Radio 4, a succession of 'single issue' moralising agendas.

PSQ · Sep 23, 2019

like everyone else it's been a long summer sitting in a tractor listening to the radio:
Over the last 6 months Radio 4 has become almost a 'single issue' mouthpiece for daily programmes about Transgender issues.
I like to think I'm a fairly broadminded person, but the BBC are shoe horning it into every programme at every opportunity, and it's getting a bit tiring. This week it's LGBTQ+ on 'Ramblings', a programme about the closure of gay bars, a discussion on using the 'correct' Transgender pronouns, a 5 part daytime drama about Transgender issues, and no doubt by the end of the week we'll have found out that Eddie Grundy and Jazzer have come out of the closet with 'fabulous' make up and looking like Ronald McDonald and 'The Joker' in drag.

When The BBC (on air and and on their 'Daily Mail' like website) gets a flavour of the month 'single issue' under it's skin it milks it to death.
-Veganism ('Veganuary'),
-"Meat production destroying the planet" (promoted as part of the Vegan agenda, listen to 'Any Answers' 22nd September ?)
-'Climate change' (yes it probably is man made, but we dont need to be told so every 15 minutes; "who do we blame today?"),
- Brexit,
- Transgender 'issues'.

FFS, I listen to the radio for entertainment, not to listen to a constant stream of liberal elite moralising and 'virtue signalling'.

ENOUGH.

Rant over. Suggestions for a new radio station to listen to please.

JP1 · Sep 23, 2019

PSQ said:
like everyone else it's been a long summer sitting in a tractor listening to the radio:
Over the last 6 months Radio 4 has become almost a 'single issue' mouthpiece for daily programmes about Transgender issues.
I like to think I'm a fairly broadminded person, but the BBC are shoe horning it into every programme at every opportunity, and it's getting a bit tiring. This week it's LGBTQ+ on 'Ramblings', a programme about the closure of gay bars, a discussion on using the 'correct' Transgender pronouns, a 5 part daytime drama about Transgender issues, and no doubt by the end of the week we'll have found out that Eddie Grundy and Jazzer have come out of the closet with 'fabulous' make up and looking like Ronald McDonald and 'The Joker' in drag.
Someone should also tell the R4 controller that going on endlessly about opinions they've read on Twitter are not 'news' ("opinions are like arseholes"), even this thread qualifies as "causing an 'outrage' on Twitter": get a fudgeing life.

When The BBC (on air and and on their 'Daily Mail' like website) gets a flavour of the month 'single issue' under it's skin it milks it to death.
-Veganism ('Veganuary'),
-"Meat production destroying the planet" (promoted as part of the Vegan agenda, listen to 'Any Answers' 22nd September ?)
-'Climate change' (yes it probably is man made, but we dont need to be told so every 15 minutes; "who do we blame today?"),
- Brexit,
- Transgender 'issues'.

FFS, I listen to the radio for entertainment, not to listen to a constant stream of liberal elite moralising and 'virtue signalling'.

ENOUGH.

Rant over. Suggestions for a new radio station to listen to please.

LBC - you can still get your snowflake fix with James O'Brien or just turn him off

I reckon Nick Ferrari did the best of the Cameron interviews the other day, better than John Humphrys' swan song on R4 Today

Bald Rick · Sep 23, 2019

LGBTQ+

Thank me later

SilliamWhale · Sep 23, 2019

Planet Rock

Stephen Nolan on 5 live can be pretty decent

But I get your drift - Any Answers is a hideous wooden programme

JP1 · Sep 23, 2019

SilliamWhale said:
Planet Rock

Stephen Nolan on 5 live can be pretty decent

But I get your drift - Any Answers is a hideous wooden programme

Any Answers = Anita Anand is as bad as Vanessa Feltz

Tarw Coch · Sep 23, 2019

Bald Rick said:
LGBTQ+

What does that mean? I’m just a quiet country boy who knows nothing of these new fangled ways.

7610 super q · Sep 23, 2019

Tarw Coch said:
What does that mean? I’m just a quiet country boy who knows nothing of these new fangled ways.

A car produced by British Leyland in the 1970's....

