Read this: 04/11/2022 Radio 4 Feedback

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts on welcome to the programme this week the cuts are getting deeper the latest local radio are indicative of how out of touch the BBC is with their audience the BBC's plans to slash local radio output has provoked a Furious response from listeners and politicians alike to agree that local radio not call itself local when it stops being local after 14.

I'll be talking to the acting Direct BBC England and asking whether the corporation risks alienating its existing audience in pursuit of an imaginary new one also guess the weight of the Pumpkin stuff ruins my timeout.

It's boring please let the Arches retainers USB of a gentle and the story of Chelsea horrobin pregnancy has the

Is Archers listeners the programs editor Jeremy how is here to explain why he thinks there is always a place for younger grisea plot lines alongside the most today tales of rural life and this whole system is at breaking point we can't continue as we are and why did World at one the think Nigel Farage was right person to discuss overcrowding in Manston Immigration Centre it's certainly wasn't a popular choice with feedback listeners.

I am at a loss to understand.

Why it is accept the BBC to feature Nigel Farage on this series issue, when it will be more appropriate to interview a member of the official opposition, but first it's been described as the biggest threat facing BBC local radio since birth in 1967 the BBC has announced that it's going to cut local radio output content across all 39 local.

In England this woman shows will only be local from 6 in the morning until 14 the rest of their time will be replaced by regional programmes in its pressure is the BBC trumpeted the plan as transforming its local services to deliver greater value to Communities across England but a great many others greater than use with considerably less than the atom and on Tuesday labour MP Emma Hardy table and urgent question in The Commons is the also agree that the loss of vision will be damaging community as an important boys for their experiences and concerns with local services democracy and accountability in her response seem to share some of Emma Hardy's concerns.

She told them I would have hoped that I would had a greater chance to examine these proposals before.

Released this is something I should be talking to the BBC next week about and I pray time Great proper had to reason I'm a documentary filmmaker originally from the city of Janet and killing a more grateful for your message says she loves local radio wouldn't want to be without it.

She can't come on because she feel so angry about it.

You just need to hear that's the BBC were making cuts to local radio.

I think it must be the cheapest one of the cheapest services the BBC provides and it's just an invaluable service to Communities I don't know the saving but surely they can slice money from salaries and big wigs for there on the TV rather than hitting community radio which is such an invaluable service is a track of where we live BBC Radio 2.

This is Ray from North Yorkshire I think local radio offers a vital service to the local community which cuts in funding will damage I do listen to the National networks my local radio station does things they don't

Businesses in Leeds Brown Wakefield the latest Radio 2 are indicative of how out of touch the BBC is with their audience the aim and be as much online as they can and attracting younger audience whatever the effects on the older listeners of England has had to spend 65 billion pounds to prop up the market because of what they describe material risk Where Have You Been I think we're going to remember the Laura Phillips from London I think cuts to the local content of BBC local radio huge mistake on trust in politicians is solo local radio journalist don't only ask people like Liz truss, where have you been they hold to account?

Councillors on their patches all over the UK if you take the local out of BBC local radio, what have you got left to watch the thinking behind this is and what do they mean for the future of BBC local radio or Jason Horton is the acting director of BBC England and he joins me now from Salford Jason why are you Andrea hello fundamentally we want to serve our local audiences much better in the years to come we know the value of BBC local radio and I'll BBC local television services as well, but ultimately our local radio stations reach about 15% of the population of England every single week and maintain the brilliant programming that we have across local radio.

We've got to be true to all of my licence by pairs up and down the country and we think there is a big win for us.

In our digital platforms as well and that means getting the best of our journalism the best of our Sports coverage the best of our local radio and our video onto and accessible via are BBC apps of new sport iPlayer and sounds as well, so what you're saying is that you'd like to maintain local radio but what you actually doing is cutting local radio.

We are not cutting in anyway the spend that we have across BBC England to a new way is this cost saving is there any at all we are dealing with the inflationary pressures in exactly the same way as every other business is but the budget that I have to run BBC local services across radio television and online remains exactly the same now as it well at the end of the implementation of this strategy.

So you're moving the money that you have from local radio.

To online some of the money and the problem that we have is that a lot of our listeners, am I saying that that's not what they want.

