Read this: Café Hope, Book Of The Week And Long Wave

BBC sounds

music radio podcast

I'm Andrea catherwood and welcome to feedback.

Hello the Radio 4 schedule changes continue to dominate the feedback inbox.

This week, it's book of the week being shifted from it's 9:45 time slot that seems to have annoyed many listeners.

I'll probably turn off the radio much earlier.

As there's nothing left to motivate me to carry on listening after the day program.

And your reviews are already coming in on one of the programs that has taken a book of the week's old slot.

Cafe hope was an absolute Delight to listen to yet another programme featuring so-called Ordinary People weeping with emotion about their predictably amazing lives.

Well cafe hopes Rachel Burton is here to explain why she thinks we do all need some more uplifting radio.

I'm trying not to say inspiring.

Find a different word for it and the long wave goodbye.

Has got longer.

the closure of 198 long wave

seems to have taken a back burner.

Why is this taking so long?

I'm going to attempt to join the dots between the shipping forecast and smart metres.

Before that Radio 4 continues to use the term refresh.

To describe recent changes to the schedule.

But to many listeners it feels a little more radical than that.

The Star Wars like the Today programme other news strands Women's Hour and front row have stayed put but elsewhere there's been a lot of movement.

The Archers omnibus and the reunion have swap places on Sunday mornings.

Tweeted the day has disappeared from the weekday schedule.

It's night tweet of the week on Sunday

law in Action is either action and numerous other programs including feedback.

Have been shifted to different slots.

Another Hardy perennial to have fund itself having to bed in at a different time.

Is book of the week?

Well on feedback last week BBC's Alison winter head of audiences.

Said this about why book of the week has been moved from 9:45 to 11:45 each weekday morning.

Book of the week as an especially interesting genre because it's about booked readings and we've seen this genre really trained quite dramatically since the entrance of something like audible into the market if we look at the most popular book readings on sounds that we've got at the moment audiobooks things like.

meet David Sedaris

or the light we carried by Michelle Obama really popular book readings.

Being consumed to all different times of the day.

So all of this fed into the thought that if we moved book of the week out of that more information driven audio need in the morning and moved it a bit later.

It might find people who've got time to indulge in it and really enjoy it as fully as we hope they might.

But this reasoning seems to be of little Solace to many book of the week fans.

fungi everywhere

But they're easy to miss.

They're inside you and around you.

They sustain you hello I'm Elizabeth based in nawasch borders.

long-term fan of Radio 4

for most of my many decades listening to the radio the highlight of my day has been the 9:45 book of the week's lawn.

3 million 21740 pounds

an average murder

I've noticed over the last year this slot being gradually eroded by 15 Minute podcast style material.

In place of the usually very carefully corrupted writing.

Read by leading voice talent the story of my poetry can be traced back to my mother.

Ryan was in everything she did and said and so also I feel this change represents the final nail in the coffin of my live radio listening habit as from now on.

I'll probably turn off the radio mush earlier.

As there's nothing left to motivate me to carry on listening after the day program.

Hello, my name is Robert fortune.

A few weeks ago I was listening to feedback.

with the new controller of radio 4

was explaining the rationale behind his schedule changes most of the week is

primarily Us Reading

books out there in published and you know in the world where we now have.

audiobooks

that innovation

When it came in book of the week, I formed a distinct impression that Mr is not a great fan of a book of a week.

He also fails to take account of the pure pleasure.

Of listening to a story being read over radio.

As opposed to having to listen while glued to a smartphone or a laptop.

We lived happily during the war.

And when they bombed other people's houses.

We protested.

But not enough.

this is Miranda Corbin from Barnes

I've always enjoyed because of the week to a Greater or lesser extent depending on the subject.

But will know greatly miss it at the new slot when I'll be out in about or involved in other issues.

I suspect many authors with new books chosen by way of promotion will also regret this BBC decision.

Well, we did ask someone from book of the week to come on feedback and discuss with me what we can expect in this new slot.

Instead we've got this statement.

Book of the week remains an important part of our mourning schedule at its new slightly later time of 11:45 a.m.

Allowing for more original Radio 4 commissioning between 9 and 10.

non-fiction writing continues to play a significant role on Radio 4

reaching a large morning audience

and featuring new works from the likes of Sir Salman Rushdie

and world leading astronomer Lisa kaltenegger.

alongside promising newly published voices

in the coming weeks

in addition, we will for the first time also be commissioning original non-fiction writing for the slot.

well, one of the programs that is replaced book of the week at 9:45 is the brand new cafe hope

the programme describes itself as radio Force coffee shop

Well guests pop in for a brew and a chat about what they're doing to make the world a better place.