7610 super q · Sep 23, 2019

You lot have a working radio in your tractors ?

Jackov Altraids · Sep 23, 2019

I have listened to Radio 4 since I was 18. It is a shadow of its former self.

The thing I despair about is that it used to be so inclusive. It was a wonderful medium by which you judged people purely for what they said as you had no idea who they were let alone their colour, religion , sexuality etc.
Stories were universally thought provoking as they highlighted how we all share the same worries and problems.
Now, even if it one of the far too many art progammes , everyone goes on at length about what makes them different, rather than why we are all so similar.
Maybe I'm getting old but most of the new 'comedies' are bloody pathetic.

Yesterdays desert island discs with Thom Yorke was absolutely bloody brilliant and the best thing I've heard for ages.

JP1 · Sep 23, 2019

Jackov Altraids said:
I have listened to Radio 4 since I was 18. It is a shadow of its former self.

The thing I despair about is that it used to be so inclusive. It was a wonderful medium by which you judged people purely for what they said as you had no idea who they were let alone their colour, religion , sexuality etc.
Stories were universally thought provoking as they highlighted how we all share the same worries and problems.
Now, even if it one of the far too many art progammes , everyone goes on at length about what makes them different, rather than why we are all so similar.
Maybe I'm getting old but most of the new 'comedies' are bloody pathetic.

Yesterdays desert island discs with Thom Yorke was absolutely bloody brilliant and the best thing I've heard for ages.

Brian Redhead and others are probably turning in their graves

Dan Mac · Sep 23, 2019

Jackov Altraids said:
I have listened to Radio 4 since I was 18. It is a shadow of its former self.

The thing I despair about is that it used to be so inclusive. It was a wonderful medium by which you judged people purely for what they said as you had no idea who they were let alone their colour, religion , sexuality etc.
Stories were universally thought provoking as they highlighted how we all share the same worries and problems.
Now, even if it one of the far too many art progammes , everyone goes on at length about what makes them different, rather than why we are all so similar.
Maybe I'm getting old but most of the new 'comedies' are bloody pathetic.

Yesterdays desert island discs with Thom Yorke was absolutely bloody brilliant and the best thing I've heard for ages.

Agreed on tom Yorke desert island discs that was good

essexpete · Sep 23, 2019

JP1 said:
LBC - you can still get your snowflake fix with James O'Brien or just turn him off

I reckon Nick Ferrari did the best of the Cameron interviews the other day, better than John Humphrys' swan song on R4 Today

I tuned in to LBC although I was not sure what LBC stands for :scratchhead:

for the same reasons as the op was quoting re Rad 4. A small dose of James O'Brien made me hop again. There is a broadcaster in love with his own voice.
Back to 4: totally agree with OP. The very worst offender IMHO is women's hour. A programme, as a white heterosexual self employed male, I have often listened to over the years with some very good presenters and content. Now it seems to be just as the OP has found the rest of the station.
The gender issues seem to be running away. With a friend the other day who son has decided to be gender neutral. I don't have a problem with that but I have suspected "they" are not very tolerant to those of us to whom it all seems a confusing world. They even had to point out with a seating arrangement that it was "male female male female and me" ffs I had not even given it a thought.

SilliamWhale · Sep 23, 2019

Jackov Altraids said:
I have listened to Radio 4 since I was 18. It is a shadow of its former self.

The thing I despair about is that it used to be so inclusive. It was a wonderful medium by which you judged people purely for what they said as you had no idea who they were let alone their colour, religion , sexuality etc.
Stories were universally thought provoking as they highlighted how we all share the same worries and problems.
Now, even if it one of the far too many art progammes , everyone goes on at length about what makes them different, rather than why we are all so similar.
Maybe I'm getting old but most of the new 'comedies' are bloody pathetic.

Yesterdays desert island discs with Thom Yorke was absolutely bloody brilliant and the best thing I've heard for ages.

