Read this: 07/07/2023 Radio 4 Feedback

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts hello and welcome to your new series of feedback, is it possible that conspiracy thinking is matic of widespread distrust in mainstream politics and the media who better to ask them the BBC disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna spring also mood music programs on Radio 3 full healing program or indeed.

Why they think repetitive unimaginative music calms the soul turn on tune in drop out radio Three's head of music is here to respond to comments and listeners anger over the changes to local radio output shows no signs of abating weaving forced punched and kicked and trampled.

Local radio stations more on the ongoing local radio later, but first the BBC disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna spring investigating the Legacy left by the rise in conspiracy movements in the UK and the media machine and it's hard and newspaper called The Light which Prince at least 100000 copies months and is distributed freely x like Totnes in Devon has called for a British health workers and journalists to be put on trial for crimes Against Humanity in the 10th series Marianna in conspiracy land.

She tracks on the people behind the light and investigates how it's funded and it's links to far-right figures for links considered figures anti-semitic figures.

What's your relationship with these groups? I don't have any relationship.

Interview for then we should have them.

We believe in free speech free speech means of hearing from people that you don't necessarily agree with or even whose ideas or some of those whose ideas are poor you use the difference between speech and incitement so you can talk about anything you want to hearing about conspiracy theories spreading disinformation online so I was married if it was significant that the light is a traditional newspaper.

I think it is important and so this paper is one that is full of a variety of different articles articles promoting this information about the climate change or the Warren Ukraine financial situation at the moment the cost of living because it's a physical paper and a physical paper that looks like a lot of other newspapers.

You could read quite a few people have been drawn towards it for that reason and the editor when I interviewed m explain how this paper was set up in order to bypass what he perceives as social media censorship.

How to create a nurse for 37 years and help with the pandemic 2021 I have been involved in the vaccine programme Holocaust conspiracy theorists crossover thinking methodology, they do not believe they nearly seek to undermine through the truth by used for simplistic arguments and confirmation by conspiracy land Mario scream, Netflix series and chains and courteously with evidence that this was journalism at it's very best.

My name is Nicholas Grand Canyon from Cardiff I listen to a great interest to Marianna in conspiracy land.

I think she deserves commendation for entering the lions den.

Speak to some people who do the BBC the enemy and some of who held a parent views however I did have some reservations.

I didn't feel the program sufficiently explored what leads otherwise quite ordinary people down the Conspiracy rabbit hole is it possible that he thinking is symptomatic of widespread distrust in mainstream politics and the media.

I think when it comes that issue of distrust in the media absolutely that plays a huge part in the like the light conspiracy doing paper being more popular than people might expect something like the light promotes some of the Most Extreme disinformation.

Do you think people here should be hanged big fat and the people are guilty of crimes Against Humanity and yes quite surprised to hear that we hang people anymore children mains hundreds thousands of people.

That's not something we can tolerate to have those of people living in society.

Hello.

This is Neil calling from France sorry, but despite the Good Intentions Marianna is too soft on the conspirators in the interview where someone claim that the vaccine was untested and call for hanging she failed to push back and point out that all vaccines are tested positively in what was a remarkable success for science and public health.

I thought this was a sloppy interview that gave to free around to the conspirator.

Where do you know that line? How do you judge just how much you push back when you're in those kind of conversations often with somebody who's saying something that many people would find not only distasteful possibly but they're actually advocating something illegal.

There's a difference to me between interviewing the editor of a conspiracy doing newspaper.

Who's who has a certain amount of responsibility and accountability.

Followers in Believers who have been drawn into this world and you were still accountable for what they say that they posted them and what they do but who are perhaps not in a position of authority in the way that the conspiracy theory.

I was actually struck by the person that you spoke to the woman that you spoke to he was clearly really moved and actually broke down in tears here.

How much of our time trying to save humanity trying to wake them up trying doubt it wasn't really something that I was expecting to hear it.

Really brought me up short actually same for me and I suppose rallies in and the woman in question was very distressed because she thinks that these kinds of sinister plots that go far beyond you know legitimate questions and concerns.

We might have are happening and you can see how terrified terrified she is and I saw a terrified.

She was an upset she was and when you're doing it to be like that.

It's much less about accountability necessarily and it's much more about trying to understand how she's reached this point.

