h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi there!

I'm a 3rd year student at the University of Lincoln, and I need your opinions on RADIO 4 for a research project... Basically, what do you think of radio4, and what do you think of the statement that radio4 is 'stuffy, elitist, middle-england radio'?? Do you listen to radio4, what programmes do you like, what programmes don't you like.
Any comments or opinions would be fantastic...

Rebecca

Hi Rebecca -

I've been a fan of Radio 4 for years (I'm 26) and have always been comfortable hopping between it and Fabio & Grooverider etc. This could just be because I'm public school educated progeny of landed gentry fallen from grace, but I think it's got more to do with the dry wit and sardonic humour its 6.30 weekday slot is famous for - something long associated with the Cambridge Footlights Crew, Douglas of course, and persons of their ilk.

Though its notable figures have been guys like Stephen Fry and Willie Rushton, recent series of Just A Minute and ISIHAC have featured people better celebrated for their working-class down-to-earthness - people like Jenny Eclair, Paul "O Level Metalwork" Merton, Graham Norton etc. The impression show Dead Ringers - though concentrated on characters like Tom Baykahhh and Patrick Moore, has featured characters like Shaggy. I'm Sorry, I Haven't A Clue, which rarely features panellists under the age of 50 (its presenter Humphrey Littleton is 80) is reknowned for its close-to-the-bone innuendo
in reference to Samantha, and though never actually stooping to swearing is often filthier than TV shows that do.

If you listen to 4 at 6.30pm every day for a week you should get a good scope of the kind of humour listeners are into and the range of the audience at one of its most popular slots.

In summary I'd say though the majority of Radio 4's schedule still largely caters to middle england its popularity with a younger generation, and students especially will no doubt shape its future. It's becoming a more accessible station, and still retains quality of discourse (I don't listen to the Archers) and humour that'll always be far worthier of an audience than that insufferable Chris Moyles prat.

Hope this helps...

*nudges programming director awake* Good luck!

Chris M(iller)

Its something I always mean to listen to, especially as I love Stephen Fry who is often on it. But I'm afraid I don't. I have just put a radio in the kitchen to try to get in the habit, but I'm afraid thats no good for you now!

I consider Radio 4 to be incredably arrogant. I have heard several times on it people saying how Radio One is merely idiotic banter. I thought that that was all Radio One was until I started listening to the evening session and they did a documentary on Dance Music and it's relation to British law.
Having said that Radio 4 can be very funny at times. I suppose it depends on what show you are listening to.
I Personally think Chris Moyles is very funny.

I love radio 4 (I'm 27) and have listened to it for years. When I shamefacedly owned up to that at work I found out that loads of my 20-something colleagues listen to it too. I won't hide behind the '6.30 funny bit is great' excuse, although it is - I find many of the factual shows interesting, for example Any Questions/Answers is always lively. Some of the radio plays are wonderfully involving because you create the visuals in your head as it goes along. The only thing I really don't like is the Archers.

*ducks to avoid and *

Not being middle-aged or a middle-englander it can sometimes be a bit stuffy but I am not interested in only hearing views I agree with already - where is the challenge in that?

Long live Radio 4!

...now where did I leave my cardigan and slippers...

k

I'll start with the demographics: I'm 34 in a few days, so I'm in that strange netherworld: too old for Eminem, too young for Johnny Mathis. I don't consider myself to be Middle-England, but I suspect no-one else considers themself as that, either!

I was pretty much brought up on Radio 4. It is the only radio station I know of that you can tune into any time with a good chance of finding something interesting to listen to. I think the intelligence quotient is higher than any other radio or television station I have encountered. Is this elitist of Radio 4? I don't think so - surely the highest respect you can give your audience is to assume that they have lively, enquiring minds, and to want to feed and stimulate those minds.

The comedy slot is fantastic - especially "I'm Sorry...", and other more recent gems, such as the glorious 'People Like Us'. A significant proportion of television comedy started its life on Radio 4.

The only abberation, for me, is 'The Archers'. I'm rather allergic to soap operas to start with, but even putting that personal feeling aside, it's hard to see how it fits in with the rest of the programming. I get the impression that it's a hangover from the Home Service which no-one got round to axeing.

On the whole, I think Radio 4 gets closest of all BBC channels (radio or TV) to the original ideals of the BBC as a public service broadcaster.

Stretchy.

As a Radio4 addict from the age of 5 (50 years ago) when it was the Home service, I can say that it is the best! Whether it's comedy, plays, science, news, books or series, 4 is the best.

Alji

I'm a 40-something working mum with two 'nearly grown-up' children.

I want to speak up in defence of The Archers. I've listened to it off and on for many years. Its by far the best in the soap dish! beats all the TV programmes

My radio in the kitchen is always tuned to Radio 4. I would never get up in time for work without the Today programme and I fall asleep at night to the late book or the shipping forecast, sailing by or even the World Service.

If Radio 4 does perhaps cater for the more mature listener what is wrong with that? We don't all want to listen to pop music all day. (please don't get me wrong - I'm not criticising) we need some variety in life to give us all a chance to choose.

Good luck with your research project - will we ever get to hear your conclusions?

Heya, I'm 17 and if I remembered (I have an appalling memory for times programs are on - I even forgot some of the HitchHiker repeats! ) I'd listen to the funny programs on Radio 4. Unfortunately I hardly ever remember, and it's usually my dad who does have the radio on. However, at 6:30 he's still driving home, so I always miss them...

