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BBC Radio Guide

What’s on? – Your Guide to BBC Radio

"What's on?" is an entertaining guide to current BBC radio programmes and gives you some background to the programmes.

Did you know that you can listen to BBC radio online? BBC radio offers something for everyone. There are five main channels:

BBC1 - The best new music

 BBC2 - Music and  BBC3 - Classical, Jazz, World, Arts, Drama  BBC4 - Intelligent speech  BBC5 - Live , live sport

Just go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/

Desert Island Discs

Desert Island Discs is of Radio 4's most popular and enduring programmes. It was created in 1942 and has been regularly broadcast ever since. The format is simple: each week a guest is interviewed and invited to choose the eight records they would take with them to a desert island.

They also choose a favourite book (excluding the Bible or other religious work and Shakespeare - these already on the desert island!) and a luxury which must be inanimate and have no practical use.

Over the last few years, castaways have included Lord Healey, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer; the American actress Whoopi Goldberg; the German singer ; Nobel prize winner, Professor ; a yachtswoman, a countess and a KGB defector.

Tune in and find out who this week's castaway is - and listen to their choice of

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qnmr

Seite 1 BBC Radio Guide

Festival of

Celebrate the true spirit of Christmas with the "Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols" from the chapel of King's College, .

For many people, a long-standing Christmas tradition is listening to the annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from the chapel of King's College, Cambridge. It takes place at 3pm (GMT) on December 24th and usually follows the same pattern every year, though one or two new carols may be included. By tradition, the service begins with a lone choirboy singing the first verse of the carol Once in royal David's city, unaccompanied. The choirboy is chosen only minutes before the performance, so tension is high! The King's College line-up of 16 boy choristers has stayed the same in number since 1440, and is boosted by the adult voices of King's College undergraduates. The first service was held on Christmas Eve 1918, weeks after the end of the Great War's four years of mass slaughter. Ten years later, the service was first broadcast on the radio.

The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is heard on the radio all over the world by millions of listeners. If you want to attend in person, the service is open to the public and there are no tickets and no admission fee - but to guarantee getting a ticket, you would have to queue for up to two days! But why not enjoy this wonderful choral experience in your own home by tuning in to the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve on Radio 4 at 1500 GMT.

For more information, go to

http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/events/chapel-services/nine-lessons.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/religion/pip/57z45/

Seite 2 BBC Radio Guide

The CBeebies

Did you know that the BBC also broadcasts radio programmes for children - the CBeebies?

The programmes provide music, stories and activities for children under six years old and can be heard on Radio 7.

If you teach young children, or you want to encourage your own children to listen to English, choose a suitable story from the CBeebies site:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/stories/

Some of the stories and rhymes can also be printed so that you can use a text in class.

And there are interactive activities with Online CBeebies and here you can also get print-outs and Grown-ups information - that is, background information on the activity.

(NB Unfortunately, a few of the songs and cartoons can't be received in Germany.)

Seite 3 BBC Radio Guide

Woman's Hour

The daily programme 'Woman's Hour' has become a radio classic - but don't be fooled, it's not only for women!

October 7th 1946 saw the start of something which has developed into a British icon - Woman's Hour. It was a programme designed to celebrate, entertain and inform women. Woman's Hour attracts an audience of about 2.7 million people throughout the week - and over 40% of the listeners are men!

Woman's Hour is broadcast on Radio 4 from Monday to Friday between 10 and 11 am GMT. The presenters focus on topical subjects in the news, interviews with celebrities and discussions on topics ranging from law to fashion.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007qlvb

Not only is there a daily programme to listen to, but you can also check out the Woman's Hour timeline - a slide-show history of great women, decade by decade, from 1900 to the present day. You can either listen to the commentary or, if you on 'Print version', you can read it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/timeline/2000.shtml

Seite 4 BBC Radio Guide

Lord Peter Wimsey

England is the birthplace of detective fiction. Even if you don't know the names of many of the authors, e.g. Elizabeth George, Conan Doyle, , and Ruth Rendell, their characters' names are probably familiar to you: ...

... Inspector Lynley, , Inspector Morse, and Inspector Wexford. Another popular sleuth is Lord Peter Wimsey, created by Dorothy L. Sayers. When she started writing, in the 1920s, she was very short of money so she asked herself: What do people like to read about? She looked in various and found her answer: crime and the aristocracy. So, she combined these in the persona of Lord Peter Wimsey, an aristocratic private detective.

Wimsey was brilliantly played on television and on the radio by the popular , Ian Carmichael (18 June 1920 - 5 February 2010). Ian would have been 90 this year and the BBC was planning a series of programmes to celebrate this, but sadly, Ian died in February and, as a tribute to him, Radio 4 extra will be broadcasting a selection of the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries. So, if you're a detective fan, watch out for Lord Peter Wimsey. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4extra/programmes/schedules/this_week/grid/ataglance

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The Archers

Do you know that the longest running in the world has been on air for nearly 60 years and remains one of the most listened to programmes on BBC radio? Described by the BBC as 'contemporary in a rural setting', '' can claim to be the doyenne of .

The series is set in a fictitious village called Ambridge in the county of , which is loosely based on the real counties of and Warwickshire in . Originally the programme’s aim was to help farmers increase food production after the Second World War when rationing was still in operation and in fact the Ministry of Agriculture gave advice to the programme makers. However, The Archers became very popular with city and country residents alike and although its focus remained on farming and country life, its main story lines appealed to a wide audience.