Did you ask we talking to you like a radio listeners right now and remember these proposals before you did this is our proposals that we first put forward in May we've had the detailed this week and we are talking to a listeners in a even as I speak to you.

I've been looking at feedback.

That's coming in from my listening lots of feedback, which would obviously be delighted to share with you back that we're getting is saying that this is absolutely not what they want these people who do not want to access things online maybe can't access things online so local is really important to them.

So are you saying that if local radio listeners tell you that this is not what they want.

You'll change your mind.

We have 39 local radio stations up and down the country right now at the end of this process.

We will have.

Local radio stations up and down the country we will be live in local regional and not local that's the difference isn't that we will be live and local between 6 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon when the percent of our audience across local radio in listening.

Ok, we will provide local radio programmes albeit shared across the rest of the afternoon, so that we are absent.

I didn't local is it that's the point if it's shared its regional can I just put you a couple of the comments from our listeners for example the Reverend even Mac and I am one of the more than 5 million listeners to local radio who pays for a BBC licence.

I was a pulled upset and angered by the announcement of cuts to the service.

They will leave the Shadow of itself my anger was exacerbated that this decision has been made without consultation and in favour of more online services on all.

Oversaturated internet those of us who are loyal licence fee paying BBC listeners are being sacrificed for an imaginary future audience that is not guaranteed to list all fund The Corporation the feeling a monster.

Lot of listeners.

Is that you were chasing a young audience a young audience? You don't know that you're actually going to find online and sacrifice in people who are already there.

Who are telling you that they want to listen to local radio in the afternoon at tea time and in the evening.

We're not sacrificing any of our local radio list at all every single Ofcom report that I've read audience report that I read suggest that actually attic with patronising older listeners actually to think that they're not access our services via digital apps or the website in a 55% of €165 now.

Have a connected device.

They are absolutely able to get service.

But I local radio Services or fundamentally still be there we will provide in that community information those Faith programmes on a Sunday morning the local sport week in Week Out every single week for all audiences, Graham from Wakefield has said what is needed is a full radio audience research project not just online find out what the audience wants then please publish the results so I'm asking on behalf of Graham from Wakefield would you do that the bottom line is that we are waiting 2-hours and every single.

I don't think we have to have any project or analysis we are very clear on what audience was based on the feedback that they give us an from the audience surveys that we are doing all of the time will be completely transparent with our audiences about all of the decisions that we are making and we are talking to them day in day out at the moment.

They're view shape output they all.

The day the BBC Radio Leicester went on hours are first local radio station.

We have absolutely always listen to Our audiences and will continue to do so it seems to me the audience of saying one thing and you're staying another the audience is saying we do not want our local radio to be messed with we do not want these cuts and you are saying no trust me this is what's best for an online Future is this set in stone consulting with the staff so we will take on board feedback from them and we will take on board feedback from our audiences, but what is absolutely set in stone is my commitment to serve audiences across local radio region of television our local television services and our local websites in the best way that I possibly over the next few years.

Thanks to Jason horse the reissue of immigration dominated the headlines early this week following the petrol bomb attack at a migrant Centre

Dover and subsequent revelations about overcrowding in the immigration facility in Manston it's a problem clearly work debating but many people both on social media and in the feedback inbox were left fuming by the world at one's choice of guest on Mondays program, but Nigel Farage was the leader of the UKIP has long campaign on immigration a good afternoon good afternoon.

Good to have you on the program.

What do you think needs to happen now? My name is Tony and I live in South West Scotland Nigel Farage being invited onto the BBC to discuss the migrant issue seems to be wrong on every single LEGO the BBC is simply Wrong Turn On To That level of Media for any purpose and any reason whatsoever this whole system is at breaking point we can't continue as we are.

Unless my name is Morden from Lewisham time from Edinburgh BBC world at one she was too hard Nigel Farage on the program and Monday the 31st of October in future be more appropriate to have an expert on the situation government minister did discuss immigration issues rather than someone who has built a career around anti-immigrant soundbites from Sheffield to understand why it is acceptable to the BBC Nigel Farage on this serious issue, when it will be more appropriate to interview a member of the opposition your presenter did not attempt to challenge any of his highly controversial views.

Thank you very much.

Well.

