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

There's no doubt about it, Radio 4 is among the finest speech broadcasting anywhere in the English-speaking world (though the BBC's 24-hour news station Radio 5 Live is coming up fast on the outside, and is also available in streaming audio on the Net)
I agree that the Today Programme is an excellent morning intro to the news agenda of the day, and that the discussions can sometimes be quite lively, as well as informative. However the self-important smugness of the main presenters often gets in the way of good communication rather than facilitating it, and their contrived matiness with the specialist presenters of the Sports, Business and Weather slots is ridiculous to the point of self-parody.
They are especially bad at interrupting guests before they have had a chance to develop their arguments, or even to get the basics of their position clear. Witness recent discussions about scientific subjects, where acknowledged experts are not allowed to explain the issues clearly without being interrupted.
Interestingly, the best presenters on 5-Live manage the feat of simultaneously being civil to their guests AND bringing a healthily sceptical attitude to their interviews.
Take a listen to Nick Robinson's late-night show for a good example of this interviewing style.
Or catch the excellent overnight show presented by Rhod Sharp, in which the interviewing style is more like listening-in to a private conversation between two interesting individuals than a conventional - and confrontational - journalistic interview.
Other good things on Radio 4...
The Midnight News .. a comprehensive and sober review of the days events
I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue .. high-quality extempore wit
Alastair Cooke's weekly Letter from America .. still the best personal-view journalism, brilliantly written, and delivered to the listener with personal charm
and of course the HHGG original series. What other station would have commissioned such writing?
greetings to all BBC listeners. Your good taste is showing.
Captain Edit.

Sorry about the HTML in teh above. What are the rules about when you need it and when you don't?

Oh, by the way, you can hear lots of Radio 4 over the net. More details at http://www.mediauk.com/directory/radio

Sorry it has taken so long to get back to you, when I get round to finishing this article (along with all the others) I will put this in Until later....
BCNU - Crescent

You're forgiven!