Read this: Announcement of the end of an era on Radio 4. BBC Sounds and Ireland

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts hello and welcome to feedback on this week's feedback.

I bring you exclusive is about the axon of a Radio 4 programme that represents the end of an era, and if you've been listening to this program for the last few weeks.

You'll know that BBC signs will soon blocked overseas the news as annoyed listeners from Patagonia to Melbourne but what about much closer to home overseas is actually a land border will take a look at how it will affect Ireland know a couple of weeks ago.

We received this about a recent episode of a point of view from Adam gopnik which looked at trump vs.

Canada the famous phrase to account for Canada the Canadian mosaic but the whole point of a mosaic is that much more than a melting pot which merely blends the Mosaic form zaho, it's many.

Tiles can only be deemed successful if they come together to make an entire picture the trick is that we often see that picture best from a distance to stepping back is 1 of an entire country elbows proudly up.

This is Duncan from Romford Essex wonderful point of view from Adam got nick.

He couldn't have said it better on behalf of all of Canada well done Adam will.bbc a wonderful wonderful apposite point of you.

Thank you babe.

Keep it going now bye-bye.

Keep it going Duncan I'm sorry but I have the sad breaking news that this weekend will see the last ever a point of you.

It's the end of a

Tradition which Began on Sunday the 24th of March 1946 with Alastair Cook letter from America that's almost exactly 79 years ago in the winter of 19456 was the hardest to be of any of the war years not only because of weather is commissioning editor reacts to factual at Radio 4 unders responsible for a point of view you welcome back to the programme.

Thank you mostly One programmes are getting cut on Radio 4 things to happen very quietly I often think that everyone.

Hope that nobody will notice but you've told feedback in advance.

Why have you done that was actually suggestion from to be brilliant Writers on the point of view from Rebecca Stott Howard Jacobson and they thought well actually it's going to end up on feedback anyway.

Talk about logic to it.

Explain that in the past you told me how proud you are of a point of view and the fact that it came out of the Iconic letter from America with Alastair Cook of course started at way back in 1946 that kind of single voice of calm and consideration has been part of many people's Sunday morning all of their lives really it must be difficult for you.

Go on your watch.

It's never easy doing something I use to edit.

It's I felt honoured to work with writers like Howard and Rebecca and Clive James and many others were absolutely brilliant.

I know listeners will be sad to see it go it is never easy there a couple of reasons one is we felt that sort of single voice sa top goal essay is now really available places especially digitally a lot of people finding those coming into there inbox every week, so it's not quite as distinctive as he used to be an and the second reason really is life.

Settlement inflation we do have to save money we have to make some welcome decisions.

It's quite expensive the amount of time on there and the third reason is we do have another place where we have a single voice is at greater length actually in what how was the book of the weeks last week commission writers people like Sarah Jane and Teo Kennedy Rebecca starts who interview now writing the equivalent of those a bridge books for five essays and 40 minutes each.

So if we think we preserving that unique voice let's take that last point for us because we did mention this the last time that you are on the program.

I did say that you know are you parking your tanks on that point to point of use lawn with this new idea that book of it would have some sense of essays and you said at the time.

No, it's not it's complementary because these single I said I meant to be topical topic.

He is so important with a point of view if you look at the last couple of weeks.

I think we've seen Adam got nick talk about Canada against trump Weaver John Grey very topical hi history begins again who's on things that are replaceable are they on a book of the week? It's a different approach although it is quite often addressing the contemporary world milonga perspective if something we're sad to lose and we can't do everything would like to do for this was the only slot on Radio 4 where you could hear that opinion and you know so many people have been listening to it support of the DNA is it not of Radio 4 to have that one single voice sa, I just wonder how you feel about letting that but I think there's plenty more where that single voice rains.

I'm looking for my own correspondent.

That's what people love love that for every collectors.

Look at the book of the week.

So the the original non-fiction with commissioning.

I still think that's absolute.

You said it's really old time to money and I wonder is it very expensive in what is so expensive about this slot is it the writer's appreciate that it's topical and you can't repeat it and I'm sure that you've got a production team and we're all the fact checking but I just wonder if something is so important and it is part of Radio 4 history should it come down 2 minutes of our time everything doesn't end it's all licence key pairs money.

We have to I think consider everything that way and actually on the pound per minute metric.

It is relatively expensive but that's not that's not the only thing I think about obviously we think that quality and what's a listeners want so but it is has to be one of our considerations money is tight and tightly used to be so we had to have to make decisions.

