Read this: 20/10/2023 Radio 4 Feedback

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts hello hello this week is the israel-gaza continues to dominate the airwaves we ask how well the BBC is navigating the fog of war invaded by the way the BBC have covered the news in Palestine in your comments the head of the school of journalism at Cardiff University Mount Walsh discuss the coverage and also in the program all buildings needed to have three attributes furniture or strength utilita's or Utility and importantly venustus beauty or joy.

That's designer Thomas heatherwick, and we put two architectural experts in a box box to give us their thoughts on the Radio 4 Series building soul plus.

We've been keeping a weather eye on the changes to BBC local radio.

What's England and following last week's episode of feedback you continue to let us know your thoughts on what your hearing.

I think it's a bit of a mess getting silencers crashing audio and leaving the conversations in The Newsroom motoring identity, is it local BBC Radio or BBC local radio but first it's the second week of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians the human suffering was compounded by an explosion at a Gaza hospital have claimed.

It was the results of an Israeli air strike while the Defence Force provided its own evidence that the blast was caused by rockets misfired by militant group in Gaza Palestinian Islamic Jihad this is how the day is it on Tuesday morning Israel and the Palestinians of each other of causing an explosion at a hospital in Gaza that killed hundreds of people will later in the program at colonel Peter

Of the Israeli Defence Force challenge the BBC's coverage, are you willing to submit what you are putting forward to an independent body for investigation play we ask the BBC to put someone up for an interview, but nobody was available instead Matt Walsh the head of the school of journalism media and Culture at Cardiff University assessor hi BBC News is covering these fast moving and developing events.

I think it's probably fair to say that it it's Apache story so in some ways.

It's been very very good in terms of on the ground by very senior correspondence such as Jeremy when I tell you can't be totally totally definitive without a forensic examination of the site by people who are fully independent now.

That is not going to happen.

It's entirely impossible at the moment on the other hand they have been areas of contention in areas mistakes as well emoji usually look like they are occurring in places where.

The BBC has had less time to consider some of the issues before publication so in for instance continuous news on on BBC BBC News Channel or perhaps using the website headlines are pubs going out without being fully considered before they've they've gone but in general.

I think no one has to say that the coverage has been really very very good and very strong from those of those Amazon location in the war zone One criticism that we have had from listener and a more is the BBC has rushed in and therefore sent by reports to the world at large.

It was so refreshing to hear a head of the Israeli army forces this morning a man brave enough to stand up against the BBC Reporting which at the moment jumps on the bandwagon and causes upset because it is very possibly totally an accurate speed is very difficult in any war and it's become more difficult.

Because social media also contains so many clips almost instantaneously of events that are taking place and it's perhaps not possible for news organisations and indeed for the BBC not to comment on that already out there.

This is where you have to have strong journalistic standards and ethics within your organisation for journalist who are on-the-ground reporting on breaking news stories to really understand the limits about what they can say about whether or not they need to sort claims to to specific organisations or whether they're free to comment on things as there is there happening and I think the BBC has very strong guidelines in this particular area that help it to maintain a good quality journalism the trouble is is that during the excitement of a break in story the adrenaline is going your on screen.

You're trying to it communicated to viewers and explain clearly what you think is happening it when you're coming very traumatic and difficult events sometimes that difficult 2444 journalist to have in hand.

What tends to happen is the people tend to tend to sort of Rush to say that may be slightly inaccurate but in the bigger picture it is truthful.

I'm on what they're saying so I may be there at there.

It's sloppy about their sourcing maybe they're not exactly being completely care about where the information is come and that then leads to people feeling that they're not been transparent enough about where they're getting that information possible and I'm very disgusted by the way the BBC have covered the news in the closet in Palestine the BBC have clearly sided with it's really not active and appreciated their voices and completely did the passenger side instead of the BBC reporting the news.

They were paid as much distracting the listeners with voicing those really size.

I want to talk specifically about coverage of the attack on the hospital in Gaza there was a huge explosion there and a tragic loss of life first reported it in the first audio.

At 7 on the 17th of October the words used were Palestinian health officials in Gaza say at least 200 people have been killed in an Israeli airstrike that hit the hospital to the information was being attributed to the Palestinian health officials, but do you think that's enough? Well? I think it isn't it's not because they've actually taken the Israeli airstrike line and Parrot it without any other further contextualization in that particular instance.