¦M¦

I'm 16, and I'm also a big fan of the 6:30 comedy programs. I love ISIHAC, and Dead Ringers. It's also introduced me to many new comedians such as Jeremy Hardy and Linda Smith. I know other people my age at school, who are just getting into things like Dead Ringers.

As Stretchy said, a lot of TV comedy seems to have come from Radio 4. (In fact I heard in the spring Dead Ringers is coming to BBC TV! )
It seems to also be the home of intellegent comedy.

Sorry all we've talked about so far is comedy, but I think that's a very major part of Radio 4.

Jonny

Where are all the people who hate Radio 4?

I've been listening to varying quantities of Radio 4 ever since the original Hitchhiker shows when I was very young. Like all the other BBC radio stations there are bits I love and bits I hate. Love the 6:30 slot, hate the Archers. Love Gardeners Question time, hate Ned Sherrin (epitomises the elitist, stuffy side of things for me). Can't wake up for work without my dose of the Today programme, hate it when I'm late for work and get stuck with the 9am slot - unless it's Thursday when Melvyn Bragg gets some good conversations going, specially the scientific topics.
Not that you asked but I happily listen to Radio 1, 2 or 3 at other times of the day, there's loads of good stuff to be found wherever you turn the dial.

I hate Radio 4, and have listened to it on and off for the last 21 years. For your demographics, I am 39, and almost as English and Middle Class as you can get.

Firstly I hate the Archers, but drop in now and again to catch up. But before the Countryside March (in 1999?) the Bull was the only pub in rural England where it was not being discussed (with pro- and anti-hunting and pro- and anti- government feelings expressed). But the Archers, (aka the Government's tool for telling Urban middle England that there is nothing wrong in this green and pleasant landscape), did not discuss it at all. And Ambridge is like no village I have ever lived in, and I was born and bred in a briar patch.

Secondly - I hate all arts programmes where one reviewer says to another: 'Did that *work* for you?'

What else? Laurie Taylor, and his crew. The apeothesis of smug and self admiring quasi-intellectualism.

Over-use of the word 'should' - and who the hell are they to say what I should and should not do.

'Citizens' or whatever that awful London soap was.

People giving URLs as www DOT bbc DOT co DOT uk FORWARD AH SLASH radio4 (though that has eased now)

Wild-life programmes which are gosh-oh-gosh presenters going for a walk

Brain of Britain Quiz

Moneybox

'Nuff said?

a ranter called Ben

43 which is also too old for Eminem and too young for Johnny Mathis.

Most of my radio listening is done in the car and in short bits.

Used to listen to R4 loads and loads but now listen a lot less because of R5. I still love my old favourites from R4 like "I'm sorry....", Archers, Woman's Hour (I'm a man).

R5 lends itself to short burst listening which suits me because most of the journeys that I do are relatively short. If I am travelling for 30 mins or so R4 is my choice. If I am travelling very far usually with family R2 kicks in for travel news (with RDS).

TMS is a major part of my R4 listening when possible.

Therefore my ideal R4 would be FM (for RDS) with TMS (only available at present on long wave) with shorter complete items (a la R5 but with the more languid R4 style)

PP

Sounds like I'm missing a lot! I will tune in today.
A 30 year old, who like Eminem a bit, but much prefers Linkin Park!

I grew up with Radio 4, and fondly remember series like 'Men from the Ministry', about some inept civil servants. When I was about 9 years old, a friend decried Radio 4 as being 'all news'. She didn't know what she was missing! In terms of background, I'm working class and I've never considered Radio 4 as middle-class, middle-aged, middle-England or elitist. It caters, more or less, for intelligent people. These people crop up across all demographic categories, so I see no point in pigeon-holing them, or the radio station.

I listen to Radio 4 when I get up in the morning, and sometimes in the evening - but never to The Archers. It annoys me, though, that a lot of good factual programmes are on during the day, when I can't listen to them, or late in the evening. Does anybody out there know of a programmable cassette recorder?

I suppose in fairness I ought to admit that there are things I have enjoyed on R4.

Women's Hour has been good over the years, and I confess a sneaking fondness for Mid-week.

There was an interesting counter-history programme about the partition of Ireland about 4 years ago, and a couple of years ago Peter White interviewed Larry Flint which was compelling. (But he did not ask the question I wanted to know the answer to - when Larry Flint was saying that the politics was more important than the pornography, Peter White did not ask him which came first: would Larry Flint have been a pornographer in Sweden or Japan and never noticed the politics, or would he have chosen other ways to challenge political contraints, and never been a pornographer. I really want to know the answer to that one).

There was a chilling interview a couple of months ago with the anesthetist who blew the whistle on the Pediatric Cardio Unit in Bristol.

Letter from America can be interesting, and I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue is always pleasant comfort-listening. Like old socks.

But against that you have:

You and Yours
Round Britain Quiz
Robert Robinson
Nick Ross

The list goes on and on.

So I hop between local stations, and Radios 1 2 and 3 mainly. The only station I hate more is Classic FM. Now that IS nauseating.

Ben

Oh and that patronising so-and-so Sue Lawley - why can't they leave her on that damn island?

Lord of the Rings is back on 4, 2:30 Sat. in 26 parts. Have a look at the radio 4 website.

Alji

Thanks for all your contributions, you've been very helpfull.
The essay will shortly be winging its way to my tutor.

xx R