Read this: Feedback Forum

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts today we are leaving behind or normal format to take a broader view of what BBC Radio and podcasts mean to our whole range of listeners to try and do that.

We've convened our first ever feedback forum together Radio 4 loyal listeners a few with more than 40 years under their bells with two more promiscuous and wonder around the dial and the podcast gape we also hear from someone who are very bothered with a BBC adult 2025 will be a big year for the BBC as discussions begin in Earnest with over the next BBC charter which has to be in place by the end of 2026 elections and big sporting events last year that speech radio.

Goodyear radio 4S audience is Iran 10 million weekly listeners and podcast downloads continue to rise and so for everybody including any commissioners and controllers listening, we're going to give you a taste of what audiences have enjoyed what they want more of and who they're listening to when they're not using to Radio 4 set the after the American election of the fantasy world and other kind of things for a while can become a bit of stuff by murder and and things like that using Spotify to listen.

I can change the speed more cos I listen to Everything spider galleries map and someone's chosen different type different styles of are you just getting a different perspective different clones of the world and what's going on? It's almost like.

You just going to ruin you put the radio on a group to talk about how they listen and what they want speech radio from any of us conventional radio is being replaced by smart speakers or laptops and of course our phones which means we can listen just about anywhere in terms.

What's on offer the amount of content has exploded on the BBC and elsewhere every subject under the sun has a podcast and you can find whatever shade of opinion suits you let me begin by introducing everyone.

I'm on my loyal Radio 4 listeners is Pilates teacher Caitlin my parents have always listen to that big arches fans a constant noise that happens I living alone and I was really lonely and I was doing a lot of zoom stuff and I just needed something on in the background whole time so I just kind of

Always like it felt like homely and it felt reassuring and I wake up every morning and then I started actually really listening to the content and Alison is a former care home inspector.

I need to listen to the radio at my parents house as well.

I used to wake up to tomorrow in the morning from Studio just about 15-minutes.

I can't read your writing.

I'm going to check it out for me.

I don't really remember saying my mum and dad when I'm grown up.

I'm never going to listen to people and now I listen to it all the time Nicola and Somerset the time that it really became a huge thing was when I moved abroad and it was quite lonely at times with the children at school to listen to radio.

and especially the Archers was the thing that gave me home comfort I suppose you could say and that's continued ever since but now I only listen to sounds apart from the first thing in the morning with the news really Rob is retired environmental health officer from Seaford in Sussex different stuff because I can get upset with the news and politics quite easily and has retired and lives in Dundee is the are there any established in my head like it was a show on Radio Scotland called get it on that sort of music show so you know that's all when you're you know when working this Leslie artist living in Newcastle little old fashioned radios in most rooms in my house, so I'm it's on most of the time really but recently I've got

Two speaker which I used to listen to The whatever so I can I can then take the Bluetooth speaker around the house which is great so I feel quite cool and you know tech-savvy my is a special needs teacher from Yorkshire when I go to bed.

I have some sleep in your phone's which a great cause I wake up in the middle of the night and have the radio playing all the time stops me about all the ordinary matters of life.

I wake up in the something playing as I really like that who's in our group of younger listeners were more ruthless in there listening habits.

They are keen on current affairs but often prefer none BBC offerings like the podcast the rest is politics Stuart Elliott is a trainee tour guide it's quite broad.

I just having a keyword something that interests me a picture of England or just news American news world news just whatever comes.

The top I tend to listen to it also fine.

No the personality like Laura Stewart has Campbell so the presenters do matter Isabella is a junior doctor inside forwards.

I don't actually have a real radio.

I feel like it's sacrilege because I did I grew up in a household where every room in the house had Radio 4 thing on a radio so I would be very rarely do I listen to you live Radio 4 Less I'm in someone else's car when I go to visit home then it's and her friends him a doctor in Liverpool and my routine is to wake up in the morning in stick something on like Elliott but I tend to do is just type in what I'm looking for so and use the common won Formula 1 is another common one and can I have just going from there and listening to 5-minutes and seeing if I I'm enjoying the content and then looking for a bit longer.

Add it to my daily rotation and then I think it's my sister that recommended politics a few years ago and here.

