Read this: A Point of View. BBC Sounds overseas. Lockdown's Legacy.

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts, it is just over 5 years since our world was up when the pandemic took hold lockdown Legacy week on Radio 4 recently brought back many memories with some listeners prayers in the program while they're thought it was just too soon and I'm still waiting for a BBC spokesperson to come on feedback and explain exactly what's happening to BBC signs overseas many of you listening outside the UK are already getting banner warnings saying the switch off is imminent telling me to switch to new BBC app and others are telling us.

It's already gone last week feedback the news that a point of view was ending that weekend.

There's been considered essay on the issue of the day in the early morning Sunday for 79 years starting with Alistair

Letter from America as anticipated there has been quite a response to the news last week Hugh Levinson Radio 4 commissioning editor responsible for the program explained why he decided to end it.

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 in other places 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 licence fee settlement and 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 having those single voices at greater length actually in what was the book of the weeks last week commission writers people like Sarah Jane and Teo Kennedy Rebecca starts who contributed.

Now writing the equivalent of a bridge books for five essays and 40 minutes each so if we think we preserving that unique voice is it from Flushing in Cornwall I'm sure you will be in undated with correspondence about this very sad news so I should be thank you much appreciated.

It has been a busy inbox.

I find it hard to believe is it could be a wise decision to bring this excellent and long-running series to an end since the introduction of BBC sounds which I value great.

I have been able to listen more than once I really do believe that the BBC has underestimated the importance of such a program in its schedule.

My name is Paula Fairweather I live in Penzance Cornwall and this is my my first ever email or message of any times to comment on something happening in the media.

Take about chains usually but the point of view ending was a stopping My Tracks disbelief moment.

I cannot believe the BBC is not continuing something so very valuable and so very much relished writers.

Have a unique way of perceiving the world and what happens in it what type of file used or persuasions they can be trusted to see the bigger picture and have a refreshingly honest insightful and reflective of Harris of I think the manager of Toby misses the appointment saying there of a single speech by podcast Princeton that is there self-selecting and people really choose Echo Chambers and the whole jewellery or point of view was you.

Other people's points of View and reflect on topics at first sight you may not have thought you're interested in so great shame.

I think it's a great loss to reflective radio was on last week's feedback when he was talking about that prospect of delivering the final a point of view this was a space where people could address any issue side of themselves no matter how tropical in the end, but topical enough for it not to be about them when we could address that something like that with which time and seriousness as well as comedy and we thought reflection such an important word and I think we're going to miss this.

I'm already missing you Martyn Ford in Brighton and dazzle B 11 statement that per minute it was an expensive program to make really northern radio drama the cast of actors more than programs like woman's out and money box.

Presumably that teams have reported and production assistant.

I'm left wondering where to go to find topical reflections in a condensed form spoken by such and thinkers is Howard Jacobson Rebecca Stott Zoe strimpel Will Self John Grey and Sarah where they may be out there somewhere, but it's certain that we won't find them again Madden 21 brilliantly conceived to Radio 4.

You will be replaced by witness history which is already broadcast on the world service Hugh Levinson has High Hopes for it in this but I actually think this is my take a little while to adjust the indications with her because I'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 history.

It's a very simple and clever take on it.

I think it will become very popular.

I'm quite conference hello.

Live in Oxford on earth of the BBC suits up to point of view going overnight no warning which says it all about the lack of confidence of the Editors witness, history is not an alternative not everyone who wrote to feedback will miss a point of you.

I'm Steve Taylor listening in from Port it was very fun to learn on feedback that point of view is to be axed.

Just about a week after I was thinking it was a waste of our time.

It is recycling the same opinionated people for no apparent reason find out to get let alone an amount that's on affordable is truly shocking witness.

History is brilliant was a bit of a lone voice.

Hi this is in Oxford I am incredulous that you're suddenly acting point of view this short program represents to me everything about the BBC Radio 4.

That's good.

It's

And intelligent and unafraid to explore controversial subjects deeply it so elegant and often so witty what a loss surely.

There are other things you can cut this outstanding disability Dr Graham shortly Cardiff it was with great interest as I listen to Andrea catherwood argument put forward by the BBC it was trying to justify this decision is century radio programme was being stupid death notice with no consultation to save money.

It is completely unacceptable to me is a feet a member of the public and is displayed not to the consultation with the listener Easter be bothered consultants listeners including then the BBC would have heard that a perfume sensible option may be to consider.