There are uncomfortable and not ones that we know where particularly happy about are you saying that you know somebody like Adam got a John Grey few want a very distinctive.

An opinion about what's happening today you have to go to a commercial broadcaster a commercial rival together because you're not going to get at night on Radio 4 all I'm saying I think there are plenty of places where opinion is available people are getting it wrong with it from right left and Centre and I think what they coming to the BBC 4 is an impartial to what's going on around them in the news that really is the core and the distinctiveness and the significance of what the BBC should be doing being replaced by a program.

I think witness history.

That's already been made by the world servers.

It's not topical and it is very repeatable which I'm sure makes it more cost-effective.

I've listened to a few of them.

They are interesting there is no way comparable though to a single sa a single voice I say of a leading thinker.

How do you think that's going to sitting on a Sunday morning? I actually think this is my take a little while to dry.

Indications with because you've been running.

It's quite a while in different slots and been really well received and I think it's a real Jewel of a program and We Know Radio 4 listeners love it's a very simple and clever take on it.

I think it will become very popular.

I'm quite confident when you're making these decisions around budget.

We often get listeners asking us do you consult with the listeners about it? I don't listen way easy way of consulting with the listeners, but we can do it will take 2 minutes fine.

If you don't just consultation processes and we have all sorts of consultation processes with listeners.

We have listened to panels.

We already have our appreciation indexes.

There's audience research the goes on all the time and will always audience research and then particularly with a digital output.

We have a greater information about what the audience wants.

I don't think any broadcaster goes as a consultation with the order.

Cancerian what to keep and push me when I asked this question to two controllers and and and and people like you and they say will you ask the question but you don't actually ever get the answer.

Did you consult on this program and so if the answer is no that's fine.

I don't think it's a routine thing in any of broadcasting to go and consult about whether to continue or closing program.

I don't actually approach.

We try to do is find out.

What is what in a general sense to hear the last the very last a point of view that will be I'm sure appointment day for you.

Have you had any day in what's going to be on it? I didn't decide on the topic Howard came up with a topic.

I have had a sneak preview of The Script and is absolutely brilliant and I would.

I think I mean it's just here writing out of skin.

It's wonderful his swan song is for the Sloth is absolutely perfectly just beautiful.

Thank you so much talking to us some feedback.

Thank you know as you just mentioned.

It's hard Jacobson who has the owner possibly an honour of a task actually of delivering the last episode of a point of view and as he also said it was hard and fellow writer Rebecca Stott who suggested wetter as it would all end up on feedback anyway.

It might be an idea to come onto the program ahead of time and now they are here with me Rebecca to you first.

Clearly you are aware that a point of view a fixture on Sunday mornings on Radio 4 for generations.

It's going to be a real lost for listeners.

Yes, it's it's one of the things that people stop me and talk to me about my most recent.

No one that I did a year ago, but we just felt like we really wanted listeners to be told about this that this was going to be the end of the program because I guess from those conversations with people we know how important it is that it's that slot on Sunday morning when people are perhaps still in bed or they're starting to make lunch and they listen to the program and they look carefully and then either write to us or chat to us about it.

I know that realistically budget cuts mean that we are going to lose programs that we enjoy it, but this seems like more but it seems like the end of the topical opinion slot on Radio 4.

I'm not very significant.

Isn't it? It's such an interesting so I don't think when the team as it where to start writing for the program.

I listen to as many programme back in time as I could just to get a sense of the Range and

A personal essay, but it's a personal essay that written to be heard so I had to learn how to write it really and he's my way into bed and it's such a capacious think it's 9 minutes, but you can go anywhere and everywhere you know my program that I did it started and ended up with Aristotle in Lesbos in in Ancient Greece but also you can incorporate not just your own opinion, but other people's opinions as well, so beautiful.

I don't think there's anything like it which is why I feel more info not just a somebody who contributes to it, but as somebody who really read it.

It's listening to my colleagues doing their pieces to the point of view does offer something different from the very many opinions that's as he says we can elsewhere outside the BBC I think it's

A double sink I'm going to miss it and I'm missing you already know I'm giving the last one on on the this weekend.

I'm going to miss it for myself because I love doing it.

I find it very very to do the most difficult thing I do and that goes on being interesting to me as to why but that's just me.

I think we missed something now.

I think if I may be caught answers to lose his quite a lot by this this was a space where people could address any issue outside of themselves no matter how tropical in the end, but topical enough for it not to be a lamp when we could address.

That's something like that with which time and would seriousness as well as comedy and we thought reflection such an important word.