I am Eldon is a business student in Glasgow I listen to Amazon music but there sometimes around maybe listen to BBC content that I wouldn't have realise straight away, but I'm most of podcast I listen to either fall into business or with a smart enough science and some comedy in there as well.

I'm begging is a graphic designer also in Glasgow to be honest so either type in the word see what comes up to Halloween lesson a lot of times are iPhone se the topics interested me then.

It's almost like this report been created for the listening to with the presenter and that then encourages me to you.

No listen to The Mall but podcast and not just the preserve of a younger listeners, Nicola find tyres on BBC signs of podcasts and my joy is to die.

So do I have to have all the episodes available? I can't do you no listen to the next one next week.

I'm afraid I'm a real binge.

I want all 10 episodes or eight episodes available and my joy dragon going to the garden disappear listen to a long podcast about whatever anything and that's for me is a really good day.

If you like this got you got you got more space somebody shows something of to know the one the one of the local station has 21-speed which Focuses on football teams in Dundee podcast is obsessed with Dundee and Dundee United as you are a personal the influence of podcasts on conventional radio was picked up many in the forum particularly when it comes to News programmes presenting style.

They say is more relaxed interviews more discursive increasingly with news that.

Versions are available as a podcast on podcast with Nick Robinson and Emma Rodger has certainly allied those two to open up as they Delve behind the big news stories may last year Today programme presenter line-up was refreshed with the arrival of Emma Barnett good morning.

What a pleasure to be here.

It's 6 on Wednesday the 15th of May play with and Emma Emma Barnett has a tendency to say good to be with you nice to have your company and I cannot find out a bit.

I'm sorry to say I do like her as a broadcaster.

I think at the beginning I can have thought she is delighted to have the job but I think she can get over it there.

Sorry.

I meant I love it.

I have a big crush on him.

He's got a very quiet all the time.

Hi Emma Barnett and I'm not that you do that.

I wake up at night 5 a.m.

To start work and when she says that think it's so cheesy but I do feel like it connect I feel that connection and I feel that we're here.

Are you all the way with me at 6 a.m.

And it's pitch black and I'm sort of all my bike cycling to work.

I think that's really nice day.

I do think it's that thing it does feel like it's for a young audience.

I feel like about that I can collect I'm like I mean it's a bit sad really you can end up feeling like you know these people and they kind of your friends.

You know you're clever friends that you join in the conversation.

I skipped the Today programme these days.

I think it went a bit too Daily Mail it's alright when I'm all Rogen's on.

I think he's great but I'm a little bit annoying sometimes a little bit sore too trivial programme in the mornings which is quite.

Particularly good, I think for breaking news and stuff.

That's just coming out rather than use as a bit more established so I think I'll be adding it to mine rotation impartiality serendipity hearing other points of view.

I wanted to discuss with our younger On Demand listeners were they were concerns that their algorithms were just more of the same and effectively keeping them in a comfortable unchallenged ech0chamber broadcaster obliged to deliver a range pinions and stories Elliot dried America for us.

Hi there from Southern Florida I'm still in West Palm Beach because I'm with insight was coming to the old can a person a regarding news events sometime back to get a better perspective on the American the right wing use I'll trying to find clips of boxing news on YouTube

Watch the Anna listen to and I just realised I disagreed with it, but it just kind of made me feel like well.

Get it but I still disagree with you, so I feel like I can go back to my own.

Can I listen to why what I agree with you? So it's um it's a lot easier.

Isn't it to listen to People Who agree with you feel like giving away.

It's nice being that.

I think it kind of comes down to what it was saying about impartiality maybe being a hindrance.

I agree mostly.

It's a great thing and that angry sometimes.

It's nothing to hear what people personal views about current events are beyond news all groups were passionate about their long running favorites across all ages.

There was almost unanimous agreement on the popularity of 185 year old presenter with over 1000 auditions under his belt.

It's melvyn, Bragg within our time.

Hello.

18th century Westminster politicians went to extraordinary lengths to find a Protestant successor to the throne of Great Britain and Ireland time and listen to this is really good.

It's not it's not just another show In Our Time I have listened to I think I've listened to every single science episode of and I've listened to about like housing I listen to everything I listen to it.

Religiously I get so excited.

I love Melvin love the gas.

There's a lot of love from Malvern here.