It tells the story of the four generations of the Archer family and the other residents of the village. You soon become involved in the goings-on of the village and the friendships and rivalries between the characters. It deals with hard-hitting social issues such as rural poverty, drug use and suicide; it also introduces current issues such as sustainability, organic food and gay partnerships as well as more light- hearted issues such as the Flower and Produce Show, the Christmas pantomime and Pancake Day races.

Although many of the original cast members have now died, there is an actor who has been there for the duration. June Spencer recently celebrated her 90th birthday and has played the central role of Peggy Archer (now Woolley), and recently she appeared on Desert Island Discs (see Network Teachers’ Club in November). From time to time celebrities appear on the programme in small cameo roles – amongst them have been Princess Margaret and Dame . If you want to find out more about The Archers before listening, then enjoy the special two-minute guide - a good way to find out more about the characters.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qpgr/features/about

Otherwise go straight to the website to listen.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qpgr

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Pick of the Week

Imagine a box of chocolates where someone has carefully selected the most delicious and tasty samples for you to take pleasure in. You don’t have to do anything except sit back and enjoy what’s offered to you. Well, this is the idea of '' on Radio 4.

This programme puts a selection of the highlights of the previous week from Radios 2, 3 and 4 and occasionally, the World Service.

So what sort of things might you hear? Well, an extract from a quiz show, a lively interview with a politician, part of a play, a joke from a stand-up , a report from a documentary, part of a book-reading or even an aria from an opera - anything that listeners have heard and thought is worth recommending to others. It might be something funny or moving or just great drama. As an overall idea of the high standard of broadcasting on the BBC it’s a great taster – and even for long time listeners, it’s a weekly indulgence to hear parts of programmes again.

Each week a presenter from the BBC hosts the show. If you listen carefully, you may recognize their voices from other Radio 4 shows: from Woman’s Hour (see Network Teachers’ Club in February 2010) or John Waite from , for example. Besides the BBC listeners these presenters make choices for the programme as well. This means that there is a great variety of programmes that are included and you can hear a wide range of snippets. And don’t forget – if there’s something that you’ve enjoyed on BBC Radio, you can contact the Pick of the Week programme with your suggestion. Perhaps your recommendation will be on air next time!

Tune in and find out about the highlights of last week. Pick of the Week is broadcast every at 18.15 (British time) on Radio 4. Just click on:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qpdd

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Afternoon Play

Please take your seats, ladies and gentlemen, because the performance is about to begin. Are you going to hear an adaptation of a favourite novel? Or a psychological thriller set in the Far East? Or maybe a dramatized version of a gripping historical event? Settle down as the curtain rises on 'Afternoon Play'.

At 14.15 every weekday afternoon on BBC Radio 4, there is a chance to hear the Afternoon Play, 45- minute radio dramas which delight and surprise.

Each week a selection of plays are performed, ranging from period pieces to futuristic , from domestic dramas to political thrillers – and all lasting just three quarters of an hour.

Afternoon Play lets you hear old favourites: five-part adaptations of the John Irving novel A Prayer for Owen Meany and of the Louis de Bernière novel Captain Corelli’s Mandolin both reached the airwaves last year in dramatized versions. Joe Orton’s play Funeral Games was broadcast earlier this year.

But there is also plenty of new writing to hear – nearly 200 plays are broadcast annually. The quirky, dark Highgate Letters and a production called love , which, not surprisingly, had a small part for the well-loved performer Mr Fry himself, were both heard in April this year.

On a more serious note, a play based on the true story of Edith Scholem, 16-year-old daughter of the leader of Germany’s communists who was forced to flee Berlin in 1934, was broadcast in February this year.

Sometimes the plays are even set on location: in October last year a Japanese murder mystery in three parts (A Tokyo Murder) was recorded on the streets of the Japanese .

Around 1 million listeners tune in to hear the programme each afternoon. And which day do you think has the biggest audience? Well, it’s Monday’s play – perhaps people feel they deserve some drama after the weekend. And the smallest audience? That’s on Thursday.

Tune in and listen to Afternoon Play this week and allow yourself 45 minutes which will delight and surprise you. It is broadcast every weekday afternoon at 14.15 (British time). Just click on:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qrzz

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A Point of View

It’s not funny, though it might make you smile; it’s not political, though it touches on political issues; it’s not dramatic, though it will keep you engrossed for its full ten minutes. This weekly programme belongs to traditional – one person delivering a well-composed monologue, reflecting on a topical issue. It is called 'A Point of View'.

The Australian cultural critic established the series in 2007, when he was asked by the controller of BBC Radio 4, , to prepare a set of broadcasts, each one running at just under ten minutes, or just over 1,500 words. In this first series Clive reflected on, amongst other things, plastic surgery, the Olympics and black role models.

There are several other presenters of A Point of View, including the historian , the art historian and London University professor . All of the presenters are well-known for their ability to explain broad concepts clearly and to articulate complicated ideas with clarity. David Cannadine recently presented his thoughts on Memorial Day in America and a week beforehand, on the power of volcanoes. Simon Schama has discussed issues including New Zealand’s history, the changing seasons and the meaning of money as reflected in art. Earlier this year, Lisa Jardine tackled the value of musical education, the emergence of e-books and the importance of chemist . Last year, Sir presented a series of talks recalling his experiences from seven decades of exploring the globe. In the first installment he answered the question many people ask him: which animal would you most like to be? And his answer? - A sloth.

Tune in and find out about this week’s topical reflection in A Point of View on BBC Radio 4. It is broadcast every Friday evening at 20.50 (British time). Just click on:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qng8

And if you want to read a transcript of the talks, you can do this by going to the BBC Magazine. Just click on:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8722432.stm

Seite 9 BBC Radio Guide

Shipping Forecast

The has a long tradition of seafaring, and although most boats which leave British shores these days are involved in leisure or commercial enterprises – yachts, ferries, fishing boats or container ships – all vessels, regardless of size, are at the mercy of natural elements. Hence, a programme dedicated to the weather around the coasts of the British Isles: ''.

