Read this: 13/08/2021 Radio 4 Feedback

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts on Radio 4 front row last few minutes, I hope this will turn out to be alright spoof may be featuring Jan ravens, but it wasn't was it seriously.

What were you thinking the Mills and boon author whose two-thirds of an addition was none other than the first time adult fiction writer Sarah Duchess of York Fergie it was according to one critic an interview quite unparalleled inanity will discuss feedback now that Donald Trump is no longer in the white house has America fallen out of the headlines and is his successive a soft ride.

I think interest in America has not fallen off a cliff since I became president but it's certainly declined he is not perhaps getting as much scrutiny.

Donald Trump dead from the media in general we apply the same standards to Joe Biden that we apply to Donald Trump I promise you that Sonic Brian's the BBC's outgoing New York correspondent.

He believes that America stopped being great.

I'll ask if y and that was really explain very well in the programme.

How actually dead trees are amazing habitats Falls what's insects and all sorts of things like I found that very interesting interesting but did I write of your comfort and this really enjoy an additional Radio 4 open country find out later back.

The long-running Radio 4 arts program front row last week devoted the majority of in addition to an interview with Sarah Duchess of York was just published her first adult work of fiction and label it proved to be a controversial booking presenting it had spoke to the Duchess about her novel heart for a compass which is based on the life of ancestors Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott I have wanted to write a novel for 15 to 18 years and my heroine she was riding a straw instead of side saddle, when she suddenly had to run up the steps of the Palladian Castle that are invented near Liverpool and she found her father dead on the floor now.

That was the original story and then I started to travel the world from then in footman from Croydon who the hell thought it was a good idea to devote nearly the whole of tonight's front row to Sarah Ferguson

New Mills and boon off at least you could have interrogated her about the way celebrity so-called authors crowd out less privileged writers and how much of the actual writing she does instead.

We got a cheesy chin wag that hello magazine with a projected for object banality Radio 4 can and must do so much better than this Helen Robertson on Twitter earth.

Is this interview being aired literary merit or some other reason well, we like Helen wanted to find out and us representative to come onto feedback to explain our offer was declined and we were supplied with this statement front Rosa magazine program that explores a huge subjects across the Arts world including current hot stories with guests invited on to talk about creative topics the Duchess of York's book has been a significant public Int

And we broadcasting interview in which the Duchess was asked for her thoughts on a range of cultural talking points such as the Crown and feminism in the media on front row.

We cover many different books and also in the last month alone.

We covered the Booker Prize discussed who should be writing book reviews as well as young adult fiction and the generational differences in public when I'm delighted to be joined by The Observer critic and journalist Rachel cook you describe the interview in a newspaper column as of quite unparalleled inanity why I was getting ready to go out when it came on my mascara wand clattered into the washbasin because I was so amazed that the Duchess of York was going to be on front row in the first place.

There's nothing new about people write Mills and boon.

Novels have been coming out since 1957 so I was amazed just in principle and then it started and I can't think when I've ever.

On any programme on Radio for an interview that was conducted with such credulousness and obsequiousness, it was so embarrassing the presenter was talking to you.

She was Charles Dickens and her character which he kept coming back to with David Copperfield and it was butter clenching and it went on and on and on front row is only 30 minutes long it went on for 18 minutes two-thirds of the programme twice the amount of time given to the only other element in the programme absolutely and the presenter kept asking her about her character.

There is no character.

It's cardboard cutout it's a Mills and boon.

Novels nothing to say he kept talking about her voice the Duchess of York isn't her a writer.

She didn't even write the book is written 58 books the Duchess of York said I'm a director rather than a Scribe I've never heard that before anything that mean.

She dictated the storyline and the other person rated.

Is there any way of name what that means? I think she had a ghost writer and she talked about her ideas her principal idea seemed to she had this aristocratic ancestor who was a little bit controversial.

We know this because she wouldn't ride side-saddle.

Well.

I'm afraid to say that I can think of dozens of romantic historical novels in which characters putative feminism is signified by the fact.

They won't ride side-saddle.

We all know what that means will she won't ride side-saddle.

You look at them when I was about 13 that kind of gateway a gateway drug for 13-year old girl endorsements by people such as Jeffrey Archer and the editor of hello magazine three stars out of five quite a good read.

BBC says this is a matter of public interest when the Duchess writes about does this mean that you think it was wrong to give that length of time to the interview, but do you think it was wrong to interview her at all about this? No, I just think that interview should have been on another program.