Jade was it here anymore, but I knew

I just felt that I had to do something.

In her name and what she would do at decided that I was going to help people.

Who needed a little bit of help?

I can't buy you a house, so can't re-housing.

But I can do little things I can put food on your table.

So is the cafe to everyone's taste hello my name is Elaine Golding from near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk they'd have you believed that everyone in prison is a wrong and it's just not true.

You've just got this tragic waste of life because I see all these.

this Talent and this energy imprisoned that's just by inspiring man here's a Christian but he doesn't preach that it's obviously inspired him in his career choices and it's just so lovely to hear programmes that like that on Radio 4 and

I'm sure I should be listening to many more of them.

I'm Francesca and I live in the village of Mortimer Berkshire

Cafe hope was an absolute Delight to listen to what a positive program.

Just as deed expect from such a title.

I loved the first episode.

The Welcome Inn right come in sit down put your feet up.

And I battling through the traffic can be a bit of a nightmare.

While I put the kettle on.

And listening to the keen cyclist.

Graciously sharing his practical skills.

And work ethic.

with ex offenders

the Met police have got thousands of bikes in storage and they're sort of rusting.

Why don't I go and ask them if we can have some of them and and we can start a bike recycling business?

and Christopher Webber Blackheath

just what we don't need.

Yet another program featuring so-called Ordinary People weeping with emotion about their predictably amazing lives.

Primed to manipulate Radio 4 listeners into welling up at 9:45 on a Monday morning.

This sentimental poly filler certainly makes me well up.

Well, I'm delighted to say that the presenter or in this case for perhaps.

I should say the manager of cafe.

Hope Rachel Burton joins me now.

I Rachel welcome to feedback.

Thank you.

It genuinely is a plan of mine at some stage to have my own actual cafe, so I'm going to have to work on that but this is the next best thing at the moment.

But I work in news and have done for 20 odd years now.

Andrew like you and my show on 5 Live is a daily news programme and we are all too aware.

of

the

overwhelming

and

pretty grim nature of news particularly at the moment.

and I think

it felt like there was a space there was an opportunity just to

create a bit of a moment in your day once a week.

That's all where you can hear something that is.

unapologetically

hopeful

And to do that where relying on.

Individuals really we're not looking at big picture.

We're not looking at social structures.

We're just looking at.

really ordinary people and I hate that phrase by the way because what is an ordinary person, but it's just

you know normal people.

Who've done?

Really extraordinary things because they've seen a need and were able to respond to it.

in some way

and

it's about.

Taking a moment to acknowledge that and reflect it and actually sort of see the good in humanity.

Here on feedback, we've talked before about news fatigue the idea that listeners simply get tired of hearing all the really.

Tough news that's around.

And in fact the controller of radio 4 told me on the programme.

He thought that might be one of the reasons that listening figures dipped.

Of course you're the presenter of five lives breakfast show.

Is it something you're conscious of in your daily rundown?

Salut you yeah, it's very much in our minds in the morning when we come in.

Are these first words are going to come out of our mouths something? That's just going to make people go oh.

I think I look I can't deal with this again.

so

Actually, it's more about.

reflecting

people's real conversations and therefore our news program does and I suppose this little program on on Radio 4 is.

Is about having just a little corner of the radio schedule?

to do that, but to do it in a way that

trying to step away from any kind of cynicism which is a bit of a

like for me.

When we embarked on it was a little bit of a switch in my head.

to say

we're just going to let these stories speak for themselves.

We're not.

Going to interrogate our guests we're not going to.

Sort of chip away and undermine their ideas because actually.

they're just

good people doing good things.

That's what it boils down to.

Or listener Christopher made that comment about ordinary people and their amazing lives now.

He wasn't keen on the concept.

And I know you're not keen on the term ordinary lives.

But it does sound like that's really the premise of this program.

Well, this is it there are many many different programs many different podcasts where people with public profile will come and talk about.

Their amazing lives and that's fine alright.

That's great and there's certainly a place for that.

but there are many spaces where

people who don't inhabit the spotlight.

come forward and

their stories are just as

you know I'm trying to I'm trying to stay away from cliche, but they're just as

I'm trying not to say inspiring.