I'm already missing you mentioned that you have the onerous task of delivering the very last at point of you.

I'm sure it is something of an honour as well to be the last.

Such a treasured sloth.

Did you go about constructing that last text me every one of these things that stayed at the weeks actually.

I don't exaggerate my final one.

I wrote it about 6 times.

I went all over the place tree of the essay, and no that's not right history and a discussion of the of the novelist Robert nuzul, who comes with the wonderful phrase which is all about why we should love Anna said because an essay is a fragmentary broken thing that was not right when I've got it right at all.

I don't know but it's so weird onerous.

Yes, but it's also a fantastic.

I'm delighted to have done the last one Howard Jacobson and Rebecca start thank you very much for being on feedback, and thank you also for your contributions to view over the years of course.

We've got no response from listeners to that news because you've only just found out but I have no doubt that you will want to share your opinions on the end of.

Interview a very easy way to do that or indeed to tell us about anything that you've heard on BBC audio is just send a WhatsApp voice note on 0333 444 5440 you can ring that same number and leave a voice message the number again.

It's 03344 and you can send us an email to feedback at bbc.co.uk and it's at BBC R4 feedback on social media.

We do listen to or read every message that you sent BBC sounds.

No 5 weeks ago press release that bring BBC signs will no longer be available for listeners overseas, it didn't get much publicity but ever since you've been contacting us from all across the world to tell us about your dismay.

You general sense of confusion and to ask many questions about how you'll be able to hear BBC audio in not least if you're simply travelling abroad or you'll know if you've been listening recently that I have been pleading on there for a BBC spokesperson to come on and answer your questions despite our many requests.

We are still waiting last week Thomas from Welsh language station BBC Radio Cymru explain the potential effect on Welsh speakers in the world particularly and Patagonia this week with a lot closer to home especially for some of us as it's got the potential to turn into a political right it appears that.

Block BBC signs overseas also means over the land border in Ireland hi, my name is just outside Dundalk a town in the Republic of the very end of feedback on my dab car radio on the 16th of March as it's now the only place I can hear BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 4 Extra I live 1 miles south of the Northern Irish border for decades.

We have struggled to listen to BBC Radio on FM with radio strategically placed around the optimum reception listening to the Archers omnibus sitting in the car on a Sunday morning and I got myself a wireless speaker I was in BBC the last weekend.

I tuned in to see what was find all radio stations disappear completely I was redirected to BBC One

Which is the product I'm Arthur speaking from Dublin in Ireland I'm originally from Belfast but I've been living in Dublin for over two decades.

I do enjoy listening to BBC Radio particularly TalkBack by the BBC Sounds app.

I was sad today to read that the BBC Sounds app will soon no longer be available in the Republic of Ireland PCR can I was directed to you later discovered that lives Radio Ulster and other BBC radio stations don't seem to be available.

It's up for BBC Radio 4 and world service the main point is to appeal for a special case to be made for the Republic of Ireland at least in the case of Radio Ulster RTE radio stations are widely available on FM and the RTE Radio app in Northern Ireland and I will contend that there is a strong case for a reciprocal arrangement whereby Radio Ulster will be made available.

In a similar fashion in the Republic of Ireland in the interests of developing greater mutual understanding and reconciliation between the peoples of the island of John White here and Radio 4 listen from Dublin I think you have no idea.

How much salt are do UK has pierced and so the best broadcaster in the world continues to die.

I don't suppose you could exempt to Republic of Ireland from this Madness under the Good Friday Agreement say hello.

This is me in Ireland were friends and neighbours of the UK and the BBC is always played a big part of the cultural life, but I will be seeking to stay ever closer in this morning and good relations between the North and South of Ireland and it's removal of cultural link is terribly sad and shorts on the BBC

Soft power in the UK's relationship with the rest of the world that have any consultation and such a major decision and the lack of the spokesperson on the disregard the very many sisters of BBC Radio once again, we have asked the BBC press office to tell us exactly what is happening and if any special arrangements are being considered for BBC signs in Ireland on still waiting well joining me night is Shane Harrison who was the BBC correspondent in Dublin for men Shane yourself base there and I believe you are still listening to BBC sounds.

I have a deed for the time anyway Andrew I must say it's a very very important piece of communications for me.