It could have been on the Today programme or it could have been on p.m.

Where it would have been conducted with a bit more perhaps a bit more of an Abra approach a bit more scepticism the points about front row.

Is that it's now the only regular arts programme on Radio 4 Saturday review has gone the film programme in the process of going and I think that that being the case the program should be devoted to art the BBC's a public service broadcaster.

It is part of a very fragile ecosystem at the moment to do with the country and its heart in the country as a whole and to do with how we all find out about our

One more elements of the defence from their statement, they say it wasn't just about the book because there is an opportunity to to talk to Sarah Ferguson about a number of things including the Crown and other issues in the media.

Do you think that was a productive part of the interview now because she on the feminism issue.

I don't think she has the capacity to discuss those kinds of issues.

Sorry, but I just don't think she does crown goes and Britain which they also talked about I mean she revealed she watched it what three times.

You didn't really have anything constructive today about it.

I think the presenter was hoping to get her to talk about how the Queen feels about being betrayed by Olivia Colman or whoever but she wasn't going to go there cos she's only just got back in with family.

She's not gonna burn that both again or not yet.

So no it wasn't a productive person for conversation at all.

It was utterly fatuous my thanks to Rachel Cook

Server mentioned radio Force the film programme is being discontinued it will soon be no more and it's going is lamented by several feedback listeners.

However, it is launching a new Radio 4 film programme later this year, which will do even more to explore the expanding universe of cinema and screen which I see and let us know your thoughts about that or anything else to do with BBC Radio and podcasts as the details of how you get in touch you can send an email to feedback at bbc.co.uk alright a letter the address is feedback PO Box 67234 London se1p 4ax 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 those details are on our website each week.

We're asking 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 have a mother and daughter comes first mum Amanda Richardson who's in Leeds and daughter Emily who is in Bristol now.

Just to get a sense of your taste radio taste Amanda what would be your top 3 programmes if you were on that mythical desert pechinese breakfast programme on Radio 3 the fortunately podcast with fever and Jane Garvey and the Arches you on the dance done.

What would be your three radio choices to take with you will probably be the Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Greg James I'm really enjoying listening to your dad's me at the moment as well.

And as and when we asked you to listen to an episode of The long-running Radio 4 Series open country.

It's available of course on BBC sounds and how would you describe the program explain what it's about 5 describe it as the presenter Ashes wandering around Windsor Park giving us a bit of a background the history of the park and also describing lots of activity.

That's going on with surprise pictures of Park 4 open country I mean the parts for you, but I've been this wonderful winter park, but it is surrounded by if not Suburbia flight paths and certainly lots of houses on the edges and songs about the choice.

Yeah, I was a bit I guess I was expecting sort of an area of the country rather than a park and hand across the presenter was ash bhardwaj and a great deals on my steering the program through.

What did you think of what? I think? It? Was it was interesting that he obviously had a connection with the park and that was very interesting and he was able to exploit his memories of people.

The end for me that the best bottle program.

I enjoyed the history, but I also like the bit about the conservation stuff that was going on there because it was an urban urban Park I think they are exploited users from the area coming in rather than talking to people who live there and there because obviously do the pandemic that has happened has it that a lot of people been using the different way and I think more could have perhaps been exploited on that the remote 40506 actually interviews in the program and somewhere about with people vomiting ball for example in the the preservation of the trees and dating them thousand 1200 years old with an interview with the deputy range.

What did you think of that? I thought that was quite interesting actually to give a bit of a background of the overall history of the park because I know nothing about Windsor or Windsor Park so I think that.

A good introduction to kind of kick off and what about you Amanda did you think that introduction was rather like Prince Charles writing introduction to a booklet about if I'm honest.

I I found the kind of France bit rude so PR exercise the royal family but that's how I reacted to those stories.

I was much more interest in how the people are using the park and how it's relating to the environment outside.

I'd like to know more about outreach.

Maybe about how they would join other people and who may not have been typical accuses Burnley what about you there interviews for example with somebody with family and run a carriage business through the park for long time is a florist who came in to get her inspiration in many ways from of course there was Ashes mother lived in a flat above a restaurant and in a sense the park was there playground where they always went.

Did you like that element of the programme people? Who?

Used the park.

I was very interested about sort of the human stories behind the park in particular story about the carriages and the way she said she's to ride the carriage to school.

I just thought that story and really sub links to human interaction which I enjoyed you explain the difference which I did not know between an ancient oak and a veteran ok ok sir an ancient tree that that refers to the the tree joke that would be a tree.