We wanted to put some of those points to come on BBC News and also talk about balance and impartiality in reporting divisive issues like immigration but no one was available so we did get the statement.

The range of views on this issue to reflect the different opinions surrounding the Debate the BBC editorial guidelines set out that we should reflect a breadth and diversity of opinion.

We need to do the specialist in international refugee law and a former home office permanent Secretary and please do let us know what you think about that and anything else you here on BBC Radio or sounds you can send an email to feedback at bbc.co.uk and you can comment on Twitter use the hashtag BBC R4 feedback you can leave a phone message on 0343 444 5440 if you prefer you can send us a WhatsApp message to the same number and leave a voice note all those details and address on my website and one programme which prompted a lot of reaction from listeners this week was radio Three's soundscape of a century and a tower.

Classical music mixed with audio from the BBC archive and in our inbox at least the reaction was overwhelmingly positive hello, my name is Riley and I live in Beckenham I wanted to say how much I enjoyed the soundscape of a century.

I ended up listening to it all day.

This is Helen Marston from Broadstairs many thanks to Radio 3 Fritz wonderful soundscape of a century.

The choice of music and excerpts from the archives work brilliantly together each in rich in the other extraordinary Brett the wealth of events and experiences that the BBC century has brought to us the listeners.

This is Sally Minogue I love the juxtaposition of Paul McCartney's mention of stockhouse and embryo with their music and Day in the Life by McCartney and Lennon Christopher Johnson South West London

Thank you so much for sounds game of the century.

It was a moving powerful necklace of words music and Bittersweet memories China can be passed from person to person not just from animals for our onto our I found myself unable to drag myself away from this broadcast the way ahead is hard trance the highest and the lowest I've already been so great by radio broadcast also moved when you can catch up with signscape of a century on BBC sounds no a spoiler alert because if like me you only listen to Sundays omnibus edition of The Archers you may want to avert your ears for a bit because we're about to start discussing the soaps storyline of the moment teenager Chelsea horrobin pregnancy.

It's been front and center for weeks the infamous ambridge rave and the one night stand with Ben Archer followed by

Lot and I mean a lot of soul-searching about whether she was going to keep the baby the plot line and it's treatment has impressed many listeners, are there is more tranquil and less gritty stories here's a selection of you.

Thought I Malcolm del Sol from Ampthill Bedfordshire and listen to The Archers now.

I'm 50-years the reason episode sound like they've been written by fifth formers at Feltham comprehensive as part of the English GCSE project and exam.

They're obviously Dune to fail desperately trying to a new generation of trendy young Archers listeners.

I feel they won't instead long-standing fans Like Me Slowly switch off.

They said the procedure is going to be a bit more involved the pregnancies further along they're going to have to induce.

I'm I'm Liz Barrett and I'm from Nottingham and currently for two small children and the only time I get to myself each day as when I swipe down a shower and listen to the art for 15-minutes my day is considerably more enjoyable when the storyline is focused on the more dramatic characters the Fate marrow horse you guess the weight of the Pumpkin stuff ruins my time.

It's boring meenakshi Sharma Gloucestershire listen to The Archers for Pure escapism into a way of life.

That is totally out of my experience I learnt from story vans providing and the current story about the quality of soil of things do happen in rural areas, but please let me the Archers Returns USB of a gentle in life.

Thanks for letting me know.

By the Tracy and I live in Somerset the wide range of issues the program has been dealing with from.saw quality slavery alcoholism and most recently have all been handled with sensitivity the acting has been impressive.

I have been moved absorbed in the drama, which feels real and that nurse is right.

There's a really promising future out there for you.

well, divided opinions there on the Chelsea horrobin Saga I've been speaking to the editor of The Archers Jeremy how and the actor who plays Chelsea Maddie Leslie I Began by asking Jeremy why he decided to tackle the issue of abortion now the Choices That We Make in The Archers are is this a good story fit the character and you can't want to develop a character you need to put the characters in a difficult and challenging situation and then explore it and thirdly you want to make it fits the Archers and teenage pregnancy and abortion they're both working great, but not really driven by issues with driven by is this a good story of the constitutional right to abortion having been reversed recently in the US the subject of abortion has become more topical recently did that figure in your thoughts on your

But I mean we were we were thinking about the story of roughly this time last year.

