An Ode to Radio 4

[tealin]

On the local NPR station, they have two separate promos that feature expat Brits saying, in effect, 'When I first moved to the States I missed the BBC something fierce; then I found KPCC and it made everything better.' Clearly these are aimed at people who have not discovered Radio 4, because there is no way NPR can ever beat it. I almost want to find those people and tell them they can listen to the BBC online, as they appear to be ignorant of this, and it might remind them of the proper hierarchy of quality broadcasting. Some of the shows you'll find on Radio 4 this week but not on NPR:
The Golden Oriole - the French composer Olivier Messiaen's fascination for using birdsong in his music.
The Long View - looking at the 1930 Christmas shopping season and its effect on leading retailers of the day, and comparing/contrasting to the present situation
The Man with a Hole in His Head - the true story of a 19th century railway worker who survived a bizarre accident
Behind the Scenes with Carbon Dioxide - The story of Joseph Black, the chemist who described carbon dioxide for the first time. (How much do I love the title of this show? Let me count the ways ... )
Listen Against - and if you love Radio 4, why not love a show that is almost entirely self-referential in a completely absurd and yet brilliant way?
The Penny Dreadfuls Present the Brothers Faversham - I do espy a very silly mock Victorian bio-comedy radio show!
Bad Habits: Procrastination - A host of Fist of Fun (how can you top a title like that?) talks for fifteen minutes about procrastination, in the most recent of a series that has also included workaholism and perfectionism. I listen while simultaneously committing all three.

And next Monday – get this – there is a Christmas special
... of The Unbelievable Truth
... hosted by David Mitchell
... with special guest Armando Iannucci.
CAN IT POSSIBLY GET ANY BETTER?

Having grown up with NPR I feel guilty for getting all this radio joy for free, but I have yet to find a way to pay the license fee from this side of the Atlantic. If I did, could I watch the TV too? Wouldn't they make a lot more money if they granted access to the iPlayer via license fee rather than geographic location? Only so long as they promise not to listen to any of their offshore listeners' demands – we don't want another TLC on our hands.

LONG LIVE RADIO 4!

Comments

[packy.livejournal.com]

It may not be that they haven't discovered BBC4... they may not have access to the internet.

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

Wait ... are you saying ... some people don't have the internet?

Pshaw, next you'll be telling me there are people without electricity, or running water, or ... or AIR!

[azvolrien.livejournal.com]

Penny Dreadfuls! I love the Penny Dreadfuls! I've seen a few of their shows at the Festival over the last few years. I didn't know they had a radio show...

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

This is their second one actually, I think the first series only aired on BBC7. They bring the good times indeed. Isn't their narrator the same one who did The Masterson Inheritance?

[azvolrien.livejournal.com]

I've no idea, but they're hilarious on stage. "We intercepted your coded message. 'The Elephant Bridge Elephant Is Elephant A Elephant Temple.' We cracked it in a matter of hours!"

[ubiquitouspitt.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm sure they're talking about listening to radio in the car. Luckily, I have a belkin which provides me with the opportunity to listen to the Now Show, Today in Parliament, the Archers (etc.) - however, as far as "news in the car" goes -- BBC only offers SNIPPETS of news for your ipod. Like, 5 minutes at most unless it's parliament related. So, for those who are stuck in the car and want to listen to the news - NPR is a great resource (finer points to be argued). I even supplement my local NPR with other NPR podcasts so that I can listen to 'The News from Lake Woebegon' and 'Writer's Almanac' whenever I want to.

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

It's possible ... I'm still a regular Morning Edition listener because there is no better place to get ACTUAL NEWS as I'm leaving for work (I'm looking at you, CBC) and unfortunately the BBC does not pipe directly into my kitchen. I suspect the reason behind the lack of news-based podcasts is that after a very short time they are no longer news, so what's the point of downloading them? Or, for that matter, clogging up valuable bandwidth by offering them for download?

[ubiquitouspitt.livejournal.com]

I suspect it is because the BBC knows it's a flagship programme. They never give away anything they know we really like. For example: BBC America --> FULL of CRAP. If I want to watch EastEnders? This is funny, "The reason the BBC has removed EastEnders from BBC America is that it is unpopular--" Rrright -- so that's why, post-removal, they had to crack down on the rash of websites providing boot-episodes of EE for American perusual - AND, now, if I want to watch EastEnders, I have to sign on with Dish and -- Pay-per-BLOODY-view!

They give you five minute snippets of world news but if you want the whole programme, you have to log onto the website. It is the same with NPR and their superior 'Morning Edition' and 'All Things Considered' shows. I imagine it has something to do with, "Give them a taste and then get them onto the website." Now, I haven't worked out the driver behind it but is must have something to do with money - either in advertisements or getting people to the website or trying to procure a fee. The NPR argument is that if they give the best shows away, conveniently on podcast, then people won't listen to the member stations and won't give money during fund drives.

How do you get to work, by the way? I'm always curious as to your doings when I have the time to think outside Joseph Nye's concept of Regionalism vs. Bennett's Anglosphere.

[cunien.livejournal.com]

I absolutely adore The Penny Dreadfuls, so so so funny. Thanks for the link.
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