That's a particular size and it's probably over 400 years old a veteran tree might be ancient but it might be a bit young veteran trees show lots of features on them like dead and decaying words you know the difference between an ancient oak and a veteran was no I didn't really interested.

Are you last week? How is visiting a National Trust property as a dead tree or appear to be dead tree and I thought they'd actually there why they kept that there and it was also used as a habitat.

So that was in the programme.

How actually dead trees are amazing habitats Falls what's insects and fungi and all sorts of things like I found that yeah very interesting Emily as I know you're in Bristol and this is apartments nearer London but are you tempted now to go to Windsor Great Park haven't heard that yeah definitely I think I knew nothing about Windsor before this program, and I think this is definitely made me want to go and explore a bit and how about your mother in Leeds will she come down when she's next coming down to London maybe you could both meet in Windsor Great Park do you fancy that Amanda lockdown to the farm shop and buy some produce maybe Railway Carriage

Listen to another program in the open country series how about you Emily would you go back we want to become friends definitely at this isn't really a program.

I typically listen to you, but I would listen again.

I was pleasantly surprised how interesting I found the program and Amanda you would you listen again to open so I would listen again.

It's not a program.

I listen to regularly at all, but I would listen again Amanda and Emily Richardson and mother and daughter.

Thanks very much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

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

Nick Bryant the outgoing BBC New York correspondent and Spencer's 27-year career mostly covering us politics is recently when America stopped being great a history is Like a Love Affair gone sour in it he describes the us as a shared land occupied by antagonistic tribes the book charts America's decline from postcode walk through to the rise of Donald Trump and the impact of covid-19 Roger it's still a deep and abiding love I promise you but the romance has gone.

I think it's fair to say that I think if my relationship with America was a marriage.

Then we be in heavy-duty and that did feeling to the reasons.

Why we leaving America the decision really on the night that was inaugurated.

I took the train back from Washington that night.

I just thought I'd done my dash.

Extraordinary phase in American politics the trump years and I just started in Washington during the Clinton years and I thought this was a good time to move on takes you over you are summoned to places you have a small amount of time and full of minutes seconds to say things it's not easy to provide analysis when you're trying to report on the event and I just wondered whether you felt that to some extent Romford manipulated you during his presidency.

You couldn't not report it, but in reported him.

You were reporting his agenda play frustration Roger about trying to fit all of these into 2 minutes 30 on the 10:00 news BBC journalist has that frustration? We're always raining at the Editors and give us more time.

We need to explain the complexity of this.

What are the things about the truck years Roger where is the story that you woke up with which was often Trump's first tweet of the day off and been overtaken within an hour and then.

Story was overtaken with Aaron and Leopards what ended up on the ten oclock news with very different report from the report you thought you were going to be filing at the beginning the day.

There was once lord of information and often miss information from Donald Trump that we had to report on it and it was very disorientated and I think it really did challenges in So Many Ways will having some sort of fat tracking in real-time in press conferences in a way that friend we hadn't with most of his predecessors, but you're very hard on yourself in the book.

You say our failure to get 2016 wrong the election of Donald Trump to miss understand and downplay the transformer two changes that have been overtaking America politically economically culturally and 10 for the past 50 years.

That's quite a mea culpa in it really is I mean I got the 2016 election wrong.

I think a lot of channels got it wrong because they didn't spend enough time in the rustbelt talking.

Donald Trump supporters trying to understand, what was his appeal you know I did a lot of time in the time in Pittsburgh I think I have qualified for local property taxes and I still got it wrong and I think we tend to focus on the moment.

I think we tend to focus on here and how sometimes and we don't look necessarily at the historical forces that reply and as you quoted that you know my belief was that trump was the the Convergence and the combination of not just political forces but economic forces technological forces cultural forces illogical forces racial forces and we had to say that totality and I think a lot of us.

There's another danger isn't there for a journalist who has to be impartial and I want to come on to this question the moment.

It is that you have a president to lies in the way President Trump lies.

There's a danger that you become anti-trump and be identified as that some people would say CNN had gone that way.

Play the difficult to make sure that you didn't become anti-trump.

Just profax prove the truth as you could ascertain I do think that the trump presidency has changed the DNA of CNN but I'd like to see it.

Didn't change the DNA the journalist DNA of the BBC I mean Roger I promise you we agonized over every word every word went through a very rigorous editorial process.

We were mindful obviously of maintaining our commitment to impartiality but impartiality doesn't mean being timid impartiality doesn't mean being anodyne and there were times.

