Read this: 11/11/2022 Radio 4 Feedback

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts hello if you laugh too long to two women finding raisins in their bras or worrying about what to do with a dead fox in the garden then you'll know that this week.

It's the end of an era.

I started listening right from the beginning fortunately was a lifeline.

I think you've all touched a lot of lives and the BBC in Tyson's you both back one day Lou listeners to fortunately now have a hole in their lives, but what about the presenters well one of them fee Glover has been telling us about leaving the be bringing down the curtain on one of their most successful podcast also right.

Let's power on through that episode of America and tell you everything we know about the midterms so far America in the week of the US mid-term elections were looking at the regeneration of another BBC podcast americast one of its editors will be responding to your

In the previous iteration we often heard immensely insightful interviews with leading players in Washington with seem to have thrown that format away in the situation in the box box this week is a recent Radio 4 drama documentary exit and you're a fury over those planned cuts to BBC local radio Services shows no sign of a consultation or discussion and to those at the top of the BBC Radio hierarchy.

You really should be ashamed but according to the Guardian it was like sitting on a tipsy conversation in a BBC green room but couldn't start in March 2017 fortunately was more casual more intimate than BBC Radio 4 listeners where a custom fee Glover and Jane Garvey chat about everything from Morrisons sandwiches to the menopause it one of them a clutch of awards and a devoted fan base the last.

25 years and 253 episodes it all came to an end we got an announcement.

Would you like to make it chain? I think it will come better from you ridiculous.

Don't be ridiculous.

This is going to be the last edition of fortunately but of course as the BBC would give you were extremely sad to see them go hi BBC feedback my name Sarah Hereford and I live in Mid Wales I'm really really sad.

That's me and Jane are going to be leaving the BBC and unfortunately anymore.

I think it's such a shame Anna and I live in Exeter I think the reason that the podcast resonated with so many people is that reflected the way that women talk to one another in real life the conversation was very wide ranging from the serious to the deeply unserious Jenny Williams from Dorking for the first 3 years and Jane and

Please guests sat in my kitchen on a Friday evening and chat it to me whilst I made dinner or turn a routine car journey into a laugh a minute road trip and then the pandemic struck my husband was a key worker who came home and his work was so heavy he was obliged to stay in work accommodation Sunday nights to Friday night.

I was left holding the fort with our dog and I'll beautiful 7-year old daughter either severely number ball and has epilepsy the Friends Life is quite lonely and I felt the pressure of being the only adult in the house fortunately was a lifeline.

I think you've touched a lot of lives and not only is it the end of the line for fortunately, but it's goodbye to the BBC for both fee Glover and Jane Garvey we've already started the new afternoon show on times radio both have been regular 5 live on Radio 4 for the best part of 30 years will feed you answer me now.

See you and Jane said in the final programme that it was the best thing you've ever done.

So, why did you stop well? I think all good things do have to come to an end and we loved so much of what the listeners was telling us and we will really enjoying doing the podcast but both of us also felt that kind of mind our own lives quite a lot in fortunately never unwillingly at all, but we weren't sure that we had another kind of 5 or 10-years of that in US and I think we genuinely just thought actually you know maybe we need to kind of stop.

I think I listen from Almost the beginning and there was an Evolution in fortunately, when did you realise that you have what time does to be a massive hits on your hands such a simple thing as us when we had an email address when we said ok? That's actually really hear from the listeners properly and put them in the podcast properly we just realised.

Had found our own community and I think that's what fortunately always was you know I just I'm so where also that it is just a podcast and I don't want to call you.

No give it more hours races that it deserves but we did build a community you just enjoy being able to talk about open the and have taken seriously the stuff that we talked about and I think you know very well yourself that hasn't always been very easy to get into the agenda of other programs.

You don't even a program as amazing as Woman's Hour which Jane had done for 13 years.

You know it can't always have the space in the time and the editorial directive to discuss the church that you find in your cutlery drawer or what happens to dead foxes you found some dried fruit in your bra, when you've got undressed of an but he was valuable for lots of listeners.

I'm just going to read you something from Patricia and Leicestershire she said.

You kept me company made me laugh out loud through the Lonely Nights before leaving my job to care for my elderly parents the passing of my mum to dementia and the birth of your beautiful grandchildren always feeling that you understood what I and the rest of the Sisterhood we're going through.

Thank you for being Jane you may never know what a difference made me remaining relatively saying good luck in your new venture.