I did a different word for it.

but

they are

as a peeling and as fascinating and as

complicated

and as

emotionally charged as

you know as anyone else is and

that's why I think it's worth our while.

Investing in them if we lose sight of that.

We lose sight of what?

Makes us human and it's just really important to be reminded of it and it won't be for everyone and that's absolutely fine.

Just to be clear.

Cafe hope is a virtual cafe right.

I mean you're not actually there are boiling the kettle now.

I wish I was we do have real mugs.

And I do sometimes bringing cake.

And sometimes I guess to with us and but often because they come from all over the country.

I mean, we've had guests from Glasgow to Plymouth to Cardiff to

Greater Manchester you know everywhere

so sadly we can't drag them all into my actual cafe, but but the idea is.

It's not like.

Two people in a radio studio talking we have lots of that.

on Radio 4 on 5 Live wherever

but it's to

hopefully transport the listener into a slightly different space and it's giving them a little bit of

a trigger to say okay, this is different kind of conversation.

Come in put your feet up.

You know you can.

Make yourself a brew at home.

You can have a biscuit or whatever you want to do while you're listening along and I think for me I was thinking about this today knowing I was going to come on and talk to you.

For me the cafe thing is a bit about.

reviving you

so

you know if you have a cup of tea and you just sit and take a moment and it kind of gives you a lift and it revives you and and the idea about cafe.

Hope is that

You get that but you get these.

fabulous stories from

people who you will recognise because people like that exist in your world around you as well.

and it and it's a reviving experience that's

What it should feel like anyway?

Rachel is this is the first series I presume that you and the team have had to go out and find these guests.

But are you hoping that listeners themselves will bring you stories in the future?

Absolutely yeah, we're hoping that.

Either it's someone who might be listening right now.

He'll say actually I I've got a story like this.

Or you might know someone I suppose it's about.

allowing this to become self-generating and

sort of celebrating

You know what what Communities do for each other?

Rachel thanks so much for joining us on feedback.

And cafe hope is on on Mondays at 9:45 a.m.

And of course anytime on BBC signs.

Now a reminder that after last year is inaugural feedback interview of the year.

I'm already asking for your nominations for 2024.

Please do get in touch if you've heard something across BBC audio.

That you think is worthy of being a contender.

It can be anything from the forensic nailing of a waffling politician on a news programme.

To a strikingly moving a kind of a personal tragedy.

And a thing in fact that his really left an impression.

Well, one that certainly done that already.

Is Sean Williams interview with 20 year old Georgia Gabrielle Cooper on last week's life changing?

he had

sort of shot her with the first shot and that was how he broke the glass and

you know mum was looking at him.

And then he sort of lent in a bit further and shot her in the neck.

Right in front of me.

Georgia told Chan about her life after she witnessed her mother's murder.

Many listeners would deeply moved by her a kind and then it was.

Don't come back.

I hate you you're selfish all this kind of thing you you've wrecked the family.

Very manipulative even when they're not together.

Oh incredibly and he was stalking her.

This is the unstop what an astonishing young woman with intelligent delving from Shan

Georgia at such a young age showed her ability to analyse and process her awful experience I still

Go clay pigeon shooting and all sorts of different things now.

And I've never let myself get scared of shotguns.

because that was so important that

you know he took my mom away.

I wasn't gonna let him take anything demonstrating her articulation and honesty.

It was a true stop what you're doing just listen radio moment for me.

Hi, my name is Kathy from sale and Greater Manchester

it really stopped me in my tracks.

I was actually from work that day.

Just doing jobs in the kitchen.

And had to stop what I was doing because George's voice was just so compelling that it demanded full attention.

If you can hear me, you need to do something to let me know.

Because we need to get you help.

But yeah, I knew she was dead.

I checked for a pulse as well.

And yeah the of course no response, I knew that was going to be the case recall the traumatic of events of what happened to her in a mom.

It was so honest so eloquent and I just thought what an inspirational young person how strong she is to have gone through all that.

And to now try and tell her story and try and make change inside for other victims of domestic abuse.

We'll do keep your nominations coming in and at the end of the year a panda of listeners will choose the interview of the Year from a short list.

So if there's an interview you would like to put forward or indeed something you'd like to get off your chest about anything on BBC audio.

I'd love to hear from you.

So please do get in touch.

One quick and easy way to do that is to find yourself a quiet spot.

Record a WhatsApp voice note.