We called it an instance of that was when trump attacked that Congress women of colour and tell them to go back to where they came from we call those racist tweets, because that was textbook racism, so we're on afraid to say things like that when they were backed up by the evidence, but I think some people have said this suspicious something that you might be getting a softer ride because of

Relief that it's no longer trump in the White House this is a question from Derek on the BBC trying to be meeting it's obligation of impartiality when it's left-leaning employees and freelance contract colours and discriminate between one potential Us Preston and another to pick it up the point about jovan.

Do you think you'll buy this now getting off lightly because he isn't Donald Trump strong on Joe Biden if you read my book if you go back of my reporting in the 2020 and describe them as the worst frontrunner that I'd ever seen I think many of us were astonished at how he appeared in Iowa and New Hampshire early contest in the presidential campaign what you did very poorly he came 4th and 5th partly because people in our and you have to take very seriously the responsibility to look to Joe Biden very closely.

I'm one of the things that help Joe Biden win the presidency was covered in the fact that he could kind of disappear for much of 2020.

So you know we cost at.

Rely over Joe Biden in the same way that we cast a critical eye over Donald Trump but this to say about what he things are unreported elements of the presidency.

I'm delighted with your coverage of America in general.

I thought the coverage of the elections was excellent however.

I'm sad that Focus isn't directed to the economic stimulus package of 1 trillion US dollars or more which president Biden is pushing through into registration Sonic video offer this story to the newsrooms in London about the trillion-dollar input is it a hard sell because it's been moment thanks.

It's disappeared as a story that passage of major legislation does get on news running orders you have to make the case for your story sometimes above others and there's obviously a lot going on.

Look, I think it raises a broader point about journalistic entertain.

Hopefully I mean presidencies on there for a journalistic entertainment value and I think there's a maybe a problem in the media at large that some we use that standard.

That's when we think about them.

You know my view is that important stuff to get on and the passage of major legislation.

I mean obviously the timing bipartisanship.

Is is is a major thing and it should be what can we continue with the range of courage? This is from Richard G the BBC's coverage of the USA largely Focuses on three west cities Los Angeles San Francisco and Seattle and three east Coast cities, Boston New York and Washington DC places like Chicago and the flyover states in the received relatively scant attention u.s.

Opinion makers and contributors are nearly always from California New York and Washington DC not only are we feeling to be given the

What we are getting is highly unrepresentative of the day you made the point in spent a lot of time in these areas but you think as a whole America is still of American media is still dominated by the east and west coasts it is no question and an ideal world.

I think you would have a permanent footprint in more red States and I think you wouldn't just been the cities you'll be in rural America because the great divides in America right now is obviously between the citizen and the countryside the rural and the Urban it was always vital if you were to report America to spend a lot of time and speak to the people who live there so even though our permanent footprint is in those cities on the on the coast then we do spend a lot of time in the middle and then in those flyover States and not fly over states for me.

I promise landing them all the time will look into the future Anthony Barnes has this question how much of the USA is continuing failure on the world stage since the Vietnam war is due to

Political civil war between the legislature executive and judicial departments of government does it have any leaders capable of restoring leadership to the Democratic world in the face of Chinese Russian Iranian and other addresses or will it continue to flounder in the face of the Dire global problems of current and future pandemics climate change and Wars leading to mass migrations and international instability manicure pessimistic about a lot but do you see leaders coming for who can again play an important role on the international stage that such a big question Roger and book about his address it in that I am about the future such as The Chronic state of disunion in America right now.

I'm in there isn't even agreement on who won the 2020 election even though that result was clear-cut Joe Biden

Again, it's not a breach of impartiality to say that the fax back it up.

There was no evidence of widespread fraud or corruption.

I am the book on a very pessimistic.

No predictor more American college, and I wrote that before the interaction of January 6th and rather than being a moment where Donald Trump was repudiated by the Republican party.

Obviously you've seen many Republican Party rally round so rather than be a moment of repudiation arguable.

It's become a moment of radicalisation and speak to The Chronic disease in America and how deep the Visions are how angry those fault lines remain and I don't see how America heels.

I mean we started off this interview talking about myself broken American heart and I don't think amended and repaired until America heels, and I don't think it will heal in the median or short-term.

Thanks to the soon-to-be former BBC New York correspondent to Nick Bryant

Let's hope it's not entirely lost to broadcasting and that's it for feedback this week next week.

Matthew side will be talking to us about the thinking behind his sideways series until then keep on keeping safe goodbye.