We genuinely during the pandemic and the lockdown Jane and I found enormous comfort in doing fortunately because we were scared as everybody else was we was up against it as other people were feeling and you want to be able to hear some of that you know you want your own life reflected back at you.

There are lots of things that face us in our 50s.

I don't know another 50 something woman who doesn't have a caring.

To somebody I don't know woman who's not working as well, so as a financial pressure on her life too lots of medical things start to hear the ugly heads were working away through the it's a shed load of stuff the whole idea of podcasting that rough and ready style you recorded a lot of your episodes outside in the famous.

I think you made it more famous the piazza broadcasting highs and things went wrong.

You know there was a great example when you were interrupted by a human rights campaign with the megaphone and you was that into the podcast This podcast but it's lesbian collective perimenopausal podcast really niche and if they do it all this doesn't get there entertainment what if we don't do that style.

Do you think that is actually changed? What what everyday radio? What rate?

For example science like just a little guess.

I think it has and I think it should change it some more because that very Richard style of broadcasting and you know exactly what I mean welcome to coming up.

You know it's not how people speak and I think the joy of podcasting is the kind of bits that you don't expect to hear that are always magic you will know that you are you and Jane are part of a long line of top BBC presenters who have left recently.

I wonder if you think that BBC Radio has a talent management problem all goes well.

I don't want to speak for anybody else.

I think for a woman like myself.

Are you know I've been at the BBC had been at BBC for 30 years.

I've had a huge number of opportunities during that time did I expect to be given they same opportunities for another 1520 years? I'm not sure if

Be honest, but that should be the case you know 5 Live had come along a couple of years ago to tickle both of us under the armpits, but you know that was complicated tickle because I wouldn't be able to move my family, but did you feel that nobody at BBC was tickling you under the armpits to use your phrase? Do you feel particularly Feel the Love so that when somebody came along from times radio and offered you something you were you were much more open to it.

Then perhaps you would have been if you've been better looked after at the BBC I think that's a beautiful work and that's why you're in your job.

I think I'll say yes to that presenters.

Who have left the BBC talking about being let off the leash.

It's not an image that I particularly like reminds me of a kind of snarling dog but I wonder if that means anything to you because you are 30 years right from the beginning in local radio of being impartial even-handed.

Wall and keeping your own political opinions to yourself.

I wonder how you feel about the finding that new voice it does feel liberating actually really yes, there is a voice that fresh to you that I'm just thinking about you.

You're in the Times environment which is I guess I suppose general leaves with right of Centre Pro establishment.

Do you anyway constrained to find a new voice that's of x radio? Well, I mean that's a very interesting question and I will answer it very honestly Jane and I've been broadcasting there now for a month.

We haven't been told by a single person that we have to tow a certain editorial line and if you consider the politics that we have had on the table in front of us during those 4 weeks.

Is there going to be a time when you were told that there was an editorial policy and could you follow that one please? It would have been during those 4 weeks and we just haven't been there are.

Women or any women in their 60s and 70s that I can think old having honest conversations about what it's like to be living in that area of your lives.

I wonder if you Jane can imagine any circumstances in which you might be presenting that podcasts in the future.

I think I genuinely genuinely enjoy working with Jane and if we can carry on always talking about where we are in our lives, so that other people can talk about were they are in theirs.

I think that would be a glorious thing.

I mean got so many fun times to come haven't we have lots of feedback listeners will be delighted to hear that free.

Thank you very much indeed for joining me Pleasure Pleasure no in this week's vauxbox review up for discussion is the Radio 4 drama documentary exit game broadcast on the 5th of November it was a pretty visceral look at the

Brutal world of professional football youth academies two boys one of them makes it and one gets rejected from footballs pipeline to the big uniquely combined a real observation of sports journalist Alex Miller with writing Perry's dramatic interpretation feedback listeners and old friends Irina play the pundit role for us and gave us their views on exit game.

Hi, I'm Leslie I'm living in Glasgow and I'm 60 plus.

I'm eirene Avenue Houston and I'm 20 + quite a lot of writing and broadcasting about lesser-known often and glamourous stories from within the footballer universe documentary.

I'm going to take you on my own personal journey into the world of the Professional

For you system come from somebody that knew that they were talking about that somebody been through it his nephew been through so you felt quite close to I thought the presenter came across very well.

There was a sense of course.

I thought the production levels were very good.