Each forecast is broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Long Wave, for optimum reception at sea, and follows a strict three-minute format. The first words are always: "And now the Shipping Forecast, issued by the on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency at (time) GMT/BST (date)." Beginning with gale warnings, the announcer then goes on to give a general synopsis, then area forecasts, starting in the northeast waters of the , and moving clockwise around the coast. This information starts with the areas, wind direction, strength (from 1 to 12 on the ) followed by precipitation and then visibility, for example: „Viking, North Utsire, northerly, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 in West Viking. Showers. Good.”

It has been on air since 1921 in one format or another. The current incarnation is updated four times a day starting after the news at midnight.

Sounds dull? Well, it’s the melody of the listings, the rhythm, the intonation and the evocative names that make the Shipping Forecast so beguiling. While it has a practical and essential use for those at sea, it has an enduring appeal to land-locked listeners and holds a particular place in British consciousness. The lyricism of the Shipping Forecast has been used by various British rock bands, including Blur and . Poets such as from have also used the Shipping Forecast as inspiration, as has the current Poet Laureate, . And, of course, it has been the source of many parodies and jokes: The Shopping Forecast, The Mid-Life Forecast. The music which as the nightly closedown music on BBC Radio 4 precedes the midnight edition is quite a popular choice to play at funerals.

Tune in and listen to the latest Shipping Forecast at the following times: 00.48, 05.20, 12.01 or 17.54 (British Time). Find out whether you consider the latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping to be haunting and melodic.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qfvv

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A History of the World in 100 Objects

Have you ever been to London? After seeing all the main tourist sights, did you visit the British Museum? It houses a vast collection of world art and artefacts and from these thousands of exhibits in the museum, the director, Neil MacGregor, has identified 100 artefacts which explain the history of humanity in the BBC Radio 4 programme ‘A History of the World in 100 Objects’.

The British Museum, founded in 1753, was the first public museum in the world and displays objects from around the globe. Millions of items are stored and only a selection are on public view, but Neil MacGregor has selected the ones he considers to be the most important to explore two million years of world history.

Each fifteen-minute episode of A History of the World in 100 Objects, a joint venture between the British Museum and the BBC, introduces one artefact from the British Museum collection and Neil MacGregor explains its purpose and significance. There are also short interviews with experts to go more deeply into cultural and contemporary reflections.

From the development of the written language to the introduction of a monetary system; from the first descriptions of romantic love to the representation of – each object described has a role in the cultural and social development of the world over the last two million years.

Let’s look at one episode in more detail: Hoa Hakananai, an Easter Island statue, built circa 1000, whose purpose was to bring the faithful in closer contact with their god, was brought to the British Museum in 1869. Neil MacGregor gives the background to the monolith: how it was used; where it stood and how it was made. Steve Hooper, an anthropologist and art historian, then explains the significance of ancestor worship. This is followed by the sculptor Sir Anthony Caro who reflects on the piece, describing it as, ‘the essence of sculpture’.

The 100 BBC episodes are divided into 20 themed weekly sections, with a programme every weekday. The first five programmes were, Five objects which help reveal what makes us human. The 100 episodes have been divided into three; the first 35 episodes were aired at the beginning of the year, the second section in the summer and the third and final part of the series (from episode 71 to 100) begins in September. But don’t worry if you didn’t get the opportunity to hear the first 70 programmes. All of them are available to listen again or to download as . And if you want to view the objects, you can do this on the A History of the World in

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100 Objects website (see below). You can choose how you look at them, too: for example, on a timeline or by location, size, colour or material.

The programme has invited museums around the UK to nominate their own objects and listeners can also suggest things which they think help to explain the history of humanity: a first world war bullet, a Dansette record player and an athletics programme are objects which have already been nominated.

Tune in and listen to the latest episode of A History of the World in 100 Objects and see which artefact is being discussed today. It is broadcast from Monday to Friday at 10.45am and 7.45pm (UK times) or simply go to:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/

And if you're lucky enough to have a trip to London planned, go to the British Museum, where you can see all 100 objects featured in the programme. Here's their website:

http://www.britishmuseum.org/

Seite 12 BBC Radio Guide frontrow

What do the following have in common: evergreen pop singer Tom Jones; award-winning author Joyce Carol Oates; comedian and veteran actress ? Answer: they have all been interviewed on BBC Radio 4's daily arts programme 'frontrow'.

Frontrow is broadcast every weekday evening and provides articles on the latest books, films, music, performance, visual art, media and more - anything that comes under the umbrella of culture. Theatre, ballet, poetry, photography, sculpture, modern music, art galleries, documentaries, video games, pop music, television series, gardens, opera, memoirs, magazines, classical music …

As well as interviews with important public figures, there are also reviews, previews, discussions and reports. As the programme's remit covers the whole of the UK, there may be an interview with the lead actor from the Playhouse, a review of an art exhibition in and a studio discussion about best-selling crime books within the programme's 30-minute slot.

First broadcast in 1998, frontrow developed from Radio 4's earlier arts programme, Kaleidoscope, which had been running for 25 years. The first interviewee on the new programme was the British novelist Beryl Bainbridge, who died earlier this year. (In fact, frontrow had an appreciation of her life very soon after her death.)