She believes what she believes one of our listeners has email to say that she's concerned that by bringing the climate crisis into this investigation it actually means the climate crisis because there is a danger that it's right up.

There was somebody's of a conspiracy.

My name is Paula country.

I live in Dorset where the climate and ecological emergency was declared over 4 years ago as a social media correspondent.

You know people listen in snippets.

We have accelerating ocean temperatures and ice melting this is existential information but in doing so and in this manner.

Please do not deter people from demanding world leaders the imperative change and the absolute need for adjustment in our lives there two different moments that talk about climate change during podcast.

There's a fair bit of.

False and misleading claims made about climate change and you know false suggestions that climate change is a hoax for example and how that become part of the repertoire of conspiracy theories that some of these wants one thing is a hoax absolutely everything as I hope so, it's not really it's not happening and actually there are some of the people interview at this protest in Totnes for example very much are beginning to subscribe to that you and you know taking action you know lots of science promoting this evening.

I didn't get climate so I think firstly that it's important to highlight the way that false and misleading claims about climate change become a part of a conspiracy there in movement and its focus in a time and time again during giving medication.

I quiz people on violent rhetoric on hateful rhetoric on links with far-right groups are more extreme ideas and unwillingness to disavow those ideas, so the editor of The conspiracy do paper repeatedly tells me that he doesn't support violence that he doesn't agree with those ideas, but then when I say why don't you come out and say we don't allow that.

Movement to which he said no I might be it seems to me at the moment that there is a great emphasis now on on showing or working side of journalists to get that best available version of the truth.

How much is BBC verify actually changing the way you do journalism and how much is it something that we've always done, but the idea of putting this this label PC bear fight on at actually help viewers and listeners to understand what's BBC journalist about BBC verify is this new brands at the BBC has announced that it brings together a whole range of different generation experts across the BBC and who focus on analysis information open source investigative techniques data and especially in hard to reach areas of the world or hard world's like conspiracy land and the way I fit into something like BBC verify is AI focus on investigating the most extremist groups and hate and social media worlds and exposed.

Are making calls and how those Tactics work and how this will unfold thanks to Marianna spring and you can listen to Marianna in conspiracy land on BBC sounds like to share your thoughts on these programs or indeed anything you've heard on BBC audio.

You can contact us by calling 0345 from landlines and mobiles will apply and you can also send us a WhatsApp voice note on that number on Twitter it's at BBC R4 feedback or you can write to us feedback PO Box number 67234 London se1p 4ax.

This is perhaps the most famous pieces of music about transformations.

It is by one of the world's most influential composers Philip Glass 9088 position title.

Metamorphosis there from Oliver Arnold's ultimate.com one of the growing number of mood music programs on radio three others include described as a comforting world of intimate tracks and nitrox an immersive soundtrack for late night listening ultimate.com and night tracks are consistently among the top 10 most listened to Radio 3 programmes on BBC signs from Wakefield to completely fell on night tracks by accident at the first with some metal being banned rhythmically which but it was really enchanting bewitching but it's absolutely wonderful experience and it's part of my nighttime routine and silly takes away whenever Troubles of the day.

Had so it's fair to say that night track saying I'm a big fan from Glasgow my brains always very active is a wee hours of the morning approach.

I'm often working alone on some sort of creative project and then I track sets of perfect meet the choice of music is very diverse from classical to folk to electronic the common denominator is that is always very relaxing and never overly intrusive some of the tunes.

Just wash over here whilst others can I grab you gently by the logs for a few minutes? It's just a great show to lower slowly into your bed, so what is the thinking behind these mood music programs Edward Blakeman is Radio 3 head of music programs are response to listeners needs.

I think it's really interesting and exciting developments over the last few years.

It's a sort of trying to be a bit ahead of the curve really we always on Radio 3 try to look at the new and topical and bring the best into our programming and so many listeners now.

Talk to us about mood and when they switch on the radio mood is 1 things that really pushes them to what they want to listen to So these programs ultimate.com night tracks vera response to what the sort of listening is that you might like in the evenings.

Do you find the this does attract younger audiences a Spotify audience for example could do make mood mix playlists.

I think that's to some extent but actually what is really interesting about both of these programs.

Is it they hold up very well across the whole range of what we do on Radio 3.

It's the enjoyment and satisfaction of listening.

