Read this: 29/04/2022 Radio 4 Feedback

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts, why did so many in the brain do we really know what's going on in put his mind in his Radio 4 Series Jonny dymond tried to fill in the gaps in our understanding.

Did he sexy it does look at present largely, Western perspective but explains much about the man and his motivation Johnny diamond if he agrees with that concern and whether he was too soft on a Russian spokesman, when the interview on the world one also in feedback Neil MacGregor visited 20 towns and cities for his Radio 4 Series the museums that make us a solicitor is baffled by some of his choices or rather emissions such a travesty Neil MacGregor didn't visit Jersey Guernsey or indeed the Isle of Man for his series the museums that make up later in the program near me.

Will be explaining his choices and answering the question what a museums.for and we try to introduce tune on radio listening comedian radio for exposing them to a new comedy series from French and Saunders there a few times.

I did laugh out loud especially at Jennifer Saunders character.

She had some brilliant lines play promising but will they go back for more and become radio for regulars find out later in feedback?

When Russia invaded Ukraine over 2 months ago many was wondered how well we in the west understood Bloody Mary Putin since then a new BBC series has been trying to get to the heart of the putting enigma commissioned within 24-hours of the Invasion with the first episode going out 5 Days Later This 10pk podcast series is called succinctly Putin is currently being broadcast on ready for every Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Each episode is presented by Johnny diamond and explorers Putin's life in chronological order with the help of a panel of experts.

I discovered that you could figure.

What is id and sell very quickly it was always be impossible to understand.

How does he see right through you and know how you take and how to then play on that that you're the great-granddaughter of the former premier Nikita Khrushchev

I think at the time was to charm the most going to the dentist so few months from van.

They would vote for him as president concluded from a largely Western perspective with some of the contributors having previously Close connections with them but explains much about the man and his motivation Peter from West Wales over the contributors of examined and illuminated put in personality politics and rise to power of interesting angles the programs are long enough to let the contributors develop themes and ideas and Johnny's chairmanship encourages them to do so and rather minor quibble is there is very little in this series which is positive about putting however that is probably a reflection of the man himself.

Play giant by Royal correspondent occasional present of the world at one and p.m.

And of course the presenter of the Putin series Jonny dymond.

Johnny picking up on the point raised by the first of all listeners that you're serious gives a largely Western perspective.

I think guilty as charged.

I think it would be unsurprising if the BBC play mat from anything other than a Western perspective we are functions and the product of the Western democratic system we are aware of that.

I would point out that every episode and I think this is one of the strengths of the series has had either someone of Russian origin Russian citizen George and or Ukrainian on the pan.

I want to force a limitation here though because we therefore turned if we're not careful to think that something like putting things like us and it's very difficult to as it were see the

But it's vital that we do so was that a difficult to you found making the series of seeing the world through his eyes.

I think that was the core of the series that was the aim was to try and understand the man and to do so from as many different angles as possible to see the world through his eyes or to understand how he sees the world yeah, tell me the latter to understand how he sees the world how he saw the fall of the Soviet Union what he understood as the humiliation of Russia and the West part in it.

So when I say it to Western I don't mean we come from the view of the victors or anything like that but with an understanding of Russia and its travails, but without being a product of different series had it being so Russian state broadcasting producing it.

I just wonder whether or not we are all guilty here.

I've not actually paying.

Until this a crisis when is a crisis of the scale we go and ask questions.

We maybe should have asked earlier.

I mean if you look at Putin speech was it in 2018 so laying out his view of the position of train in Russia's relationship and sawn.

It's a blueprint for his actions today.

Do you think constantly late in understanding that when people make these speeches and statements, they might actually yes, we are we constantly lets.

We are flawed we are fallible.

We are broadcasters.

There are brilliant academics.

You have been sounding the alarm for more than a decade about Vladimir Putin some of whom appeared on the series.

I'm glad to say but yes, we are Leyton the west came late to an understanding.

That's very clear.

What most surprised you about working on these episodes of the end of 10.

What are you learnt? You didn't know before I think it's the role of storytelling and to agree.

It's that would say that because I'm a German

Interested in stories, but what's been fascinating is how he has managed to cast his own Story 2 cast and recast is the road he uses in storytelling.