I would suggest that actually they could have been stronger about explaining that information wasn't information that they been able to pendant Lee verify at the time of broadcast in a war zone in these kind of situations claims and counterclaims will be contested by the two parties characterise the BBC is running with her massive version of the explosion at the hospital in Gaza City without clarification of the facts from is when hammerstone something no evidence is required.

Quote them endlessly and they are repeated and they bring out the people but when is road transport said something you are supposed to put the evidence forward you I'm afraid that.

I don't think that that the Israeli defence forces point of view can be broadcast without contestation or without question the the fact of the matter.

Is that Michelle Hussain was very clear questions about whether or not information would be submitted to further enquiry outside of the enquiry has been carried out by the idea that is a perfectly legitimate question in these situations where where are claiming counterclaim are being contested the idea that the BBC should just take on Trust information that come from the idf is Frankie incorrect and that's not reasonable for an idf spokesperson.

Take that point of you.

I'm complaining about the amazing amount of bias that I am experience.

On Radio 4 every time I turn the radio on it's with an interview with somebody from Garda or a Palestinian and there is very little interview with the Jewish people what they've been suffering.

This is such a contested area that many people may actually disagree with what impartiality is around this and find it very hard to believe or accept evidence that doesn't support their deeply held views around the wider conflict that there is no question that this is a highly politicised information warfare area at the moment and this is something that we've seen developing in recent conflict as well.

Do you know this is the same that situation that we saw in Ukraine and Russia is the same same where information is being put into the public domain via social media which is contested and pushed around by supporting people at the different viewpoints.

But I got there are taking part in the in the conflict.

So this is why it's so important that the BBC is really clear about what it knows what it doesn't know and had an issue with uncertainty but in this time of war and conflict and claim and counterclaim.

It's really important that were able to decide what we know to be absolutely factually correct and what is uncertain at this time will my thanks to the head of the school of journalism media and Culture at Cardiff University that Walsh now as I said nobody from the BBC was available to come on the programme that they did send us this statement and watching listening to or reading our coverage can see we have set up both sides competing claims about the attack clearly showing who sing them and what we do or don't know the last week on feedback.

We discussed changes that are beginning to be heard on BBC local radio in England as cuts to those local services mean that some of the programs are being replaced by regional.

How many if you are really starting to notice the changes in your area from Kent I just wanted to say how disappointed I am with the change to local radio.

I'm finding it quite depressed, then.

There's nothing to look forward to now and I don't want to hear about stars talking after 10 or silly questions like do you have a name for your car which we've had so many times in the day.

I don't I don't enjoy any of it now.

I'm hardly listening.

I find it really really depressing this is Stephen pickles in Oxford

Play music in astonished km policy pursued by the BBC and let all the condescending Media executive rhodri Davies director of Nations why has this nonsense been perpetrated by people with no understanding of that famous emotional Bond that exists between Leicester and radio general terms very particular ones with specific presenters and programs the BBC is there as much to provide what we actually want is what it's think you want it is innovative policies and projections for future digital provision should resist the usual temptation to leave landmark, which most of them want to do for ambitious personal career reasons with great respect without us none of you.

Would have a job so can these blocks rectify this?

And give us back our local radio Michael Bolton listen to BBC local radio in Aylesbury and my local station is BBC Three Counties Radio how does the sound of BBC local radio sound I think it's a bit of a mess and Three Counties were saying cloudy this evening with BBC News is 8:20 getting silences crashing audio double audio and even the conversations and The Newsroom motoring at mine.

We get a single national identity when they can't even broadcast their own station name is it local BBC Radio or BBC local radio? They can't seem to decide during the middle splits the sun station imaging but is it really the sound of an all the music you love flowers this line equates to nothing for stories.

Are you sorry for generic all will try and cover a bit for the station area over a few days, then use an actually very local after all the national stories for calls are not local the presenters of never even been to the Regent they're broadcasting to BBC local radio management explained during the nonlocal hours the sound of what does that actually mean? It's a dad's Logan now within a statement this week Jason Horton director of production at BBC News said with our commitment to providing first-class news coverage across radio television and online the Investment in our investigative teams across England and the development of our on-demand audio from BBC sounds BBC teams are committed to helping you make sense of the world where you live well do keep your thoughts on local radio Services coming into us and we'll keep giving your feedback to the people in.