It wasn't the big issue that became a interesting that literally as we was story lining it reverses Wade erupted in the States did it change your thinking it's certainly sharpened are thinking and we we made sure that we looked at the story from every Witch Way should Chelsey the baby should be a single parent should she go with the father should you put the child up for adoption should you have an abortion and I think the interesting thing about the sorry what really drives? It is we wanted to put a young woman in a very challenging situation and explore just how difficult the decision mate.

I'm sure that most listeners would agree with Chelsea and much more nuanced character because of this with learnt of course an awful.

Lot more about her.

I wonder when the storyline how much did you know I'm from what stage were you involved in the price?

Of the factored Chelsea would be facing this range of options or did you know as soon as we were given a script that she was going to have a termination usually with the storylines.

We find out what's going on the week before when the Script come through the door with this one.

I had a little bit of warning.

Jeremy called to say that in the episodes leading up to finding out that she was in fact pregnant that Chelsea might be acting a little bit as we would think out of character may be getting a bit more angry or upset being a bit confused the idea of her decision that she was going to make Amazon a little bit later and it really felt in the performing of it.

I did really feel her confusion and just how big the weight of how big this decision for her really was and that they were different options and her speaking to the other characters about their experiences of a similar nature.

Ringing from Sevenoaks to see how the story of Chelsea's unplanned pregnancy would pan out since almost always these stories predicted the baby being kept and everyone eating gills flapjacks.

I was proven wrong when a termination was chosen which I think was a brave and realistic choice for the story considering her age and their lack of a relationship.

I actually felt really proud of Chelsea having gone through the journey with her.

I felt really proud of her that she made a decision and she made the right decision for her.

I won't be surprised to know they're not all of our listeners who got in touch with feedback listen to The Archers did enjoy the storyline people have accused of being a love Island inspired horrible show they said wolf since when did the Archers become EastEnders

How do you take the criticism that there was something sensationalised about particularly? It was revealed to listeners who the father was and indeed.

It didn't drag out to the point that the Chelsea was actually having a relatively late abortion.

I think it's important that we do play things out in real time that you don't condense storytelling and I mean I think the Archers is sort of slow and I think that's part of its appeal.

I don't watch Love Island so I'm not sure I could kind of answer the question that we've gone to love Island and then obviously he dramatic moment.

I think I forgot to find things in the 10 days leading up to the revelation of who's the father.

I kept on bumping into colleagues and neighbours and none of him.

Did I know listen to The Archers asking who's the father and it was a gripping story because she wanted to be dramatic, but I don't think you want to do with the Archers this be sensationalist.

It was just a good.

Did you cross that line? Did you become sensationalist? It was very dramatic.

Do you want me to press it? I'm scared.

I'm really scared Juliet Henham here from Axminster I can't be the only listen to The Archers that is really sick of having storylines around children and teens if I wanted storylines about a bunch of bickering idiots.

I'd watch Hollyoaks or some other dismal program.

There are other listeners.

You've said that they're thoroughly sick so many storylines involving children and teens at the moment conscious decision to go Diner route.

Where not only do we have this major story about the garage Chelsea but we all seem to be introduced to a lot of young people that quite quickly the first baby that was born in The Archers was Tony Archer in 1951 Tony arteries now 70s you have to keep the succession you have to keep the Generations going at the moment is that there is a Focus on a lot of teen stories and listeners are saying.

Actually, that's disproportionate and they feel that perhaps you're trying too hard to shoehorn a younger audience in a minute.

I wondered do you have focus groups to chase a particular Geographic how to spell the demographic we chases the karate listen to listen to I don't know that's true.

I think that people want to listen to stories about family life and my to the biggest or is he was over the last few years is Jim Lloyds surprise 18th birthday party wear a kind of eventually reviews that sexual abuse when he was a child characters as well mate.

Do your friends and family and particularly Friends yes and even before I was in it.

I have a group of friends who listen to all throughout University they've been listening to more of it.

My grandmother is a huge bad.

So have a lot of people close to me that it's been a big part of their lives for a long time.

So it was a dream come true to be cast in.

Thank you to Jeremy Howe and Maddie Lesley and that's it for now until next week from me.

Thank you for listening and giving us your feedback.