So he's created his own biography and how he creates a world which justifies his actions and his place within and there are still mysteries, aren't there I mean we don't know a great deal about his life before 2011 will find out exactly what he didn't sort of 25-30 where he was exactly minutes.

It's very difficult because I rather startling number of people who have never spoken out about his and his personal life in particular either end up exiled or dead.

I don't know there's a lot of digging now going on about his early life.

This startlingly difficult to find out either about the periods you know really up until 2000 when he seems a Russian presidents II war about any aspect of his personal life which of those people fascinated by you know what he does in his spare time is relationships with people is children.

All of that is has a very heavy curtains drawn.

If you really is that Russian enigma is very difficult to know where they will ever get past but listen is a query about your interviewing style particularly with reference to when did you conducted on this is Nicholas pike calling from south west France I despair of the soft interviewing of Kremlin apologists by the BBC on the put one Jonny dymond interviewed Sergei Markov the Putin advisor and totally failed to hold into account is allowed to comments.

Pictures the terroristic regime in cave and nato's war with Russia responded by saying I understand your point of view but it's worth pointing out that the US and Britain have completely denied any direct involvement what point of view did he understand your job to doubt what Sergey Markov think so holding to account which is it is very much the former.

I mean I entirely understand the disquiet that people feel when they hear people like Sergey Markov and friends and colleagues of minor said they can't bear to listen to anyone just turned off the radio and I get wee out of hand ringing in the world at One production team before we ask representative of a spokesman our proxy for the Russian government, but I think it is and I mean no disrespect.

I think it was a misunderstanding about what we are doing to think that I should be.

The fight to Sergey Markov essentially we have a role.

I think and accountability role when it comes to British politicians and British organisations and their we are part of the accountability process alongside the courts and parliament and elections and the rest of it with foreign politicians and their spokes when I do think it's different and whilst yes, we need to be alert to text back to an Accuracy what some people call fake news most of the time.

We are simply seeking to understand the point of view of that government or that person in particular.

What your listener picked up on there's two points terroristic activities of the Ukrainian government and the war that NATO is fighting in Ukraine it's important and significant number of Russians believe that to be the case that's not just the rhetoric of the Russian government and its proxies a large number of Russian think that.

And I think it is important that we hear that and that we understand that and that the BBC not all the time but some of the make sure that that is on output because it is again going back to the Peterson podcast it is understanding that that helps us comprehend how we have got into this situation and funny Johnny we've got an email for me someone who really think you're out, but it's the work of a stick anovite her that idealize 24-hours a day here it is in Smyths for ubiquitous Jonny dymond is now covering royal tours Bahamas with Kate and William the French elections and Putin is the BBC short staffed enjoy having such a bad I love it.

I love it.

I hope I'm bored by the sound of my voice.

I I am very very.

To have such a different range of things to do and I have very tolerant bosses and I am very tired and I have booked a holiday as I say.

I hope I hope you are getting bored of me Johnny diamond will certainly not be very relaxing time will text you.

Thanks very much.

Thank you very much to Jonny dymond presenter on radio and please do let us know your thoughts about that interview or anything else to do with BBC Radio and podcasts.

This is how you can get in touch you can send an email to feedback bbc.co.uk or write a letter the address is feedback PO Box 672 34 London SE14 you can follow activity on Twitter by using BBC R4 feedback or you can call us and leave a phone message on 0333.

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We use the app to BBC Radio listeners to step out of their comfort zones and isn't a program that wouldn't know what to be on their radar this week.

We have two friends from Bristol back in one ear and Beth Kerridge Who on Radio 4 listings at all, but you are Comedy fans.

I mean what are you in your early thirties? I think you like some I mean that's back in the 1970s.

What do you like about that? I think it's because I'm watching it with my parents and my siblings and there's something quite comforting about as well.

It's fine and you are a thinking improv group aren't you? I mean do you want to be a professional I'd like to

More thing that taking up more time with my life listen to radio things.