So far.

No, that's a cold heart and wash upgrades not find whatever they're talking about to be interesting.

Oldham from the olden days in what is excellent and it's great that they're all on On podcast of your also a big fan.

Are you like that? It's one of the things I value most about Radio 4 is the real experts like contemporary experts in their Fields given the space to talking in-depth about something.

It's so rare in media now.

Only one person was spoiling Melvin's day.

That's Alison I don't really listen to In Our Time and something else specifically interested in some straight out next stop the Archers and then you behind the scenes podcast which dropped in October and started with a bang blimey convict George desperate Emma torture Fallon innocent Alice what a remarkable week.

It's been 4 / alty's and a

It is affected virtually every member of this community we had caught class race and llamas.

Well Emma had to apologise in her first week for spilling the beans on George's on the Today programme even though the episode had already run half the audience was still waiting for the omnibus, but they're having big changes from bridge in 2024 and it's on Saturday and a later time for Sunday's omnibus here is Leslie but had a Kind of Love Hate relationship with the Archers over the years, but currently it's grabbed me mostly because George storyline but I got kind of very caught up in that and at the moment.

I try not to miss episodes is it's got bad really.

I've got I've got much more involved with it, then I ever have because I think you're doing a good job.

I wish George's sentencing and the issues about Prison and the effect on the family.

I think that's been done really well.

I listen to every week, I think.

Is it long stories? I don't want to say it's true life, but it's more you know as things happen as opposed to you.

Got 60 minutes to tell the story and it works out at the end and I love the podcast that's really good that that is that is been added to the weekly listen.

I think the George storyline was great, but I'm worried about drugs.

She's taking on so much and I'm worried for his university cold and you really want him to do well, Alison you really care about these characters.

Are you involved in Chromecast really all of the characters of people let you know total Addiction and then sometimes.

I just can't bear to listen to it.

So at the beginning of the destruction of George

I got so far and I just can't bear to listen to me.

He's demised being stretched so I stopped for a bit.

I'm not as hard as you I will also on our groups listening list was Marianna in conspiracy land.

That's a whole catalogue of Marianna Springs social media and disinformation investigations series of why do you hate me USA made head of the American elections last November and looks like one of the people in the video new at the time was that it would go viral would see it.

So what can videos like this tell us about the way highly emotive debates become toxic online?

I really like the what's the is the Department of misinformation or something it's not that it's Marianna springs and gave your gatehouses stuff.

I find other bits that I think they're really useful because of that the difference between Legacy media and the kind of crazy social media.

You know melee that goes on I love Mario and I listen to I think the whole series of Mariana and it was it was great the narrative of it was quite interesting because you're almost on a journey with her.

There's only so I could say the same for solving like where did this come from those responsible for this she's also really good journalist when you could hear you no interactions with people who opposing views it gets showed you that is really important and what I thought was quite interesting was there definition of alternative media and how conspiracy theories well-established.

Thought of received my nose and it's either Novara Media is for one.

Can I have with my let's see political leanings but again so something to think about you trying to be open minded but it's something I can't end with I suppose we also wanted all listeners to share their thoughts on the growing genre of hybrid type content matching up comedy with history or science.

It's a really popular format with podcast vans and it's hopes by Bosses at 4 that these programs will appeal to an on-demand audience the Infinite Monkey Cage is one of the Originals on Radio 4 and Mike who loves a quickie podcast is a big I started because I like the scientist for that, but now I've just been in this is great and anything that he does is well worth and listen to have a think I walked along the Norfolk

In the summer and I just listened to Robin hello and welcome to your dead to me the Radio 4 comedy podcast that takes history seriously my name is Greg Jenner I'm a public historian, author and broadcaster and today with Danielle kilts and dropping off ASUS blue to learn all about Scottish King Robert Bruce you're dead to me I do like but I really don't like the comedian aspect of it the comedian.

He goes on it.

I'm afraid that ruins it for me.

So it has to be something you want to hear about to plug into that one.

That's really funny to hear about that anything interesting enough the 9th series of the BBC History podcast you're dead to me was launched in 2024.

Is it doing the job of attracting listeners who normally cancer?

Costs business student Eldon who listens to both radio and podcasts gave the episode on Robert the Bruce ago so I think this is me from the perspective of someone who will listen to one episode of your dad to me.