I really like to listen to the programs that particularly like the podcast and I'm not alone in that no Radio Ulster is something with a lot of people.

size of the border I know do listen to regularly if that was no longer available via BBC signs in the Republic of Ireland there are more nuanced implications than just convenient on there are indeed let's go back to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that helps bring peace to Northern Ireland and there is a section in that agreement by that are references to the British government enabling Irish language television based in the Republic of Ireland have access to an audience of the border that there's no specific mention of making the BBC output available in the Republic of Ireland but in many ways that already was particularly in the large urban areas like Dublin so what do BBC is proposing to do on BBC sounds may not break the wording of the Good Friday Agreement but it's certainly could be argued that it breaks the spirit of the Accord because

Is that it may well be in breach of a memorandum of understanding signed between the two governments in February 2010 and in that so you the two governments acknowledge the role played by Public Service Broadcasting throughout the island of Ireland and I'm quite quoting directly in promoting cultural diversity in providing an additional programming in Objective-C informing public opinion in guaranteeing pluralism in supplying quality entertainment mou dates from the time of the digital switchover, but both governments commit commit to exploring options for the reciprocal sharing of Public Service Broadcasting digital radio service, I'm not sure if anyone in the BBC is aware of that memorandum of understanding but I do wonder if this might be a case of something similar to brexit although this obviously is on I'm much less important.

Much smaller scale where attention is not been paid in England to the practical problems of a small island with two jurisdictions and a Legacy of division.

You're not suggesting for a second at BBC Studios when they were considering the commercial implications of this didn't think about Ireland perish the thought of having easy access to all content in Ireland is not only important for cross-border relations, it's also important for Ireland UK relations isn't it is indeed and we're just coming into a phase now in which relationships between the two governments and the two States have improved dramatically if you were to turn on RTE Radio which is the Irish equivalent of the BBC at the moment here advert from Britain essentially asking people who may have worked in the UK for a number of years to see whether they may want to buy back pension that's an exam.

How close in many ways the two people are and since the labour governments with Keir starmer as prime minister took over it has to be said relations between the two governments have improved.

It's only quite recently we more or less had the two cabinets of the two States meeting in the Liverpool area and there's a promise that will continue now the United Kingdom is outside of the European Union there is a sense that relations need to improve Shane do you think that's being able to listen to Radio Ulster and indeed all BBC in the south of Ireland actually helps people with their understanding of the cross-border situation, but also widely of life and Northern Ireland and indeed across the UK I think most people get their BBC content from television and not from radio, but that said I'm always surprised by the number of people who have

Spoken about BBC programmes not necessarily about the things that you might expect like the Archers or the news and current affairs programmes.

I was having coffee at the other day with somebody you told me that he had been listening to a documentary and wonderful documentary.

He says about Joni Mitchell on BBC songs and he was so enthusiastic about it on that I want to listen to it to myself and have to absolutely right.

It was a fantastic piece of podcasting and program making that I really really enjoyed it should I posted about this this week on social media actually and that seemed to be the first time that many people including journalists in Northern Ireland that actually heard about this BBC press releases can sometimes sneak under the radar.

Do you think that people actually know about? I don't think they do buying large.

I was talking to former colleagues and yesterday.

I only became aware of it from your producer over the weekend.

I was talking to former colleagues yesterday.

I have to say that none of them had any idea only the vaguest of vague ideas about what might be about to happen now.

I do think that this is not going to be you know everybody marching to the Barricades and forming a battalions to quote the marseillaise, but I wouldn't surprise me if given the improving relations between the two States if politicians here not saying to their British counterparts.

Are you really sure about this because maybe maybe you might want to think about it again and I do think that we have to be aware as the British Prime Minister Keir starmer work for a number of years in Northern Ireland that imagine a situation if he were to decide to go back to his roots and maybe have a holiday in Donegal and he wouldn't be able to access the local radio station BBC Radio Ulster to hear what might be happening in one part of the country that he governs will hold on cannot even be called Radio Ulster

If you can only hear us in Northern Ireland which consists of six of elsa's 90s and knot Donegal well, that is always been a moot point and a point of controversy about the naming of the radio station Radio Ulster putting that aside the problem remains he wouldn't be able to listen to this well.

Hopefully we have put right the idea that this has not been talked about with the very good airing today.

Hopefully out with no put it on the map Shane Harris and thank you very much indeed for joining my friend you're welcome, and this is clearly a significant story and it is we will continue to pursue on feedback and I very much hope to have somebody from the BBC here to answer your important questions as soon as possible next week.

I will be talking to Hugh Levinson again this time about last week's lockdown Legacy and book of the week, but that's all for today for me and the team here.

Thank you so much for listening.

And for giving us your feedback feedback is a whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4.

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