Some of the many hours of podcasts which could be a poor quality and produced by very well pay broadcasters 9 minutes of excellence outweighs sometimes album poor quality podcast another broadcast gold to underline is ridiculous decision by allowing how to make a brilliant case for the shortest the last program what thank you to all of you who contacted feedback this week remember a very easy way to get in touch about that or anything else that you've heard on BBC audio.

It's to send a voice note on 0333 444 5004 and you can ring the same number and leave a voice message that number again.

It's 0343 444 5004 you can send an email to feedback at bbc.co.uk and it's at BBC R4 feedback on social.

And we do listen or read every message you send us the other topic that's been dominating the feedback inbox this week is what is happening with BBC signs for overseas listeners inside your comments and questions have been coming in thick and fast for the last 6 weeks and if you been listening to feedback, you know that I have been repeatedly asking on our for someone to come on the program.

I can assure you that we've been trying hard behind the scenes to get answers to your questions about this need to change for the BBC but so far to no avail here's what we know from the one press release on the BBC website.

There's a new BBC app, which will allow access to read for underworld service as a livestream they'll also be accessed through a lot of podcasts, but that means that you won't get any other BBC stations and this is all changing.

Time in Springwell many overseas listeners are already been asked to switch while others report.

It's gone last week.

I focus on the implications across the island of Ireland hear some point this week.

My name is Kay more.

I live in California is too many hundreds of thousands of Brits here and across North America who enjoy the difference from BBC sounds continue to listen.

Don't you realise that there's massive international audience is yours.

I want stay that way into the 21st century BBC Radio has the content to attract international audiences Manchester Boddingtons from London and lived in France for Samuel I'm sad and disappointed to learn that we are to lose access to sound is quite train for the BBC officials are not prepared to explain.

Amazon feedback not showing respect to the BBC listeners and alright to avoid I've looked at the app and it seems to be disingenuous to say we will still get Radio 4 and the world service as I cannot see the playback function.

I'm only an hour off GMTV but what about the millions of listeners in other timezones? I've paid a licence fee in London since about 1963 and still do on a small flat.

We keep me and my daughters and granddaughter's I feel betrayed my name is Chris Cole live in Cyprus what about as overseas investors, but pay the licence fee and use a non UK mobile while we must be able to make sounds available to overseas listeners at minimal cost sporting events are already but because of licencing restrictions Chris in Cyprus mentioned.

There and the comment from Francis rheingold who wrote a couple of weeks ago from France brought up the subject of cricket coverage.

I was disappointed that management couldn't put anyone up for your recent programme to discuss the end of the BBC Sounds app for those of us who live abroad sneaked over Tina press release no more Radio 1 radio to Radio 3 and the rest.

What's coverage will also be impacted and of course.

I'll be no more test match special, so what happened to test match special one.

It's not straightforward and we will try to get some more clarification in the meantime.

I spoke to Simon Hughes cricket journalist and podcaster better known to cricket fans as the analyst he hasn't heard about the changes to BBC signs but he agrees that test match special is a very special program.

It's a great spot.

Radio actually, isn't it because it takes so long and there are so many stories associated with the game and there were so many characters as well in the game that you can kind of your talk about an elaborate on that obviously you get rain brakes as well, which enables those stories to be longer eat it so I'm in it is a source of great export that the Britain have actually the store is actually during the kind of Ashes series for instance of hearing that that people have been listening to test match special in the Malaysian jungle or a member at somebody they had it on as they were crossing the bosphorus on a boat and the the Turkish captain of the ship was quite annoyed at Here remix of loud cricket being broadcast across the deck so you know people connect with it in in different way is obviously that will be a shame if it's lost that opportunity to actually even for people living in the UK it would lose something of it.

Check I think if there wasn't that idea that it was this collective endeavour were people worldwide were listening to the ball by ball coverage that test match special provides true on the other hand that I read from the draught press releases that there will be some coverage still available presumably a version of TMS bbc.com an actually quite a lot of the stories that we heard of people listening to do it in the bosphorus or in the Malaysian jungle were people who were on the website listening to it rather than on BBC sounds, so I think provided it's available somehow even if you have to pay.

I don't think that's a bad thing.