And send it off to 03.

triple 333

triple four

five double four

you can also ring the same number and leave a voice message.

Or email is feedback at bbc.co.uk.

And it's at vbc R4 feedback on social media.

Now last week on feedback, we had a discussion about the future of the licence fee and indeed, what might replace it.

after the BBC's director general Tim Davie kick started and national debate

when he announced the biggest ever consultation.

On how the corporation should be funded.

After that many more of you have added your thoughts.

My name is Lesley Penn calling from Birmingham

I really believe that the BBC should not be funded by the government.

And that it must be funded in some way that retains its independence.

It is essential that we have a source of news and current affairs programmes that are not influenced by the paymasters.

Terry from Portsmouth

Matt Walsh from Cardiff school of journalism quoted several alternatives to the licence in last week's feedback.

I think any one of them.

Or a combination would be an improvement to the compulsory existing license which is in threat of breaking the law I don't need the BBC although I would miss Radio Forum Radio 2.

But I can't see a new reason why the latter couldn't be privatized the systems broken and does need fixing.

this is Rachel from Leicestershire

I treasure the BBC

and I would literally vote for whichever political party said leave the BBC alone.

but out

leave the licence fee as a tears.

I don't want advertising.

I don't want to pay a subscription charge.

I think the BBC is absolutely perfect as it is.

I'm very keen for feedback listeners to are your views on this and be part of that public consultation.

This debate is only going to grow.

So, please do keep your comments coming.

And we will Funnel them to towards BBC management.

No a bit of radio history.

a reading

from the holy Gospel According to Matthew

from noon on

Darkness came over the whole land until 3 in the afternoon.

And about three oclock Jesus cried with a loud voice.

Eli Eli

lamasa bhaktan

that is

my god my god.

Why have you forsaken me?

That's a clip of the last ever daily service to be broadcast on Radio 4 long wave.

It still being broadcast at 9:45 a.m.

But it's now moved to radio for extra.

Yesterday in Parliament is also moving to that network to a new time of 9 a.m.

Now this is because there's no longer a separate schedule for BBC long wave.

That also means two fewer daily shipping forecasts on weekdays.

The BBC's done this in anticipation of long wave transmitters being switched off.

And all of this has left some listeners a little confused.

Steve Williams

my failed to see how the daily service fits into Radio 4 extra's mix of comedy drama and documentaries.

Please take it out of the schedule as soon as possible.

My name is Sandra Williams and I live in the UK

and I can understand that you want to bring the radio for FM and the wrong way of scheduled into lines, so that they'll be minimal disturbance when you find this switch off long way.

But one Earth we use thinking I'll find moving the daily service onto for extra.

Four Extra is build on.

BBC sounds

As a journey into the radio for archive.

I really don't think it's the place for a religious service of any kind.

Please move it to another station as soon as you can as a fantastic time to be outside.

Yes, I'm for the very final time.

That's what we believe pm here on BBC Radio 4 1 9 8 long wave which continues on Radio 4 FM

and I'll be shipping forecast issued by the Met Office on behalf of the maritime and Coast Guard agency at 1725 on Friday the 29th of March

this is Gerald born.

the plan to close down long wave

Is devastating to me?

You may not be aware.

That your Irish audience is huge.

We've gotten used to the sound.

of Desert Island Discs in the background

the dinner dishes being washed to the sound of The Archers

please be considered this terrible decision for all your loyal listeners.

It's worse than brexit.

Because it's the main corridor of connection for many people.

Hello.

chicken

recent editions of feedback

Have focused on the fourth coming schedules.

to

Radio 4

However the closure of 198 long wave.

Seems to have taken a back burner.

radio times does refer to

The platform much because closing down for a while yet.

Why is this taking so long?

I am John president of Radio Society of Great Britain which are represents already in the UK

and amateur radio in general through the authority sound to the word.

Another audience is decreasing.

And the number of long way of receivers is decreasing but there's still a finite audience out there.

But particularly ones who are in difficulty areas for reception.

Can't receive FM can receive dab.

They don't have perhaps don't of the internet.

So they can't get all these other services that are available.

And the one thing that's left and is is.

really afford a long way of

it's unfortunate that they are going to be.

deprived of

Such a service.

Well, joining me to explain all I hope our Eleanor Garland VVC Radio 4 Station executive and Robin Holmes head of distribution.

