there and getting back.

So why all the fuss it is so typical of the BBC with the royals going totally over the top in Neverending coverage does the BBC not they are probably playing into the hands of the antibody tests by making the whole event totally tedious over 2 weeks.

I'm a very strong monarchist and a great fan of Charles and Camilla but this is.

So over-the-top, it's unreal earlier this week the anti-monarchy group Republic accuse the BBC of a lack of impartiality and a failure to as they put it voice to a reasonable balance of views on the issue according to people in the UK so they aren't likely to mark the occasion of the Coronation and 80% of people in Scotland said they cared not very much or not at all about it so BBC been reading the room is Ian Callaghan behaving as if there's no on banded choice throughout the land of the Coronation when does arranging to a positive dislike of proceedings and the reason that people don't read the rumours that they don't know who's in the room and the BBC doesn't know that because it's simply never allowed any discussion of Monaco alternative.

Monarchy changing this is really pretty simple no one's going to send Tim Davie or diamond to the Tower of the heads of just talk about the boys get them on Talk shows and debates explore how things are done elsewhere reflect the complex issues that sell on the ground on a day-to-day basis through a hard my name is David Lewis from Selby in North Yorkshire as a retired 67 year olds in a quiet life.

I'm not about to start talking eggs or waiting dayglo not my team banners producing the national broadcaster should reflect what I believe it the views of a significant proportion of UK residence for the whole thing to backup voices part of your commentary team on the event that would be daft, but you were to provide by one of your stations without one of your frequencies and alternative.

Light touch service hello baby c lintel here.

I'm retired social worker and I live in Greater Manchester with the Coronation on the BBC and I'm just hoping that perhaps we could not have water all coverage as we have had with previous royal events and deaths because there is a growing in this country who actually see the ridiculous.

Royal family is less than interested and don't think they're particularly average.

It would be good if instead of covering who are extremely rich in the class system and the Rumford inequality in this country the BBC could actually makes them very good no doubt programme about the inner core.

How much the royal family cost us because we and citizens not first not subject but citizens we actually pay for these people and for their upkeep.

Swords and the cars and airplanes and I think the royal family should be answerable and I would very much like the BBC One's the coronation is over to actually look at this and the best quality journalism applied to these issues well.

No one from the BBC was available to respond to listen to comments but we did I ever received this statement.

We believe our report is fair and Julie in partial on Tuesday the 25th of April Radio 4 The today debate do we need a monarchy this will be live 8 p.m.

From the Radio Theatre on Radio 4 and BBC sounds so I'm keen to know what you think is a one-off program debating the monarchy enough or would you prefer Republican viewpoint ingrained within all the coverage of the Coronation maybe you feel this is an historico event and national cause for celebration and it should be treated as such.

Next week, I'll be joined by Colin Patterson his head of BBC audio Wales and the West Country the production of a number of Radio 4 programmes including Saturday Live and any recently moved from London to Cardiff if you've got any questions or comments, please do let us know and I can put them to Colin next week but for today.

That's all from us.

Thank you for listening and for giving us your feedback.

I'm Andrea catherwood the producer is Gill Davies and feedback is a whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4.

Hi, I'm Helen Lewis you look on the internet people at giving advice transform your life millions of devoted followers, please online profit.

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