I noticed Thom Yorke campaigns s about climate change and then admits hes a hippocrite for doing so. There we are then Thom, lets all pretend as well then

JP1 · Sep 23, 2019

essexpete said:
I tuned in to LBC although I was not sure what LBC stands for for the same reasons as the op was quoting re Rad 4. A small dose of James O'Brien made me hop again. There is a broadcaster in love with his own voice.
Back to 4: totally agree with OP. The very worst offender IMHO is women's hour. A programme, as a white heterosexual self employed male, I have often listened to over the years with some very good presenters and content. Now it seems to be just as the OP has found the rest of the station.
The gender issues seem to be running away. With a friend the other day who son has decided to be gender neutral. I don't have a problem with that but I have suspected "they" are not very tolerant to those of us to whom it all seems a confusing world. They even had to point out with a seating arrangement that it was "male female male female and me" ffs I had not even given it a thought.

I think LBC used to be the London Broadcasting C' something but it's now "Leading Britain's Conversation" . On the right wing side you have Nigel Farage (who's actually very good as a verbal DJ and quite accomplished), JRM on a Friday night - a bit stiffer , Nick Ferrari and Maajid Nawaz. On the middle to left Eddie Mair and Matt Frei. Andrew Castle has a hint of the Jeremy Vine's. I would vary the hour you listen before coming to a hard and fast opinion

Even if I don't agree with Farage's viewpoint, I think he gets good commentators coming on his show and I would definitely have a pint and the craic with him if ever I got the chance

CharcoalWally · Sep 23, 2019

I hear that moderately talented, reasonably mediocre, whiney, gutless, "adult orientated " white boy "singer "Sam Smith, (that is his name, right? ) , wants to be identified as category neutral, as I believe it can be labelled/non labelled/ labels are a fascist diktat/delete as appropriate.

Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I find this absolutely fascinating, and would willingly cancel all other shows so that I can fully enjoy the self absorbed witterings of the precious "singer. "

Apparently, gender neutral types are happy to be categorised as "they " . However, they are talking of themselves as a singular human being, so surely should use "it,", as " they" refers to the collective.

ajd132 · Sep 23, 2019

I listen to LBC, a good mixture of various political viewpoints so you can keep an open mind. Nick ferrari, majid nawaz, James o brien, sheelagh Fogerty, Ian dale, Nigel farage etc good for getting views from all sides.
The bloke whose on before 7 is hilarious but can’t remember his name.

DRC · Sep 23, 2019

CharcoalWally said:
I hear that moderately talented, reasonably mediocre, whiney, gutless, "adult orientated " white boy "singer "Sam Smith, (that is his name, right? ) , wants to be identified as category neutral, as I believe it can be labelled/non labelled/ labels are a fascist diktat/delete as appropriate.

Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I find this absolutely fascinating, and would willingly cancel all other shows so that I can fully enjoy the self absorbed witterings of the precious "singer. "

Apparently, gender neutral types are happy to be categorised as "they " . However, they are talking of themselves as a singular human being, so surely should use "it,", as " they" refers to the collective.

Yes, there was a piece about it on radio 2, Jeremy wine. Couple with an 11 moth old baby had refused to call it him or her as wanted it to grow up gender neutral . Mother called herself Hobbit and lived on a narrow boat .
I think the worlds gone mad

Neddy flanders · Sep 23, 2019

BBC has become so socialist it is now beyond a joke.

BBC2 - rise of the Nazis - as if we didn't know who Hitler was, just convenient to remind us of atrocities carried out by hard right political groups. despite the fact Communist dictators have killed far more, they never seem to get a mention.

BBC 1- Peaky Blinders - tell me it wasn't coincidence to write a script line about Oswald Mosely and the British Fascists to scare people who didn't know who they were and can now draw a comparison between them and UKIP and ERG

BBC radio - The Archers - haven't met a single farmer whose even discussed re-wilding yet Ambridge looks to be setting the trend and making the rest of us look like destroyers of the environment. seriously?

yellow belly · Sep 23, 2019

radio listening
test match special when on
world cup rugby on 5live or five live sport
radio2 not zoe ball or jermay vine
when non of the above smooth radio
all radio current afaires progs are now a waste of time and do not reflect the views of the majority need something lighter that does not wind you up

David. · Sep 23, 2019

Radio is crap now TMS is done.
Like Jo Whiley's show but tbh R2 is a shadow of itself now.

Radio 4, a succession of 'single issue' moralising agendas.

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