Eleanor as you know listeners are telling us that they don't think the daily service and yesterday in Parliament

are a good fit for Radio 4 Extra

it's supposed to be the best of BBC audio archive classic drama and comedy.

And it's not really the right place.

They say for religion and topical politics.

They're alright aren't they?

Well, it's a change of course.

It's a change in schedule, and any change in schedule is going to be disruptive for regular listeners, and what we've tried to do is minimise.

the changes that we've

had to bring about because of the decisions around long wave and Robin will be able to explain a bit more about that.

we recognise it's a change what we tried to do is keep disruption to a minimum both for the people who are used to the very devoted listeners to the daily service and yesterday in Parliament

previously

only available on long wave.

and also to the listeners of Radio 4 Extra

so what we've done is we've moved those two programs.

Keeping the same time for the daily service so that's at 9:45 in the morning where it's been for a very long time.

And yes yesterday in Parliament we've moved from 8:30 to 9 oclock.

So that's kept those programs within a block absolutely recognised.

This is a change for the listeners.

And what about that decision to cut the number of shipping forecasts?

The shipping forecast as the name would suggest.

Is for deep sea for the fishing industry for the deep sea fishing industry very very very few of whom.

We're Reliant only on long wave because obviously technology has moved on.

And so we are the shipping forecast is still on Radio 4 twice a day.

During the week and three times a day at weekends.

the insurer water forecast which is what might affects more listeners, because it's obviously the the bit of the waters that are closer to the British Isles

that's remains completely unchanged in as part of the

book the shipping forecast just pass midnight.

Robin just picking up a mortar listener Richard white said

the end of long wave has been on the cards for a while now.

But it's decommissioning.

Has that's decommissioning been put on the back burner?

thanks, Andrea and

long wave is a

very old technology and while it isn't necessarily broken as yet, it's becoming increasingly expensive in challenging to maintain it.

And we've no for some time.

It's conceivable that the service could break down at relatively short notice.

There are three main user groups our own BBC Radio 4 audiences.

Obviously people using services and means of getting their weather forecast at C and energy UK and the industry body that represents electricity suppliers.

They're important because included within the long way transmission is the radio Taylor switching service which feeds a number of law of Legacy electricity metres.

We've been having conversations for some time now with the organizations that represent those user groups to say we encourage you to end your dependency on long wave as well as the technology risk.

It's important to remember that better alternatives are available be a digital radio smart metres or GPS weather systems.

We asked energy UK for a timetable beyond which they don't need the RTS service.

the radio Teller switching service and they indicated that data's June 2025, so that's the date set by the energy energy industry rather than by the BBC

So Robin this isn't the BBC's decision the BBC doesn't actually own and run this master does it?

well, the BBC doesn't

Owned The Master that the technology is Owned an operated on our behalf by a third party supplier.

We are obviously one of the the main user of the long way transmission platform and therefore are heavily involved.

In the decision on how long the service should continue.

However the operation of the technology does not sit with the BBC that so for listeners, who are just really sorry to see long wave go for example Gerard who will know longer be able to access.

Radio 4

is it simply that they need to go digital by next June if they want to listen to BBC Radio

Andre I think this is really hard because we know that a lot of people absolutely love.

Their long wave radios, there's a lot of tradition associated with them and they're are.

There are some areas of the country very few but there are some that will really struggle.

but you can listen on FM DAB and you can also listen on BBC sounds and you can also listen via your TV

everything that we do on both four and four extra is available on sounds but we know that it's in suitable for everyone.

Which is why we've made sure that it's available on DAB on your television or on FM well.

Thank you to Robin homes and Eleanor Garland

and just a reminder that you can listen anytime to any episode of feedback.

on BBC signs

And if you click on subscribe each program will appear automatically in your personal feed?

That's all from me for this week.

Thank you for listening and for giving us your feedback.

goodbye

hello.

I'm Sean keaveney.

And I'm back with a brand new series of your place or mine from BBC Radio 4.

It's the sure where a litany of wonderful guests try to attempt this recalcitrant traveller onto the runway to experience their favorite place on Earth

custard filled pastries

everywhere as standard I said in a place where that was there.

They didn't want mince on the pillows.

They put custard tarts.

They'll try to tempt me with all the wonders and delicacies from the favourite place in the world, but will they succeed there's an amazing lighthouse and there's a brilliant tour there by the guy who his family.

were the Lighthouse keepers the Lighthouse Family if you

And to all new episodes of your place or mine.

on BBC signs