I was listening to when I was walking with my airpods forever hold on and it was like a good stereo.

No that was actually quite a pleasurable experience in terms of the sound that I wouldn't have got a big listen to it on the radio so I'm sitting on his own cheeky like that.

I'm supposed.

What Nathan the drama allows you to emotionally connect in a way that is it a just been a documentary without that.

We might not have connected in the same makes you feel I thought the balance between the documentary in the drama.

What really well I felt to that the listener was invited to make their own critical evaluation of what was happening to do if you have the run and it's going to have like a big garden and patio the barbecue swimming pool balls.

You know the song few opportunities for young people to succeed just now and especially working-class young boys and so football but I always been a Pop Star Trek was bigger and some ways and being a pop star now the situation.

Exchange rate from the 60s and till now.

Please one more accessible the wages when I'm so high.

They related more closely to the fans.

Where is now because it's all been corporate and how much more remote and a thing as you said it was like in Alton to is the 60s and 70s and it was just the local kids that were brilliant the next thing that could be playing for one of the big teams.

Tell me about Jack is this acceptable the feeling that they are aware of the boys emotions and aspirations and hopes and dreams are going to manage to disappointment which is at the end for the majority of the boys.

I could do that system to me that was really important for the listener to think about it was interesting that the coach was saying just get to the point and I think.

Probably feel that just tell me you just tell me now that reason fortunately that we can offer professional contracts to both you and Jack I'm sorry.

It's one of those things.

Go away.

Remove the final of the Empire the boys solving is the reality that is the endgame for the majority of the boys but I thought the play did a good job of having the centre of it and how much that meant to the two boys were following the two Heroes was thanks to I ring Houston and Lesley Atkins and if you're interested in hearing exit game it is available BBC signs and if you would like to review any program or podcast in our vauxbox drop us a line feedback at bbc.co.uk as we continue to chew over what the results of the mid-term elections in America tell us about its political future many of you have been questioning the amount of time that news programs are devoting to American politics.

My name is Nick Sanford and I live in Norfolk I want to comment on the world this weekend today, which was entirely report by James Naughtie

Discussing the upcoming elections are followed by Gabriel Gate houses programme looking back at the tune on rides, so we hadn't time time listening focusing on the United States and while both programs are of Interest it seems to be an extraordinary use of primetime radio when there's other thing in the world for example some detailed analysis on the cop 27 would have been far more interesting Natasha shallice editor the world this weekend.

We believe the American midterms re topic of international significance and American politics has a profound effect on the UK and other countries where we appreciate that not everyone will be following these events we know there of interest to many of our audience mean well.

There's a whole Weekly podcast devoted to the minute of American politics America

Was launched in 2020 with the intention of giving listeners in the UK a deeper insight into US politics it was presented by Emily maitlis and Jon Sopel they went BBC and the podcast was no more well.

That was back in February but it reappears a few months ago with new presenters BBC North America editor Sarah Smith and today presented web with the BBC disinformation correspondent Marianna Springs expertise added to the one of the things that she's done is to create 5 fake voters each with a different political profile and set up social media accounts for them to see how they get targeted by online campaigns the man who brought back America is senior news editor.

We knew there was an appetite for americast in terms of the editorial.

We knew that the midterms were coming up we knew that there was a a lot of social and

Issues the potential abortion for example that all of these stories were going to be dominating the news agenda, so I knew editori there would be an appetite for a second the ministry of americast it was obviously sad to see John and Emily go so I think it's making sure we have the right team in place first before you put it back in the studio is Justin in the Americans to do in London and with Justin in London it's Marianna the BBC disinformation and social media correspondent also known as miss information.

They obviously have a d us politics but into the podcast world and what's the easy to persuade them to come to America's completely off straight away.

They can see that your new audiences.

It's also about you know it's an opportunity to space where they can bring their own insights from their past so Sarah will talk briefly about how she has an American husband.

This American Life and she weaves in all her observations and experiences and that relaxed I'll actually you may not be able to do that you won't be doing on the News at Ten you won't necessarily be doing that on the Today programme.

There is a personal touches really connect with the last week.

We were talking about Donald Trump's and questionable choice of carpet in the government photo of the secret documents in marahlago that the FBI released it was it was load it was patterned.

It was like something you don't often see and turn off from want to see if there was like something out of the 70s.

That's what it was and that was what is so striking about it and I'm starting at the time.

I sent polyester.