It's the joy that you get out of radio thing that radio is fantastic at because radio is very intimate medium and so when you listen to something like this and you're listening in the evening you get this wonderful feeling of the you and the music and the presenter very close.

My name is Judy that I live in London I don't understand why radio three things people so damage by this modern world that they should provide this kind of fool healing program or indeed.

Why they think repetitive unimaginative music calms the soul something is good and reading 3000 prediction of adventurous Zambian music but too much of this sounds like it's AI designed to advertise music is healing or calming is pretty subjective best and most people listen to classical music for jazz because it is inherently relaxing satisfying something ultimate.com is quite clean especially when you're off again peritone.

Mozart or back well, I was also very pleased to see that Drew did also say some of it good and Radio 3 he goes on to say has an honourable tradition adventurous ambient music.

I love that word adventurous because it means that we getting the message through because you know musics exploration and it's finding out all sorts of new things and it's the joy of every and that's absolutely what these programs are about Edward at the moment you come up with the playlist the producers of the program.

Do do you think that in future? That could be a role for a I don't have we don't have any plans to have a role for AI we have plans only to have human beings who love what they do who know about what they do who are passionate about and want to share it.

I wonder as far as you're a public service remit is concerned.

Do you find that there's a balance between providing classical music for the heartland audience.

Exploring new music and in the groin the audience.

I think there is an absolute balance and everything that we do we have an eye on the possibility of new listeners and that's the respect page.

I mean we absolutely love what we do we believe in classical music really strongly.

It's the heartland what we broadcast but we also believe that people are interested in going to other things and so some of them slightly more different things that we're talking here very much about ambient music is a source of progression not exactly onwards, but it widens you're listening and think it just brings you more richness to what you already like being able to explore things and add on other things on a Radio 3 listening figures are actually up a little bit at the moment, but cost per listener is still very high on Radio 3 and it does have a relatively small audience compared to some of the other stations.

Are we seen Radio Scotland for example lose?

Live sessions for jazz and piping programs, do you think we're going to see left live recordings on Radio 3 as well, I actually hope not know I mean we've got a loyal audience of around about 2 million and we feel very strong is a lot of distinctiveness is to do with live music near hugely committed to it.

So that's one other element of what I was saying of the broad Radio 3.

I know your background is actually a very old school classical music in the sense that you were involved in the Proms for a long time and you produce recordings of August and operas.

How do you think the mood music fits into your own listening on my own listening as a wisdom quite wide, I won't said some years ago.

I had a guilty secrets as the class because I've always been a great fan of Dusty Springfield and still am you know it dates me of course because I was around when she was still alive, but I think I have enjoyed hugely.

Adventure the musical adventure that we're actually offering to our audiences.

So this is a rich my own so do you think that's good music and blurred boundaries is that something of the strategy for Radio 3 going forward well now.

That's interesting isn't it? Yes.

I do actually because I think that we are aware.

Always that we are looking for the we looking for quality in everything.

We try and do is really high quality and so where we see quality and where we see diversity, then.

It's worth looking at and it's worth giving 2-hours.

I mean if you not listen to these programs ultimate.com and night tracks.

I would so please give them a go and itraxx is an extraordinary program it because it's a bit like sort of a sound sculpture with beds of music in between the pieces and I mean it can take you to a completely different place and Oliver Arnold's who presents ultimate.com he's Icelandic and he's

Play Thinking sort of person and you get such a lot to think about in his program that you mentioned diversity there and I know that critics sometimes have a q Radio 3 of super serving an elderly predominantly white audience in the South of England and I wonder if you feel that this mood music can actually send the diversity of European I think this and all sorts of other things you know we do jazz.

We do world music we are trying all the time to be as open as possible and broadest possible musically and as open in how we present things.

Yes, of course.

We want this to be for absolutely everyone to at least have a go out and not feel that there any well.

Thanks to radio Three's head of music Edward Blakeman know we've been off one issue has continued to dominate or inbox the cuts to BBC local radio.

I put you may remember at the end of our last series I spoke to Jason Horton director of production for BBC local radio and I put this to him you could just try this in One region of the country and then if it was a success you might actually have stuff on board rather than striking is not a great idea that we've got here.

Is that I think we've wasted too much time over the last few years is in not realising our potential around a digital ambition and not been asked to make any financial cuts in this I said this to you before and it remains the case now, so we've got the ability and the chance to transform our services and in order to do that.