The main presenters are , and John Wilson and they all have huge experience dealing with the (sometimes) sensitive guests they interview. Two years ago, John Wilson interviewed Chris Martin and other members of the UK rock group Coldplay, who were publicising their new album Viva la Vida. Nine minutes into the interview, Chris Martin decided he was unhappy and left. John Wilson carried on like a trooper! Earlier this year, Australian actor Russell Crowe stormed out of an interview with Mark Lawson, offended by questions about his accent in the film Robin Hood.

Listeners are also kept up to date on prizes in the arts. The Man Booker Prize awarded for fiction is reviewed each year; the nominees for the Mercury Prize for music from the UK are showcased; the contenders for the UK City of Culture 2013 were visited; the annual Art Fund Prize for museums and galleries is also featured as is the Orange Prize for women's fiction.

To find out what's on tonight's frontrow at 7.15pm (UK time), go to:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qsq5

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From Our Own Correspondent

When people around the globe think of the BBC and what it represents, they don't just think of London or Britain, but of the contribution of the BBC journalists around the world - the foreign correspondents. From India to Indonesia, from Brazil to Botswana, the BBC has an extensive network to cover the world. One programme is dedicated to these journalists' stories: 'From Our Own Correspondent'.

Foreign correspondents are usually heard detailing important political or economic stories or reporting on natural disasters from the area in which they are based. But From Our Own Correspondent looks at the stories behind the world's headlines and also at some rather more personal reflections of the journalists themselves.

From Our Own Correspondent has been running for over 50 years and is presented by , well-known in the UK for her fearless overseas reporting. Recent editions have included reports about the decline of cinema in ; an attempt to cut through Algerian red tape; the enigmatic career of Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Spanish concern over immigration and the economy; and the dangers of being a local journalist in Kashmir, India.

One really useful addition to this programme are the scripts which are available for most of the reports on the Archive page. This means that you can read some of the reports from the past months. Read the scripts:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/archive/default.stm

Take a look here at some of the stories from the past 50 years of From Our Own Correspondent: Stalin's legacy in Russia from 1956; travelling on the funeral train of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru from 1964; US soldiers fighting in Vietnam from 1970; the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/fooc50/default.stm

Find out which correspondent is giving his/her personal reflection this week:: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/default.stm

From Our Own Correspondent is broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Saturdays at 11.30am and on Thursdays at 11.00am (UK time).

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Book of the Week

Do you know the English actress ? She's what's known in the UK as a 'national treasure', someone who is liked by everyone regardless of age or gender. And when she published her autobiography, 'That's Another Story', two years ago, it was an obvious choice for '', the serialised book-reading heard on weekday mornings on BBC Radio 4.

But Book of the Week includes more than the autobiographies of well-loved actresses. It also covers works of non-fiction, biography, travel, diaries, essays, humour and history. Anything that is, except fiction.

In the summer, Walking Home by Lynn Schooner, recounted one man's attempt to journey solo into the Alaskan wilderness. In May, 's history of Charles II, A Gambling Man – Charles II and the Restoration, could be heard. And in the spring Frances Stonor Saunders' The Woman Who Shot Mussolini, the account of the troubled life of Violet Gibson, who attempted to assassinate the Italian dictator, was the week's feature.

In November, Canadian actor read the autobiography of Mark Twain, a book written over 100 years ago, but Twain decreed that his autobiography should not be published until he'd been dead for 100 years so that he could feel free to speak his "whole frank mind".

The books selected for Book of the Week are edited into five 15-minute readings and are broadcast each weekday morning at 9.45am. They are repeated at 0.30am, the following day. Each episode is available for listen again for a week after its first broadcast.

So, relax, forget the stress of Christmas, and savour some literary moments during the cold, dark days of December. Tune in and see what is this week's Book of the Week. Just go to:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qftk and find out if you can hear another 'national treasure' reading their autobiography.

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What the Papers Say

Life is often too busy to keep up with all the news that is going on around the UK, never mind to read how different newspapers are reporting it. But there's a weekly radio programme which does the job for you: a light-hearted analysis of how the British newspapers are covering the biggest stories. It's an easily digestible 15-minute-slot called '' on BBC Radio 4.

What the Papers Say gives a wry look at the week's most important stories by reading the relevant headlines or comments from different newspapers. The (or quality press) don't often report events in the same way as the tabloids (or yellow press), particularly political stories. WikiLeaks, the student demonstrations about increased university tuition fees, the engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton and the coalition government have all been covered in recent episodes of What the Papers Say. Not surprisingly, there were very different opinions from and The (two of the tabloid newspapers) and and (two of the broadsheets). And then there's the added dimension of whether the papers are right- or left-wing or just sitting in the centre.

Although What the Papers Say was broadcast for nearly 50 years on the television before finding its current home on the radio, the format has remained the same: a studio presenter (usually a leading political journalist) reads a script which is interspersed with quotes (headlines and selections from the comments pages of various newspapers) read in a variety of accents and voices by four . The quotes are generally humorous and, more importantly, identify the 's attitude to the story under question. This attitude is then articulated by the actor reading the excerpt - so it is a good way for the listener to understand the political leanings of each newspaper.

So why don't you increase your political and current affairs knowledge and tune in to find out what the papers say at 22.45 (UK time) on Sundays. Just go to:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sgy8c

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Sunday Miscellany

The 40 shades of green, a pint of Guinness, fiddle music; the economic crash, emigration and bailouts; Celtic mythology, folklore and literature: all of these are images conjured up by the word 'Ireland'. Although it's going through a difficult time economically, there's one area of culture where Ireland has always shone: the art of storytelling. And 'Sunday Miscellany' carries on this tradition.

