Feedback

BBC Radio 3 has unveiled a new online-only stream - Unwind. It's dedicated to calming classical music and broadcasts 24/7 on BBC Sounds. For some listeners it's unlocked the mystery of a good night's sleep, but for others the playlists are more mindless than mindful. Andrea Catherwood puts your comments to Radio 3 Controller Sam Jackson. In a week where farmers shot to the top of the news agenda f...

Andrea Catherwood sits down with Director of BBC News Programmes John McAndrew to get answers on listeners' comments following the announcement of cuts - including the axing of long running World Service programme Hard Talk, with Stephen Sackur, the closure of the Asian Network's news team, a reshuffle for overnight bulletins on Radio 2 and 5Live and cutting R4's News Briefing at 0530. Two music o...

As the dust settles on the American election, we hear from Ric Bailey, Chief Adviser for Politics in BBC Editorial Policy, about how the corporation has tackled its coverage of an eventful campaigning period, and a momentous result. After we heard from listeners on what seemed like an abrupt end to long-running literature programme Open Book, Andrea talks to former presenter Mariella Frostrup, and...

In this week's episode of Feedback, former Labour Cabinet Minister Alan Johnson adds his voice to the listener comments on Radio 4's short podcast series Surviving Politics with Michael Gove. Radio 2 listeners share their tributes and memories of Johnnie Walker who signed off Sounds of the Seventies last weekend ,after 58 years of broadcasting. A Point of View's American election opinions has list...

In the first episode of the new series, former producer Neil George explains the selection criteria behind Radio 4's obit show Last Word. Suzanne Franks, professor of journalism at City St George's, University of London, helps navigate issues of impartiality when interviewing representatives of opposing sides in the Middle East conflict. And as a new Archers podcast is launched, listeners react to...

The future of the BBC depends on renewing its listener base - but younger people are switching off linear radio and focusing on personally tailored forms of media. So how does the BBC compete, and what are its strategies for winning over younger listeners? Andrea Catherwood speaks to Matt Walsh from the University of Cardiff, hears a panel of students discuss their listening habits, and quizzes BB...

Andrea Catherwood brings listener questions and comments to the most controversial place in the Feedback inbox - Ambridge. The Archers has been running since 1951, and its distinctive theme tune is one of the sounds the nation most associates with Radio 4. Andrea goes behind the scenes to hear more about how it is recorded, how actors develop characters over their real time lifetimes, and puts you...

Andrea Catherwood brings listeners questions to the broadcaster and journalist Darryl Morris and Executive Producer Jo Meek - makers of Radio 4’s documentary God Next Door. Darryl has spent a considerable amount of time talking to James from Manchester, a landscape Gardner who believes himself to be God and has a number of followers in the local community who share his belief. There’s been a sensa...

Andrea Catherwood gets under the skin of Radio 4's Behind the Crime, putting listeners' views to Dr Sally Tilt and Dr Kerensa Hocken, the forensic psychologists who devote each programme to interviewing one former criminal in depth, to unpick how their life experiences contributed to their decisions to offend. The Director of the World Service recently resigned from her post. Liliane Landor talks...

Andrea Catherwood brings Feedback listeners' thoughts and views on news and politics podcasts to the BBC's Senior News Editor Sam Bonham and Political Correspondent Alex Forsyth - and asks if this was the first real podcast election. Two listeners enter the Feedback Vox Box to talk about the new Radio 4 comedy series, Geoff Norcott's Working Mens Club. And the comedian himself joins Andrea to resp...

Andrea Catherwood puts listeners' views on the cut and thrust of the six week election coverage to Jonathan Munro, the BBC's Director of Journalism. The ability to fill time is a key skill for any live broadcaster. Things don't always run smoothly - so what does it take to fill successfully. Dotun Adebayo, presenter of Radio 5 Live's Up All Night is an acknowledged master of the art and shares som...

Andrea Catherwood discusses the schedule change and original commissions for Radio 4's Book of the Week with Commissioning Editor, Hugh Levinson. The daily racing tips on Radio 4's Today programme have ended after 47 years. The news produced a mixed reaction from Feedback listeners. Tom Kerr, editor of The Racing Post explains why the move has ruffled a few feathers in the horse racing world. Feed...

Andrea Catherwood discusses Feedback listeners' views on Radio 4's new satirical comedy, Munya Chawawa's Election Doom Scroll, with Radio 4's Comedy and Entertainment Commissioner Julia McKenzie. The three-part series takes us on an imaginary flick through the mobile phones of political leaders, uncovering spoof voice notes, video clips and messages. Last weekend's Restore Nature Now march in Lond...