I don't blame the BBC with the cuts and associated with that with that licence fee but trying to find other ways of exploring opportunities for Revenue and presumably that includes selling some of the coverage to overseas listen.

It sounds of a retrograde step but the BBC has to defend itself somehow and actually if you look at the sports rights actually a lot of the liquid in money from overseas listeners, and I just love the story actually 2005 Ashes test match the 4th test at Trent Bridge the Sunday running with chasing 139 211 + 7 and I was working with the time.

We had a lovely message from a parishioner in Stamford who were gone to evensong and the it was the score 110 for 7 or something in about the lose and Australia about to make it to all them basically security actions again for another 3 years and the organist was listening to TMS because as they came into the church.

He was playing this sort of funeral music as the parishioners were sitting down and he was obviously listening 80ms on.

Repeating is organ loft because I'm in England hit the winning runs and Ashley tiles at the winning run the 23 meaning of Shane Warne he bursts into the hallelujah chorus on the organ, so you know that you couldn't have that without TMS being available well.

Not any English why but worldwide Indies and I remember listening to that are on a beach in Mallorca with a bunch of people more people is the as it got Toyota Croydon around so I I know just home for two days to be able to hear test match special when your overseas Simon Hughes thank you very much indeed.

Well, since we recorded interview.

We've been delving deeper and it seems the reports of Tia vs.

Demise for overseas listeners, may have been exaggerated test match special coverage of home test matches will continue on BBC signs free UK listeners, but will continue to be as it always has been geo blocked outside the UK for right reasons know the reality is that many overseas listeners may be listening whilst on holiday with the UK mobile phone or by bypassing the geo-blocking using a VPN virtual personal network which is a way to make it look like you're listening device is in the UK however.

I should point out that as far as the BBC is concerned the VPN route is the terms of use for BBC digital services DPS may be blocked by the BBC and don't mess with our service is what it was on the website now, they still a few weeks before.

International cricket season so watch or rather listen to this face wherever you are now my recent book of the week on Radio 4 the age of diagnosis by neurology vs.

Anna Sullivan LED puddle of listeners to contact us the theme throughout the week was whether or culture of medical diagnosis can harm rather than help us the episode kissing on long covid raise some concerns and we also received other comments about lockdown Legacy which was part of radio 4S coverage marking the 50th anniversary of that order to stay as it happens Radio 4 commissioning editor to 11th and is also responsible for book of the week and commissioning those documentaries looking at the experience of children teachers.

Yes, he is busy man.

The programs mostly received praise from listen.

My name is Josephine Sibley from Matlock in Derbyshire I am an avid.

Listen, I'm just wanted to say how much I enjoyed March 17th programme about how lockdown affected children.

It was very thought-provoking and a real insight into the workings of a busy hospital A&E department in particular, Dr widget oros words made me think about a side of town.

I had never really considered well done for a brilliant programme with excellent presenters.

Hello.

This is James Barrett in Kennington South London I don't know when he's sending feedback, but I was blown away by Radio 4 podcast lockdown Legacy the Medics I found a wonderful touching and inside and Dr with the door is up devotions with DP profile.

I also love the way the program ended with the GP's account if they're in children playing together for

First time since lockdown had been and stated I was on a home visit and a school nearby.

And I heard children playing the playground.

I haven't heard this sound at all 4 months and this sound that is such a normal sound like bird singing I realised I hadn't heard it and how much it meant to me now to hear this sound and I stopped and I stuff to cry.

It was just so emotional my name is David Sampson and I live in London I have just listen to lockdown Legacy the and wanted to share some positive feedback and prayers for an outstanding episode snapshots linearly presented.

Yes, they were serially memorable stories and their diversity illustrated the complex way the pandemic affected children and the Medics have in it lots of people writing to us about lock x Legacy no clearly it is a marker and money that will be surprised it actually was as long as 5 years ago, but we have had some more like Henry from London wondering if it was too soon for the memories are still fresh and it feels unnecessary to be reexamining this difficult period and such depth at this juncture.

Any pressing and diverse topics to explore given current events dedicating such significant and primetime real estate to revisiting lockdown simply feels excessive understanding why the BBC felt this was the right time to are such a program and I hope your take us feedback into account for future programming and a lot of people went through really tough times and some people still suffering from it, but I think the subject was so important that we really had redress that and I think the programming was very sensitively handled.

It was allowing people are involved in some cells and a lot of kind of happy and funny and surprising memories that time as well because it wasn't all negative at all.