Whether through poetry or narrative, storytelling is alive and well on RTÉ Radio 1, the Irish national radio station. Every Sunday morning at 9.10 am (Irish time), listeners can hear a range of brand new writing from new voices and established names. Reportage, appreciations, memory pieces, poetry, travel writing and personal accounts of events and happenings are all the stuff of Sunday Miscellany. The programme is 50 minutes long and each reading is separated by a piece of music, although, unfortunately, the music is not played on the for copyright reasons.

Sometimes there is a theme running through one edition of Sunday Miscellany, for example 'Father's Day', 'Halloween' or 'St Patrick's Day'. Or the readings have been recorded at literary festivals in Ireland such as the 'Mountain to Sea Festival' in Dublin, the 'Bluestack Donegal Bay Arts Festival' or 'Listowel Writers' Week'.

The programme has been running for over 40 years and is an important Sunday morning ritual for many Irish people in Ireland, and now, of course, around the world. Each programme has 6 readings which all meet the guidelines for submission to the programme - scripts should be approximately 700 words long, which means a reading time of between 7 and 8 minutes. And all of the readings are done by the authors themselves, so you hear a great range of accents, most of them Irish.

Tune in and find out what stories will be told on this week's Sunday Miscellany. Just go to:

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/sundaymiscellany/

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In Our Time Are you feeling clever? Not just everyday clever, but bright and sharp, and ready to take on an intellectual challenge? Ready to grapple with theories and beliefs? If you are, then you may be ready to enjoy 'In Our Time', where and his guests discuss the history of ideas.

In Our Time is generally acknowledged to be one of BBC Radio 4's most testing programmes. Each week it covers a specific philosophical, historical, artistic, scientific or religious subject in great depth with Melvyn Bragg in the presenter's chair. In the studio with him are three scholars with varying viewpoints, who are also university teachers. Amid the three experts, Bragg takes the role of chair and is the intelligent layman who steers the discussion and asks pertinent questions.

Because of the nature of the topics, there are moments when the listener needs to concentrate hard to understand the concepts being discussed. Examples of subjects covered in the last twelve months are Daoism; the Medieval University; Sturm und Drang; Imaginary Numbers; and the Age of the Universe.

In Our Time started as a half-hour programme in 1998 and it was thought that such an intellectually demanding programme would have a short shelf-life. But to everyone's surprise, it became a success and within a year the listening figures had more than doubled. The length of the broadcast was also increased to 45 minutes.

In Our Time is broadcast live and unedited every Thursday morning at 9.00 am (UK time). Melvyn Bragg starts each programme with a brief overview of the topic before introducing his three experts. It recently celebrated its 500th edition with a discussion on Free Will. All of the 500 programmes are available to listen to again, so whether it's Aristotle or Asteroids; Zulu Wars or Zero, you'll find something to stimulate the grey cells!

Explore the programme's archive:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/in-our-time/archive/

To tune in this Thursday morning at 9.00 am (UK time) and see if you're up to the challenge just go to:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qykl

It's repeated at 9.30 (UK time) on Thursday evening and is also available as a podcast.

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Counterpoint

Do you know who wrote the music of the Disney films 'The Jungle Book' and 'Mary Poppins'? Or what nationality the conductor Nicholas Harnoncourt is? Or to whom Mozart dedicated his String Quartets nos. 14 to 19? If you like questions like these, then 'Counterpoint', a weekly music quiz where members of the public compete to become Radio 4's musical mastermind, is the programme for you.

Now in its 25th series, Counterpoint has been running for nearly 25 years and has the Radio 4 Monday lunchtime quiz slot. Each week three members of the public compete over three rounds or movements as they are called. In the first round, each contestant is given five questions, two of which are introduced by a musical extract – so it's a music quiz with music! The second round is a specialist round on subjects as diverse as 'Beethoven's piano sonatas', 'Paris' or 'Gilbert and Sullivan' who wrote popular 19th century comic operas. The final round is an open one, where the contestant who buzzes first, gets to answer.

Originally hosted by , Counterpoint is now in the hands of . He tests the contestants' knowledge of a wide range of musical genres, from core classics and opera, to pop, jazz, rock, and film and stage musicals. The winner of each round goes forward to future rounds, so that at the end of each series there is a Counterpoint champion.

To tune in to this week's Counterpoint just go to:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00zzy2d and see if you can beat the contestants. It's broadcast on Monday afternoon at 1.30pm (UK time) and is repeated on Saturday evening at 11.00pm (UK time).

And the answers to the three questions posed at the beginning? - Dick and Bob Sherman; Austrian; Haydn.

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Last Word

If you turn towards the back of most quality newspapers in the UK, you'll see the pages of 'hatches, matches and dispatches' (births, and deaths). This is followed by two or three pages of obituaries, reporting the lives of people who have recently died: people who have shaped modern history to a greater or lesser degree. The radio version of these pages is called ''.

Hosted by Matthew Banister, John Wilson or Jane Little, Last Word is an obituary show where the lives of famous people who have died recently are summarized. Included in each summary are tributes from people who knew the deceased well and who can add important personal insights. In the programme of 13th May this year, for example, Seve Ballesteros, the well-loved Spanish golfer, was featured, and an interview was included with his caddy.

The previous week's edition had included the obituary of Osama bin Laden, a name familiar to almost everyone on the planet. Three people who had met him gave insights into his character and were all impressed by his calm and cool manner and by his quality as a good listener.

However, although famous (and infamous) people are included, there are also obituaries of people who are not household names, but who achieved significant fame in their professions. People like forensic pathologist Prof David Bowen; Nobel prize winning scientist Baruch Blumberg and Welsh soprano Dame Margaret Price. Or people who were famous for one significant event in their lives: people like Penny Feiwel, a volunteer; Barbara Harmer, the only woman to pilot Concorde and Edith Helm, the first kidney transplant recipient.