No back in October 2018 BBC signs was launched with great fanfare.

Is it the loft the objective of reinventing BBC audio for a new generation BBC sounds music Radio podcasts five years on what has achieved indeed.

Do you think it's changed the kind of programmes the BBC makes love it loaded or never even use it we want to hear what you think and we'll be having a special program on the BBC signs later in the series know if you want to comment on BBC local radio on BBC signs or indeed anything you've heard it all on BBC audio.

You can send us an email.

It's feedback at bbc.co.uk on 0345.

On social media at BBC R4 feedback, I'm on a mission to save our cities.

I think we're living through a global brand emek in building design of the three-part series with designer Thomas heatherwick called building sold in it puts forward his manifesto for a future where places are built around the idea that they should have emotion as well as function, but we asked to architectural experts to give them some the series in our vauxbox.

My name is Mark kerins and I'm a director at new practise.

Hi, my name is Nick Walker an architect and I also teach part time Glasgow School of Art but I'm involved with missing in architecture this age of boring has resulted in solus inhuman, urban environments over when you wants to what Thomas is talking about than that maybe what comes across in in the shortcut episodes and yeah, I think a little bit of that detail is.

I'm lacking in the counter arguments to lot of what he says, but it's kind of interesting and a little bit captive it is a good starting point.

It's have a discussion about architect.

I'm in the very nature of the programme means that needs to be a b and b e and grab people's attention and put people into discussions and any discussions about architecture to be encouraged and I was pleased to see that he was talking about differences of opinion, but I think it is very much for the touching the surface of of her of an issue and it's not as binary and perhaps has been presented.

It's a time for the data to reinforce everything and move away from this Ludacris idea that it's subjective boring is not so beauty.

Maybe is boring isn't it? Is purely subjective something to one person could be very interesting to somebody else being boring is a subjective condition.

Bourne buildings, I think for me the sentence from the entire series.

It's really stuck with me is when he says that boring buildings cause heart attacks so boring buildings.

I'm not just doll there a serious health hazard even leading to heart attacks and I feel like there is clearly some scientific academic evidence in which that statement is cherry picking from but also sweet dangerous.

It's potentially quite damaging to a profession and it's a little bit and sensitive suggest that your listeners who may have lost loved ones to hack Nisha heart attacks have been created on by boring and building so that has reached out with me if there's been something I've been thinking it's statements which provide people and they allowed to provide people because of your stature and I suppose it also depends on how you interpret that have been turtle.

100% Factor whether it's just a matter of trying to get a conversation going listening to the the Debate and also to a roof Dalton from Northumbria University say he was using this analogy of a fruit loaf, but Chris Woodward used to say that cities were like a fruit loaf, essentially bread, but containing some current the current because of the surrounding blandness of the bread in which they are embedded if the fruit loaf would just all currents it would be an edible and it comes into this question about what were the world full of Thomas heatherwick buildings alone be like it would equally be as boring because it would be overload and the analogy of the fruit loaf.

It is good because not all buildings need to shout some buildings to be part of the background and then allow other buildings to shine so when the first episode began.

I think the first five minutes just so were filled with statements in common.

And question answering from pretty much every day members of the public character compared some of the old school buildings, does it and they all kind of look the same nowadays? I thought this would be really great if this is putting these questions to the public but that tended to be not something that carried across the remainder of the series was very much just the kind of scene setting up beginning we didn't really get anymore and obviously those comments are completely out of context quite interested in Trading the title and itself and and what is w w that's trying to do in terms of bringing and it's not really something I've ever disgusting in my tenure in the fashion is to buildings of souls you know what what is that mean to give the building this other lady quality and I do think that's a hook CO2 to reset a cross knot the public sphere balls depression severe start new conversation.

We absolutely need more houses for a growing population and I

Times are tight building brand structures with poor quality materials is a false economy.

Just look at the current issue with a crumbling building structure and see what the program might have been had it been presented by somebody who was dealing directly with Communities and speaking directly to phone an impression about the places they live in picking up on Thomas heatherwick as a presenter is important because I do think a lot of the lived experience of them is a designer is based on their experience of building some of the most incredible incredible visual projects on the planet, but also with some of the biggest budgets on the planet, then there's a section of where does squirrels money is coming from I think I hope it's getting serious and if it does I would like it to you.

No pick away.