We are trying to get that variety of experience points raised by a few listeners was that all those school children were covered we didn't hear anything from students and particularly first year students.

This is Andrew Jarman calling from

England I was very moved by the time.

I am Alexa and this group was really hard like those at the end of primary school supposed to be experiencing a significant period of transition in any case universities in university students are often ignored by the media a curious thing same as the Radio 4 demographic.

It is a shame that they were forgotten again and the more or less special had quite an extended sequence on students and looked about in the morning 9, am but we chose to focus on the younger children because we just thought it's such a big portion of their lives that it really really matter to them more really going to anybody later life.

Just move on to book of the week say book of the week that week was the age of diagnosis by Suzanne O'Sullivan I don't think it was actually part of the Coven theme programs of an episode.

Long covid a few people responding to us to say they had long covid or have family members of long covid and there was some concern about high general might come away from that thinking that the condition is psychosomatic.

Hello, my name is Lesley Peacock and I'm from Southport and Merseyside as someone who became very unwell after contracting this was a very upsetting listen Dr O'Sullivan appear to be arguing that long covid has exploded after online information about the condition.

I cannot disagree myself and all the people I know with long covid.

I'm not even aware of online discussions when we became ill.

I have lived with my heart condition and dreadful long covid symptoms for over 4 1/2 years.

I found the simplicity of Dr O'Sullivan dismissal of long covid extremely upsetting and narrow.

Maybe right and that a small proportion of long covid illness is from the mind but her book only goes to undermine the many thousands of cases of people have been struggling for years with this condition and listeners who have been suffering whilst having long covid and Incredibly sympathetic and and I can't imagine what you've got and lasting want to do is distressed Oak listeners order value their experiences and but I think Suzanne O'Sullivan who is very permanent neurologist was raising interest questions about where the diagnosis can always help people and when it comes to long-covid she wasn't saying it's all in the mind or it's all imagined or anything like that.

She was very careful to say that long covid is physiological Disease and what she was looking at is whether some suffering from long covid could be psychosomatic and that's not.

That's a real disease that really affects their body and is really harmful.

So I think she was raising I think very significant questions about that and about other diagnosis as well making the point that this book of the week format doesn't give an opportunity for discussion and challenge particularly when it is a controversial or sensitive.

My name is John Colley and I North London given the significant impact of long covid on millions worldwide.

It seems a responsible to platform this perspective without allowing space for arguments or proper context Dr O'Sullivan refers to go and get this program format provides.

No way for listeners to further evaluate the research.

I understand the book of the week isn't a discussion programme with a surely books that will be inappropriate to feature due to the contested nature of their claims.

Could you clarify how editorial decisions are made regarding the selection of factual books? Have you thought about that and the issues that raises?

Projector that recently so that's absolutely is something that you think that I'm in this case is a Sullivan was on the state program and so she was challenged, so I think there was space for that are the contents of this was the right place for the book in this week.

Did you think about that? I mean one thing I would say if so distinguish two things the lockdown Legacy was about it wasn't that covered it was about the government action to restrict our lives.

Where is the age of diagnosis has a much wider consideration a medical diagnosis, how much long time? It was only one 1 of 5 subjects examined Radio 4 commissioning editor you Levinson addressing some of your questions and views on the lock x Legacy series and Suzanne O'Sullivan book of the week with reference to long covid now feedbacks annual search for the interview of the year is underway and even though the results won't be nice and

Christmas or inbox is already open to your nominations for interviews that you think are worthy of the prize in particular.

I'd be interested to hear about interviews.

Will you feel the in you add themselves has done a really good job that might be by asking just the right questions whether it's holding to account a political heavyweight or sensitively handling a difficult conversation.

I know there's going to be plenty of the course of the year and I really look forward to hearing them, but that's it for today for me and all the team here.

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

Hi where the van tulleken the identical twin Dr van tulleken Chris and Xander in Whatsapp docs with diving into the messy complicated world of we are living in the middle of what I would call a therapeutic Revolution but it can sometimes be hard to know what really fast do I need to take a testosterone supplement, how can I fix my Creek

Why do I get angry is organic food actually better for me? We're going to be your guide through the confusion will talk to experts in the field and argue about what we learnt and share what we've learnt and maybe this group WhatsApp docks from BBC Radio 4 listen now on BBC sounds.