The thirty-minute programme is broadcast on Friday afternoons at 4pm (UK time) on BBC Radio 4 and repeated on Sundays at 8.30pm.

To tune in to this week's Last Word, just go to:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qpmv

and see which famous, and not so famous, people have been 'dispatched' this week.

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Today

It's known as the programme that the Prime Minister wakes up to. And it's recognized as being the most influential programme in setting the political agenda in the . It can infuriate, exasperate and provoke; but it can also entertain, enlighten and fascinate. The 'Today' programme is never ever dull …

Radio 4's flagship news and current affairs programme Today has been on the air for more than 50 years. Although the format has changed through the decades, it has now settled in to a three-hour weekday format starting at 6am and finishing at 9am, from Monday to Friday and starting an hour later on Saturday for only two hours. There is a roster of five regular presenters: Evan Davies, John Humphries, , and . Throughout the programme, there are the usual sections of news, weather, sports, business, parliament and summaries of the day's newspaper stories. But there are two particular slots which make the Today programme noteworthy (and, at times, controversial).

The first is , which is featured around 7.45am. This is a three- minute talk on a theological theme. While the majority of the speakers are Christian, there are other popular religious speakers, most notably Rabbi . The religious nature of the slot has caused listeners to accuse the BBC of being out of date with the country, particularly by ignoring .

The second special slot is the 8.10 interview. This is usually the longest and toughest interview of the programme where listeners can hear members of the government battling with one of the Today's presenters. The often confrontational style of the presenters, primarily John Humphries, has proved a challenging ground for government or business representatives to put across their argument.

Yet the Today programme remains very popular, being the most listened to programme on Radio 4. It has also won prizes for the quality of its reporting.

Why not tune in on weekday mornings between 6am and 9am, or on Saturday from 7am (UK time) and find out whether you'll be annoyed, intrigued or just simply informed. Just go to:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qj9z And if you want to find out how Today is put together every day, then watch this video (you need the current version of the flash player for it):

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/about_today/default.stm

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Poetry Please

Do you still remember the poems you learnt as a child? 'I wandered lonely as a cloud that floats on high o'er vale and hill …' Or which were read to you? 'Slowly, silently now the moon, walks the night in her silver shoon …' The words can take you back to your childhood. '' on BBC Radio 4 invites listeners to send in requests for poems they would like to hear again.

However, it's not only revered (and dead) poets like Wordsworth and De la Mare who feature on the programme - you can also hear (very much alive) poets like the first woman British Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy; Nobel Prize winner, Seamus Heaney and the winner of the BBC Short Story Award 2010, David Constantine.

Roger McGough, himself a well-known British poet (whose work is also sometimes featured), introduces the poems on Poetry Please which are read by a cast of actors. These performers often include some of the best British stage actors, like Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen, and husband and wife team and .

Listeners send in their requests with the reason why they would like to hear the poem read on air. For many listeners, the requested poem has some connection to their past lifes - to a well-loved family member or teacher. Others have read the poem in a book and now they would like to enjoy its full texture and hear it read aloud.

Poetry Please has been on air for more than thirty years and is the longest running poetry programme in the world. Its thirty-minute format has remained pretty much untouched, apart from a change in presenter. It was originally introduced by , but in 2002, Roger McGough took over.

It's broadcast every Sunday at 4.30 pm (UK time) and repeated on Saturday at 11.30pm. To listen to some verse which may transport you back to your past go to:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp7q

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The News Quiz

If you're expecting serious questions about events that have taken place in the world, then this programme is going to disappoint. Instead, '' takes an amusing look at the world of politics, business and media and always finds something to laugh about.

The News Quiz has been running for over 30 years and was originally conceived to bring the two best-selling satirical magazines, Punch and together on the radio. The original team captains were the magazines' respective editors: and . It has been chaired by , and and the current chair is who was herself a regular panellist. There are three regular panellists: , and and they are joined each week by a comedian, journalist or, occasionally, a politician. BBC newsreaders also play a part in the programme, reading out amusing (and often very vulgar) misprints from local and national publications.

Although nominally it is a quiz, there is little competition between the four guests: the main aim is to poke fun at the hapless subject of the question posed by the chair. Whose testimony has hacked off his old boss? was a question about News International phone-hacking scandal. Whose extraordinary rendition met some embarrassing notes? isn't referring to a song or poetry reading, but to the interrogation of Libyan prisoners by MI6 when the last Labour government was in power. Other recent topics have included the Royal Wedding; university tuition fees; National Health Service restructuring and the UK riots.

The News Quiz is recorded in front of a studio audience on Thursday evenings (one day before broadcast) which adds to the liveliness of the programme. The show is broadcast on Friday at 6.30 pm (UK time) and repeated on Saturdays at 12.30 pm. Or you can also listen on Radio 4 Extra to hear the programme repeated on Friday at 12.30 pm.

If you want to find out more about the funny side of this week's news, then go to:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0146426

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The Food Programme

You'll find discussions about organic farming, supermarkets, independent retailers, nutrition, health and useful kitchen gadgets. But, surprisingly, the one thing you probably won't hear on '' are any recipes. That's left to the cookery programmes.

The Food Programme has been running on BBC Radio 4 for more than 30 years and its brief is to investigate and celebrate . Rather than just focus on food as it arrives on our plates, it looks at the provenance, manufacture and production of food. Generally each edition looks at one particular topic, such as a specific food item like honey, vinegar or malt; a topical issue such as prison meals; the food from a particular region such as Ireland after the economic crash or Japan post-Fukushima; or it may investigate a health issue such as problem drinking or disease in Scotland.