Do you listen generally I listen to a podcast of long drives and if I work out or a phone pottering around the house it just the music from My Playlist suppose and what do you listen to I mainly listen to radio but I commute to and from work, but I really enjoyed listening to podcasts and audiobooks and I believe you and your friends and you go to the same improv club.

Well.

He performs.

Do you yes we perform together we asked you to listen to Whatever Happened to Baby Jane Austen if you're bothered all surprised by that title it probably refers to a 1960s film Joan Crawford and Bette Davis anyway.

It is was the pilot episode of a new series on Radio 4 starring Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders it's available on BBC sounds of course now, but how would you describe the

Describe it as two feuding sisters who enter the same writing competition and lots of things happened.

I would describe it as a raid play very enjoyable in my direction sent you sat down she was actually see your niece god Lucy I seen you since you repeat it and how would you describe the relationship between the two sisters poisonous? I think you make expectedly funny.

I thought she quite good and quite funny.

Lol if Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French are going to be in it.

It's got to be special.

It's really do radio and they're going to be good.

Did you think they were do they live up your hopes or down to your expectations? I thought they didn't really good job it definitely felt like I was listening to a TV show radio is that sounds like I just wasn't looking at the screen while I was doing something else and that was really nice and excited by the prospect of French and Saunders getting together again.

I was very excited I grew up watching French and Saunders sketch show in Vicar of Dibley and yeah, I was very very excited when I first read that we were going to be listening to them can't stand here.

She got to run what's wrong.

Did you see one of your ex-husband? No, I forgot this is a restaurant not a seance my husband are dead.

That's right.

You're like Henry VIII

Divorced died beheaded divorced died divorced died married one of people so close enough the script was written by David quantick, who's written things like and it was obviously a lot of topical references and son but if it hadn't been Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French playing the parts best you think you would have worked as well.

I think it read very well.

I think it would have worked well.

Have they not been there but it was definitely a draw for myself personally to have French and Saunders cost and it for sure and what did you think they were having fun? I would you get that impression play in the studio has been quite front of being in the Studio with those two old old friends in everything out of each other I feel that they were bantering a lot like that sounds to say that but I can definitely yeah.

It was busy tomorrow along with that even though it wasn't set up to a joke or whatever it was really good.

Well, I suppose.

Not nice to be out of comfort Zone could you clear work because you like the comedy whatever but the first thing is are you going to tune in for the other episodes Waka will you come back and find it and probably don't live that.

You wouldn't listen to him.

Live just cos I like doing things at the very much and on-demand person.

Yeah, so possibly listen to the most part of driving stuff.

Generally only listen to podcasts on long drives, but I'll be happy to add that to my list four pics of this and Discover more enjoyable ok, but how about you? Will you go back for more of this series? I'm well.

I really really enjoyed it and I definitely would listen to the rescue episodes for sure and I suppose the radio for particularly in the next question which is as it change your perception of Radio 4 at all better and does it make you think LOL if they produce that I might go and look for me.

I think the production value is really.

With this particular program, but it was yeah, it was very much a pleasant surprise to hear the program.

It was brilliant Radio 4.

I don't think so what we said earlier.

We might as well.

Have you just listen to broadcast radio no not really the last time I listened to it secondary school because my sister used to listen to them on the school run and that's pretty much.

It is a spin incidental for me so it's podcasts on BBC sounds virtually nothing yeah pretty much that is the future.

Thank you both both my cover talking to us.

Thank you.

It's brilliant.

The former director of the British Museum and the National Gallery Neil MacGregor was responsible for the much admired Radio 4 Series A History of the world in 100 objects is latest series museums that make us season touring large and small museums throughout the British Isles visited cities like Bristol and Birmingham and also little-known Museum such as the one in Penrhyn Castle and the Museum of global Communications in the village of porthcurno in Cornwall McGregor joins me now I was really personal by the title.

You're serious the museums that I thought we made museums.

When is obviously both shifts in the last 3040 years I thinking museums is the sense that they are part of the community now and engaged community now and thinking about it was and what it wants to be so museums and no longer.

Just looking to the past but very much to hoover.