It's Complicated points to think it's what you want.

Cinematic enjoyed listening to it and it did grab my attention and for and for all of those you know sound Bites that were included they made me you know rewind when I was doing so you know where rewind when I was saying on the train because I thought wait a minute.

What what's actually being said there, so I think the job was done well in and holding my attention and taking me through someone's story and someone's experience of the architectural landscape and I must say as well.

It does a very good voice really well.

I was just making exactly the same he does have a very good radio voice or many thanks to Mark and Nick for taking part in a Xbox and Thomas heatherwick the designer and presenter of building soul Jones mean.

I Thomas thanks very much for making time for some feedback Mark and Nick said that all debate is good and this certainly seems to have spotted that must be what you were hoping for it was really wonderful to hear their feedback.

I thought it was totally reasonable and the

Hasn't been a conversation about our cities for 40 years of everyone on the planet Lives In The City by 2050 two-thirds of Us well, and there's no it's really a dumb conversation at the moment.

It's just the idea that the industry last modern things and everyone else just wants to go back to the past.

Hi, this is Halloween this program is very weird and this person has an architect very uninformed.

He's blaming the Bauhaus movement and the architect for the blending of buildings, but clearly does not know what he's talking about I live in about house when I was younger and they are far from land the proportions of beautiful balanced and they are stunning whatever they are built however it makes a correlation between the dower house and a horrible 70s workhouses that were created with no for esophageal vision or aesthetic in mind one person's boring is interesting to someone else.

Do you take that on Ford but the

I was talking about boredom not being so subjective.

It's because of the work of a number of neurosciences at the day talk about the arousal level and obviously sexual arousal in response to places and these low levels of arousal and negative emotions that these buildings the devoy division are triggering is actually a scientific fact that you actually go further in the series to say that boring buildings can be a serious health hazard purposely provocative a researcher like Colin ellard.

Very clearly says our body stop going into stress in environments that lack a visual complexity and I mean I was quite shocked even in the interview myself when he then said it's a contributory factor to heart attack.

I mean that I'm not understand you're listening.

But I think we all have been underestimating how the common Commons that we all share as a bigger impact on us than we think and I live in the village of Hudson in Suffolk Thomas heatherwick building so strong cord with me and a number for providing an animated topic of conversation.

We all feel something like relief but there is at last the recognition of the importance of soul in the design of buildings and local authorities to hear this program.

I've worried for a long time about boring architecture.

I live in York and see a huge contrast between the beautiful city centre buildings and the plethora of boring student accommodation and Shane hotel architecture bring up around the City thank you Thomas for making this program.

Highlighting this very important topic.

Let's hope it's the start of a new campaign to instigate change in touch with feedback to say that it's made them.

Look at the built were around them more closely and did it spot conversation and they agree with you about the desire for more soulful more interesting buildings and that they this series name that bring about change.

I wonder if you're seeing any evidence of it yet the conversation hasn't even really been happening, but I think we've got in front of us the chance the real Renaissance in in the world around us and at the Renaissance could even be partly driven by the simple need to be making sustainable places to address the climate crisis around us.

I don't think that we have to think of the climate crisis and various other crisis around us.

Excuses to suspend the need for joyful world around both listeners in the box box commented on your title of the series building soul and they said that they have you thought about Buildings having so is that a conversation that you would like to get started as well.

I love that.

They said that because it does trigger the bigger conversation that I think will be an amazing conversation in design schools in the public in planning officers in property developers and local authority departments and lead which is about emotion emotion as a function in the world around us and I think there's an opportunity for the building designers to own humanizing and I love the picture that all that we might do a second series but if I had to hear the Hanging Tree just scrape the surface and it would be so ill.

Really speak to so many more people across the country look for the best examples and prevent the next layer of conversation and then I think I feel like we be able to create more change more true conversation instead of just in power and excited all about a good it could be Thomas thank you very much for joining us but all episodes of building soul are available now on BBC signs and that's it's for this week's feedback from me.

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

Hi, I'm young, and this is young again my podcast for BBC Radio 4 where I get the chance to meet some of the world's most noteworthy and intriguing people and asking the question if you knew then what you know know what would you tell yourself if you don't turn back for me to slow down not to be so judgemental but all that worrying was wasted energy and that Pam is all.

It's a bad idea this might be the best therapy of head of year by the way, so young again on BBC sounds.