The programme is currently presented by Sheila Dillon, who has worked on the show for over 20 years, but it was founded by Derek Cooper whose voice has been described 'as distinctive and characterful as any peaty island malt'. The presenters' investigative work helped to bring the scandal of BSE, the rise of GM foods and the growth of organic farming to the public's consciousness, at a time when the rest of the media remained uninterested.

Each year The Food Programme awards 'The Food and Farming Award' in recognition of the UK's most inspiring food producers, farmers, markets, caterers, campaigners and retailers. There are ten categories of prizes and all of the winners have shown how our attitudes to food are changing for the better. And, of course, The Food Programme is also the recipient of awards: from the 'Guild of Food Writers' in 2009 and the 'Voice of the Listener and Viewer Association'.

If you want to hear how The Food Programme is investigating every aspect of the food we eat, then go to:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qnx3

It's broadcast every Sunday at 12.30 (UK time) or on Monday at 16.00.

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The Essay

When you think of the word 'essay', does it take you back to school or university, anxiously writing, as the clock ticks towards the deadline? Well, this essay won't make you stressed, quite the opposite, in fact. Just relax, and listen to the insight and emotional engagement of 'The Essay'.

The Essay is a fifteen-minute programme broadcast on weekday evenings on BBC Radio 3. It was first broadcast in 2007 and as its name suggests, it is a written text: there are no introductions or chat, just one voice reading a well- written essay. Each week there is one theme introduced by either a single voice or by five different ones. The topics of The Essay are incredibly wide-ranging: from thoughts about the Scottish poet Robert Burns to reflections on travelling by InterRail; from discussions on Free Thinkers from the North East of England to an exploration of the works of Caravaggio.

In October this year, the poet explored Britain's relationships with five animals: the deer, the badger, the robin, the fox and the butterfly. Each programme was dedicated to one animal and Padel explained how attitudes to each animal have changed and developed over the past centuries. Earlier this year, with the title Under the Influence, five well-known artists talked about different influences that shape and inform their work.

You can enjoy a mixture of well-known, distinguished artists: author and actress Juliet Stevenson both delivered an essay on their relationship to sleep in The Darkest Hour as well as new and emerging voices, who are perhaps presenting their work for the first time on the radio.

The Essay is broadcast on weekdays at 22.45 (UK time). Find out this week's arts or cultural topic:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006x3hl

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Gardeners' Question Time

Are you feeling fed up with the miserable weather and the short days? Are you looking forward to the spring and everything coming into leaf once again? Then listen to 'Gardeners' Question Time' on BBC Radio 4.

And don't worry if you don't have a garden, it's a programme with helpful tips for everybody – whether you have a windowsill, a balcony or a backyard.

Each week, a panel of horticultural experts answer gardening questions from a live audience of enthusiastic amateur gardeners. The current chairman of Gardeners' Question Time, Eric Robson, invites members of the audience to ask their questions to the panel of experts, including the aptly named organic horticulturalist, Bob Flowerdew.

Questions are often related to the local conditions – the soil or climate, for example – or are requests for advice about diseased plants, (cuttings from these plants are distributed between the members of the panel, often prompting sarcastic comments). Or perhaps someone needs help with planning a flower border that receives too much (or not enough) sun; choosing a plant for a draughty hallway; pruning trees to encourage more growth; or deterring voles from the garden.

The first edition of Gardeners' Question Time was broadcast on 9 April 1947 and was inspired by the wartime Dig For Victory campaign. While the programme's focus has changed from food production to gardening and plant-keeping in general, it retains much of its down-to-earth charm and wisdom from those early days. And it is entertaining for gardeners and non-gardeners alike.

The location of Gardeners' Question Time changes each week and horticultural associations around the country vie for the prestige of hosting the programme. In the past few weeks, it has been broadcast from Kent, Devon, Staffordshire and the Scottish borders. And though it is usually recorded in a village hall or similar location, over the years programmes have also been made in zoos, schools, a prison, the and even a naturist club.

To tune in to this week's Gardeners' Question Time ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp2f and see what expert tips you can pick up for your plants or garden. It's broadcast on Friday afternoon at 3.00pm (UK time) and is repeated on Sunday afternoon at 2.00pm (UK time).

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Excess Baggage

The world is your oyster – well, it certainly can be with the programme that knows no borders: 'Excess Baggage'. Read more ...

Excess Baggage is a travel magazine, broadcast every Saturday morning to an audience of around 10 million, which features impressive travellers' tales, experiences and anecdotes from near and far.

Some accounts may sound quite prosaic, like the traditional attractions of England or the bus trip from Brighton to Eastbourne; some may be more exciting and striking such as visiting rural Italy and dancing the tango in Buenos Aires. But other stories are quite breathtaking: horse riding in Albania, white-water rafting in the Himalayas, cycling the Tour d'Afrique and skiing in Iran. And getting more down-to-earth, Excess Baggage has also featured a trip to Munich in search of visitor attractions old and new. But regardless of location, all of these accounts are imbued with detail and passion. There are also interviews with well-seasoned travellers and reviews of travel biographies, including a report from the Cheltenham Literature Festival.

John McCarthy, a journalist for over thirty years, hosts Excess Baggage in tandem with Sandi Toksvig. John McCarthy's name became famous throughout the late eighties when he was held hostage in Lebanon for more than five years. He was released in 1991 and has subsequently written about his ordeal in his memoir entitled Some Other Rainbow. Sandi Toksvig is a well-known radio and TV personality appearing on Radio 4's The News Quiz amongst others (see Network Teachers' Club, What's on?, October 2011). John and Sandi, who are friends away from the studio, sailed together around the coast of Great Britain in 1995 and produced a documentary and book about their journey called Island Race.