How the museum can play a part in that that's a big change and that's what we want to look at this and why go out of London because everybody knows what happens in the big museums in London what is extraordinary is the amount of energy the number of initiatives been taken right across the country particularly in the biggest for Museums of course but also in a lot of the smaller ones and that's what we want to look at because those decisions are not affected by government so it's about how Communities use their museums to change their lives and it wasn't a question of you knowing all of this and going round and picking up the things that you thought the most important and most interesting they could decide what to focus on the whole point speaking with friends and colleagues we selected a number in Museum 20 and then we asked them to select an object.

Summed up the way there now engaging with the local community and Watford try to do with that engagement in every case they chose the object they chose the activity they wanted to talk about but we had these thoughts about the program from Twitter the museums that make us good to focus on regional museums and what they tell us about times in the past and today a great 15-minutes.

My name is Dunmore and I live in Garstang in Lancashire I really enjoyed Neil McGregor series but with so many local museums.

I wonder what criteria he used to make it.

So what were the criteria the first criterion was as it should be Museum using its collection to make a difference to local Society engaging with the Law Society the second one was that we wanted to use the 20 programs to look across the whole of the UK and that mental geographical spread, so those were the two criteria.

Offended some people including this lady from such a travesty Neil MacGregor didn't visit Jersey Guernsey or indeed the Isle of Man for his series the museums that make us Isle of Man history and people completely different to the UK was once museum of the year was it just a British thing, so, why didn't you go to well the Isle of Man for a star is in go to Shetland which music would have we went to Lewes in Stornoway we couldn't do the more it won't be fascinating to get the Isle of Man and two chairs and the Channel Islands and look at their different Histories but only had 20 programmes it wasn't it said it wasn't an intended insult.

It's just we only had 20 programs as they could there be a second series.

I mean you think you're exhausted.

The material material is absolute inexhaustible.

There is so much going on in our museums because people want to think about the past in a new way, so the could be any number programmes.

Is a decision and your controller well if I listening to do with you say yes very quickly we have another question here from Mr Martin just an excellent, but the question is that the wrapping around the program tells us that museums are and I quote to explore how the past tells us who we want to be is that going to be rather than who we are sounds dangerous to me.

What value historical truth.

Can you kindly explain what is meant by Neil MacGregor yes, I hope it's not dangerous.

What we were trying to explore is the way in which museums address for sleep problems in the city good example would be Bristol the expected would have chosen Colston statue Court as it's object.

To talk about racial tensions in the city long Histories of difficulties between different Communities that would cost Bristol is at the moment but of course what the museum wants to do about the city wants to do is moving towards a different situation where the Communities lives more harmoniously together under each other better.

It's in that sentence about what we want to be and so as you may remember the Bristol museums have chosen not to go to the statue, but bus from the Bristol bus Boycott of the 1960s when I actually got to the reception area reception is said to the manager Mr Bailey's here.

Is black and the manager then spoke with me and explain in a sense that he wasn't prepared to offer me an interview because she said she would this please boss screw these were the words we use the BBC at the time but the guy Bailey story mirrors is an in-depth report to the traffic Manager Mr Sarah Buckley I asked him to stay quite definitely where the company was operating a colour bar on the buses where we are such a time simply because whilst we can obtain white labour within the city.

We shall go on and gauging white labour before coloured labour which was one of the earlier manifestations of those racial difficulties those tensions between communities in Bristol and how they use that bus in the

Schools in the work with Communities to try to build a more harmonious you said it one of the episodes taps on guilty of overstating what museums can he what did you mean by that Museums of course? I really a very small part of what can affect the way citizens think the like the education system like the library system at the BBC the part of a public debate about what things are and how things might be changed for there any who said very clearly in the programme about Belfast Northern Ireland that there's a limit what mediums can do and they can't a great deal on their own, but they are a place there a special place in our society because they're nearly all freezer everybody there one of the places for Citizens of all sorts can come together and they allow their for a kind of conversation.

But not many other places do nowadays and funny never have you got more broadcasting ambitions because our audience helps you have not at the moment.

I'm not at the moment McGregor thank you very much.

Thank you and that's it for this week next week will be talking to Alan Davey Radio 3 who is just announced some of the programming for the Proms so do let us have your comments and questions for him about that and of course about anything else to do with Radio 3 until then goodbye.