Four weeks into the UK election campaign, Andrea discusses interruptions and impartiality in political interviews with Today presenter Nick Robinson and the BBC's Director of Journalism, Jonathan Munro. Also, we take a dystopian deep dive into Radio 4's Orwell v Kafka weekend. In all, 10 hours of the network's weekend schedule were given over to the two authors - including readings of George Orwel...

It's been 18 months since the BBC first announced sweeping changes to Local Radio in England. Now, most of the 39 stations share regional output on weekdays from 2pm and then national programming after 6pm. The decision immediately led to howls of protest from staff, politicians and Feedback listeners. This week, Andrea has been speaking to the person behind these changes, the Head of Audio and Di...

Sam Jackson is Radio 3’s relatively new controller - he’s been in the job for just a year and, at 40, he’s much younger than most of the station’s listeners. Earlier this month he took the plunge and introduced a raft of changes to the schedule. This week on Feedback, he explains the thinking behind the changes and responds to listeners' comments. And The Now Show is no more. After 25 years, Radio...

Helen Lewis has Left the Chat is a six-part series on Radio 4 which examines how instant messaging has “taken over our lives". It delves into the murky, and often hilarious world of WhatsApp and other apps to explore how they have shaped our world. Many of you loved the programme - but some of you also found the strong language an instant turn off, especially at 9.30am. Helen Lewis tells Andrea wh...

Andrea Catherwood talks to Rachel Burden, the presenter of Cafe Hope, about the need to hear more positive stories, and gets your views on the new programme. She also hears the thoughts of Book of the Week fans, which has moved to a new, later timeslot, in part to make room for Cafe Hope, as part of the recent schedule changes at Radio 4. Following last week’s discussion on the future of the BBC a...

Are the days of the BBC licence fee numbered and, if so, what might replace it? In the week that the licence fee goes up by £10, we’re asking you to give us your views on the corporation’s future funding model. Matt Walsh, Head of Cardiff University’s Journalism School gives us his take. The Radio 4 Schedule changes have now kicked in, but what research were the decisions based on? Andrea puts you...

The BBC’s Royal Correspondent Jonny Dymond reflects on recent coverage of the Royal family and the Princess of Wales' revelation of her cancer diagnosis, responding to listener comments. And Robin Edwards who was editing Radio 4’s 6 o’clock news on the day of the Princess' announcement, talks about the dilemma he faced when reports of the Moscow shooting started to come through just ten minutes be...

This week you’ve been giving us your views on the Woman’s Hour series on the impact of pornography. We dig a little deeper into the issue with Ruth McDermott, a listener who has specialist knowledge of covering sensitive topics. The BBC is planning to run adverts on some of its audio content on third party platforms like, Apple and Spotify. We speak to Audio Industry Consultant Matt Deegan to get...

Radio 4 is revamping its schedule from the beginning of April. Andrea Catherwood talks to the station’s controller Mohit Bakaya about why he’s decided to press refresh. He also responds to listeners’ questions about shifting the Archers omnibus by an hour on Sundays and explains the thinking behind Feedback being moved to Thursdays. Also, we hear the polarised views of listeners on Amol Rajan’s fe...

Schedule changes, Moral Maze and Singers Saved. As Radio 3 and 4 prepare to shake-up their schedules, you’ve been getting in touch with your views. Archers fans and Record Review regulars have been quick to air their concerns. Also, Andrea Catherwood looks back at some more memorable schedule change moments with former Radio 4 controller, Mark Damazer. Moral Maze listeners vent their feelings on t...

In the last episode of the series, Andrea Catherwood reveals the Feedback Interview of the Year and discusses the art of the interview with Mishal Husain, Justin Webb and Adrian Edmondson. And do we need a new national anthem? That was the question posed on a recent edition of Radio 4’s Antisocial which prompted a passionate response from Feedback listeners. Andrea talks to the programme's present...

How often do you think about the Romans? Historian Dr Mary Beard speaks with Andrea Catherwood on her new series for BBC Radio 4 ‘Being Roman’ BBC Radio 4 recently released the latest series of The Lovecraft Investigations – based on the occult writer HPLovecraft’s stories. Many Listeners told us how unsettling they were. Feedback’s Special Correspondent Rob Crossan investigates the enduring appea...