We need to do that as quickly as we possibly can and also listening to that feedback and we are all the way through this last 6-months.

So what's gone wrong Jason just been handled really badly then because

You're saying that this is a good idea.

It seems that you've got cross-party MPs the whole of BBC local radio lots of other people and BBC as you well know nearly all of our listeners saying that even got Ofcom telling us that they have got concerns over it so if it's such a good idea.

How come you haven't been able to convince any of the stakeholders, but I think not committing any of this is actually untrue because when I also speak to Thursday cold is there are people in there absolutely understand our strategy for so many of our colleagues and I understand the upset of the audience the bottom line is people care about local they local to 16 and if we going to remain relevant to our audience is well into the future.

We need to have that balance better because what we doing on local radio reason television.

Crucially our digital services as well in response listener Jennie Cooper had this to say I'm very opposed to the proposed cuts in local radio.

I'm a BBC Hereford and Worcester listener have been so since it started in 1989.

I do not want to access everything online and find that I can do other jobs cooking cleaning gardening driving etc while listening to the radio.

I certainly can't do that by looking up content on my phone.

I'm everything they just access online and no interaction with voices or local news hello James if Smith Bungay Suffolk sounds like me and the other people in this country who have no computer only eradio.

We being railroaded.

Forced punched in kids and into losing our local radio station and our favourite programmes with James and Jenny from any of you you say they don't want to access their local radio services online but while he was in front of the culture media and sport select committee and June BBC director-general Tim Davie defended the move to expand local digital content at the expense of linear radio.

You don't have to be a digital evangelist to look at the numbers and say that most 65 to 75 year olds of the news online now in that context we believe that we allocating about 10% of the vast vast majority of linear broadcast by the way and open media organisation in the world that isn't going through this kind of transformation.

We believe that the up waiting the online offer is no convincing on the Essential role of the BBC local Democracy in the regions in the 80s more and more MPs are coming out to oppose the changes for the Nations flags ship broadcaster to introduce these changes without Consulting the 50p and public pretty golden.

I've got nothing against the digitalization of the cost of local radio simple as that really feel that the moment they're losing a friend in these cuts to the BBC BBC listen and understand the value was of the the Crown Jewels of the radio briefly Patriots all those to work and I'll local radio this is very very far from the glamorous world of Radio 4, but it's absolutely essential for local Communities across the country where they make me.

And it's not good enough for the BBC 2 just press on it has got to stop it is seriously time for those responsible for this Fiasco to consider their future of come do your job BBC sort this out government-backed to all who work in BBC local in York and beyond solidarity and digital for BBC England Chris Burns refuse or invitation to come on the program and we received this statement all 39 BBC local radio stations will continue to my local programming throughout the week under these terms and all the local news bulletins will remain we are passionate about serving local Communities but local radio is just one of the way to reach audiences.

Do you want to modernise a local services so that however licensee pairs choose to get the local information will be there across radio television and online for many years to come in the mean.

The exodus of local radio presenters continues, it's been wonderful absolutely and yeah, I'm going to go now.

Thanks for everything.

I miss you 40 years have the honour and privilege of such a loyal sincere audience as you I'm going to miss you.

No other option but to accept the voluntary redundancy on offer and it is with much sadness and regret that I will be leaving the BBC at the end of July for sharing so much over the years and for your kindness and generosity over the past week.

I am truly overwhelmed.

Thank you my friend.

I'm going to miss this is been.

Being on the radio in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire I have experienced first-hand the sheer power of local radio, it's been a privilege doing and thank you are certainly not signing off on this story the latest we heard is that the changes are likely to begin in September will keep you updated and please do keep your comments coming next week from me.

Thank you for listening and for giving us your feedback goodbye.

I'm Andrea catherwood the producer is Gill Davies and feedback is a whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4.

How did Kanye West go from hitmaker to political agitator spreading anti-jewish hate and where does he go next conyers anti-semitism?

Are wholesale reevaluation of his career his influences and his inspirations to understand Kanye's dramatic fall from grace you need to know where he came from.

In the corner story with follow his life and career from middle-class Chicago routes and activist parents to the reality TV and celebrity years to his links with the alright today will also ask what's next film from the BBC this is the Kanye story listen on BBC sounds.