So, take a break from the daily routine and find out where you can be transported this week. To tune in to this week's edition of Excess Baggage, ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qjds

It's broadcast every Saturday at 10.00am (UK time).

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Loose Ends

An eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy – enjoy a perfect start to a Saturday evening with 'Loose Ends'. Read more about this BBC programme ...

For forty-five minutes, hosts a relaxed and witty programme with guests from the world of music, theatre, television, literature and of course, comedy. There's an intimate feel to Loose Ends as the contributers all sit together in the studio and there's always a sense that everyone is having great fun – nothing (and nobody) is taken too seriously. Each week there's live music in the studio, increasing the sense of cozy intimacy. Listeners can enjoy and appreciate not just information about the cultural highlights of the week, but also an extra portion of humour.

You might hear such as Eric Idle or Stephen Fry; musicians like the Stranglers or the Webb Sisters; actors like , or . and are both frequent voices on Loose Ends, adding their unique insight into the week's cultural news. And there are also fascinating guests like the designer Zandra Rhodes and the chef Heston Blumenthal.

The programme was first broadcast in 1986 and originally aired on Saturday mornings with Ned Sherrin as the host, moving to its Saturday evening slot in 1998. After Ned's death in 2006, the well-known comedian (and barrister) Clive Anderson took on the job of host, together with Peter Curran.

Unwind this Saturday evening and find out which guests have been invited into the Loose Ends studio this week. It is broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday at 6.15pm (UK time) and repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra on Monday at 11.15 am (UK time).

To tune in to this week's edition of Loose Ends, …

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qjym

Seite 28 BBC Radio Guide

Documentary on One

Take a glimpse into the multifaceted life of Ireland through the eyes of the award- winning series 'Documentary on One', the most successful radio department in the world.

Each Saturday evening on RTÉ (Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the Irish public service broadcaster), an Irish documentary maker presents a forty-minute programme covering a fascinating aspect of Irish life. The production features many up-close-and-personal interviews which let you peak through the windows of life in Ireland. Over the years it has covered a wide range of topics including adoption, drug addiction, football, dancing and religion.

In recent programmes, film-maker Martin Duffy, based in Berlin, returned to Dublin to look behind the scenes of a central Dublin hotel; Fiona Kelly followed a 13-year-old Irish Jew back to Jerusalem for his Bar Mitzvah; and Sarah Blake told the story of fifteen retired Irish schoolteachers who travelled to Gambia as teacher-trainers. Other documentaries have covered such subjects as 'Yola', a Wexford dialect which disappeared one hundred years ago; the first Irish openly lesbian couple Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby (a story which scandalized Ireland in the 1800s); and the oldest undergraduate debating society in the world, the Trinity Historical Society in Dublin.

RTÉ Radio 1 first began producing and broadcasting radio documentaries in 1954. On and off over the next 30 or so years, Radio 1 occasionally made documentaries and in 1987 the programme strand the Documentary on One was born. The Documentary on One unit is currently the most successful radio department in the world - having collected over 50 national and international awards since 2008. Their most successful year yet was 2011, with 21 awards. In another boost for Documentary On One, the series received seven nominations for the 2010 New York Festivals Awards. And it has also been recommended by the renowned writer, actor and comedian Stephen Fry, who sent out a 'tweet' to his 1,678,871 followers saying 'Hours of fun, radio docs from Ireland – huge podcast archive – some very interesting stories – well worth a trawl through.'

Why not see whether you agree with Stephen Fry and listen to this week's edition of Documentary on One? It's broadcast every Saturday evening on RTÉ Radio 1 at 6pm (Irish time) and repeated on Sunday at 7pm (Irish time). To tune in to this week's edition of the programme, ...

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone/index.html

And don't worry if you miss this week's edition – there's still the vast archive to trawl through!

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Profile

Do you like listening to the news, but feel you'd like to know more about the people who are in the headlines? Then listen to 'Profile' on BBC Radio 4.

Profile helps you get a real insight into the headline makers through the eyes of well-established BBC presenters. From the fields of politics, entertainment, business or sport, the people who are featured on Profile are all making headlines in the week they are spotlighted. The fifteen-minute programme seeks to explain the background of these people and what makes them tick. The listener is given a clear insight into the person's character as significant events from their lives are disclosed and colleagues, friends and associates are interviewed.

Recently, political profiles have included President Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria; the French Socialist party candidate (as he was at the time) Francois Hollande; , British Home Secretary; and Christine Lagarde, the newly elected Head of the International Monetary Fund. From the field of entertainment, the Oscar- winning actors Colin , Meryl Streep and Vanessa Redgrave have all been featured; and so have business leaders Rupert Murdoch, head of News Corporation, and Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook Chief Executive. And as we lead up to the UEFA European Football Championship, the new England manager Roy Hodgson was highlighted on Profile at the beginning of May.

The programme has been broadcast for over six years and is introduced each week by one of a range of BBC presenters, including Edward Stourton who was previously a presenter on the Today programme and Rosie Goldsmith who worked in the 1990's as a freelance reporter for Deutsche Welle.

As well as the weekly programme, there is an archive of over 200 programmes which can be listened to. So you can go back to 2006 and hear more about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran; or return to 2007 and listen to a profile of author Ian McEwan; or to 2008 for the life of troubled pop phenomenon .

Profile is broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday at 7pm (UK time) and repeated on Sunday 5.40pm (UK time). To tune in to this week's edition of the programme …

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qjz5 and get an insight into the character of someone making news headlines this week.

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