Just as a taster and I thought this may be the case across a variety of BBC Productions I would say it felt maybe Audley Force in some way.

I think it on that short times although the the quality of the content, but they hi and the expert they had speaking on the episode was phenomenal.

Where are the predictions by independent outlets such as how about this with guys feels like being in the room with these two people and learning from them.

Where is I felt that with some missing in an app production particular Megan things to BBC is failing generally to capture the essence of independent podcasting you've got something made small scale.

Buy two people long format having a conversation then having something I think the BBC would say that they do try and do a lot of that, but maybe maybe you don't or maybe you do hear that but you just don't feel it works.

I still think the element of editorial control they have to maintain.

I think with big podcast after first after the pandemic is all the presents like influx of podcast it came on smaller ones are getting pushed out and the content that I was hearing that but she needs to be produced within parameters might not be interesting you can't be as risky or as regards the things.

I don't know I think I understand that is this but maybe.

You know stop trying to be something that you're not maybe so was the New Year begins.

What does the future hold for Radio 4 On Demand on podcasts or on the radio? How do you press Wade younger listeners to try radio for the groups were split first hiba.

I think that is very interesting question and the spring to mind when it was tiktok and I'm not really over tiktok generation, but I have a feeling that a lot of gen z and millennials by tiktok, so I can't really see in the future though the radio forresters High Green I think people like creatures of habit really so I don't think you know you get to certain age and say I'm going to listen to Radio 4 maybe BBC is something that you do go into as you get older Radio 4 of the broccoli of of the audio world.

Cheap building her and I will come yeah.

That's always going to be there but Mike wanted to make clear that commissioners shouldn't chase the podcast audience at the expense of live radio think that there is a place for like appointment radio where you know what time it is and you know when your favourite things coming on and it's not Radio 4 but make Friday night is music night.

It's like a bit once again, but Friday night is music night.

I wanted to put something to you to all of you.

I think probably listening live to Radio 4 on indeed any live radio station, but particularly Radio 4 means that sometimes you come across a program that you would never have searched we hear a conversation or a story that absolutely grabs you but you would never have known as there and it's watmough hippotizer.

Who's there controller radio for calls the incredible and chanted?

Just somewhere that you can wander through the listener and bump into wonderful strange exotic beasts that you never thought you would encounter Andrew I wonder do you do you hear that description and you understand it and does it make you realise the importance of think about the importance of listening to live radio which is a mashup of audio wonderful.

I've never search for that.

It was really unique love love that the post office Horizon scandal at 10 3:45 the news before it.

It was brilliant brilliant Little Piece absolutely lovely.

I make what it's a journalist.

This is a story I've been in bed for more than a decade it's the story of how a massive reputable and widely loves company systematically destroyed the lives of hundreds of the people who work for it.

Creating a kafkaesque nightmare with confusion secrecy and lies, I'm glad that Andrew mentioned post office scandal because I think that's an incredible job that generous did which produced he didn't do the same thing as the ITV but I listen to it as well then it I just thought it was a fantastic job of the simian.

That's what we need there is always like a little a little nugget of something like that.

I don't have that otherwise he wasn't our conversation is make me wanna know I'm thinking to myself radio elizabella with a final note of optimism there, am I a huge? Thanks.

Go to everyone who took part in our feedback forum Leslie Mike Nicola Ross Andrew

Megan Eldon Caitlin Alison Elliott and him and that is all for this series of feedback.

I'll be back at the end of February but in the meantime.

We are still open of course receive your comments on anything you hear across BBC audio as well as nominations for interview of the year 2025 you can send us an email to feedback at c.co.uk or send a voice note 20 334544.

Thank you very much for listening and thank you for giving us your feedback.

Hello Russell Kane here.

Are you still of British history Henry VIII obviously Bill Hicks Richard Pryor that has become much more challenging for I am the host of BBC Radio 4 Evil Genius the show we take heroes and villains from history and try to work out but they

Or genius do not catch up on BBC sounds by searching Evil Genius if you don't want to see your hero destroyed if you like me you quite enjoy it.

Have a little search listen to Evil Genius with Russell Kane go to BBC sounds and have your world destroyed.