Owen here on the sunny south coast of Cumbria in the town of Barry in the previous iteration we often heard immensely insightful interviews with leading players in Washington notably wrong Christie a former member of vice president Dick Cheney staff we seem to have thrown at format away in this new iteration some of been saying that.

Haven't had the most insight for players the big hitters if you like this time round.

It's not a fair criticism.

We had Erin Brockovich for example.

The environmental activist we've had Barack Obama's former national Security adviser on we've had some brilliant brilliant gas and will continue to bring in gas but we really mindful that we are bidding for the big play.

This is a big podcast and ambitious and ambition plans so I take that on board and we are striving to get the very best gas on the spot.

We need to turn at Exactly that stays then to Marianna and can a sense of this is playing in the fees of the people that you've said, I'll be is it a big deal and if it is a big deal is anyone talking any kind of sense or is it still at your nonsense? Is it interesting because on undercover to social media feeds that have been one of the new ideas.

That has come with this new iteration of America is undercover voters or Marianna spring you are.

Can you just explain to listeners who haven't come across it yet? Who are these people and what they are undercover voted are five characters that We Created based on data from the research centre is very comprehensive data.

We used to come up with characters.

He said across the political spectrum in the US and you are from a range of different places demographics have different ideas and each other's characters has five social media profiles and the purpose of running is investigation is to see what ufo2 could be recommended with on their social media feeds in the buildup to the midterms and one of the things I'd like best and I'm very happy about is that we should never I don't think think of topics like Miss information as niche issues.

They actually are woven into all of our lives as his social media in general and it's brilliant to see how BBC output embrace is that in a way the other broadcasters in my opinion don't right now so

Safe in America that's probably as topic for an entirely different episode of America the whole point is that they have always engaged with listeners and some of our listeners also loyal America listeners have noticed you seem to be featuring more questions from American listeners, because you do ask the questions which you don't answer on the podcast and I wonder whether or not there's been a conscious shift to build an American audience and to actually try and build up those American listeners.

This is a podcast which goes out in the UK BBC sounds, but we're also really mindful that This podcast as appeal across the globe we bought us some broadcasting house and in that building was just fast reservoirs of expertise and knowledge and we'd happened to that and I think American audiences really value that I'm really like that.

They do but I think some of our listeners are concerned that this is being paid for by the BBC licence.

And they're worried that if you're tackling niche issues in Portland Oregon that you're not actually serving the British audience that this was originally designed for where you need the the podcast originally was to explain us politics and Culture to a UK audience for the licence fee payers and I wonder if it's train from that brief no strain for that brief.

I think the concept of undercover vote is something actually we're going to be exploring for a UK audience and potentially we may do something in the future of the UK podcast in terms of photos because it's these a universal themes, and of course you can listen to America cast on Radio 4 and on BBC sign in last week's program.

We heard from Jason Horton director of BBC England about the proposed cuts to local radio Services and your comments just keep on coming hi feedback Diana Chambers from Keighley West

What incense to me more than anything about your BBC directors responses to people begging for their local radio Services to remain was that he should suggested is in anyway patronising to assume that we all want to listen to a timetable format.

There are many people who are not online and who use it for other things but for whom the right place in the kitchen bathroom car sitting room is like a reliable friend and companion Jill Andrews from North Ferriby in East Yorkshire local radio is shooting in disseminate, but particularly the lonely and the elderly is seen as a lifeline for many and a source of information not found on National station decision is irrational outrage was no consultation or discussion and to those at the top of the BBC Radio hierarchy.

You really should be ashamed.

Hello my name is Brian Dowling

Dudley East Yorkshire we are told that after 2 we will receive radio Lincolnshire in this area.

This is like a red rag to a bull please reconsider this cultural vandalism will earlier when I spoke to feed lover formerly of BBC radio, Somerset Radio Humberside and radio Northampton as well as glr in London not surprisingly.

She also voiced concern over the future of local radio.

I really don't understand it actually.

I think there has never been more important time dissemination of information to have a strong local news network you know there's just really clear evidence that if you can't tell the story of the people who are around you know who you see everyday then into that boys can fall really really unpleasant things you can you know you make a leap to a much stronger message that might come from.

The way that she has nothing to do with your life and it's one of those terrible things you know once that part of the forest has been cut down it won't ever grow again.

So I think it is bonkers if you'd like anything you hear on BBC Radio or BBC signs to drop us a line details to follow.

Thanks for listening and giving us your feedback.