BBC Radio 4 72758 224846474 2008-07-10T18:00:55Z 81.137.225.175 {{Infobox Radio Station | name = BBC Radio 4 | image = [[Image:BBC Radio 4.svg|175px|Radio 4 logo]] | area = {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[United Kingdom|UK]] - National | airdate = [[30 September]] [[1967]] |share = 12.2% |share as of = March 2008 |share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php] | frequency = [[Frequency modulation|FM]]: 92 [[megahertz|MHz]] - 95 MHz<br />[[Longwave|LW]]: 198 kHz <br />[[Medium wave|MW]]: various<br />[[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]]: 12B <br /> [[Freeview (United Kingdom)|Freeview]]: 704 <br /> [[Tiscali TV]]: 604 <br /> [[Virgin Media]]: 904<br /> [[Sky Digital (UK & Ireland)|Sky Digital]]: 0104<br /> [[UPC Ireland]]: 910<br />[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio4.shtml?listen Internet: Streaming Audio] Real/WM | format = [[News]] & [[Speech communication|Speech]] | owner = [[BBC]] | website = [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 www.bbc.co.uk/radio4] }} [[Image:R4logo.jpg|thumb|right|100px|Previous Radio 4 logo]] '''BBC Radio 4''' is a domestic [[United Kingdom|UK]] radio station which broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes including [[news]], [[drama]], [[comedy]], [[science]] and [[history]]. It replaced the [[BBC Home Service]] in 1967.<ref name="history1960s">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/more/pdfs/1960s.pdf History of the BBC: 1960s]</ref> ==Outline== Radio 4 is the second most popular British domestic [[radio station]] after [[BBC Radio 2|Radio 2]] and was named "UK Radio Station of the Year" at the 2004 [[Sony Radio Academy Awards]] for the second year running and at the 2008 awards.<ref>[http://www.radioawards.org/winners04/win04.htm The Sony Radio Academy Awards: Winners 2004]</ref><ref>[http://www.radioawards.org/winners/?category=UK_Station_of_the_Year&year=2008 Sony Radio Academy Awards - Winners 2008<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Costing £71.4 million (2005/6),<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/review_report_research/bbcannualreport.pdf?page=106 BBC Annual Report and Accounts 2005/2006, page 106]</ref> it is the BBC's most expensive national radio network and is considered by many to be the corporation's flagship. There is currently no comparable UK commercial network (nor any internationally), although [[Channel 4]] had plans to launch its own speech-based station in autumn 2007.<ref name="radio4rival">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6922285.stm Rivals talk of challenging Radio 4]</ref> The current controller of Radio 4 is [[Mark Damazer]]. The previous controller was [[Helen Boaden]], who is now the head of [[BBC News]]. The most controversial controller in recent years was [[James Boyle (broadcasting)|James Boyle]], nicknamed "McBirt" for his support of the BBCs former [[Director-General of the BBC|Director-General]], [[John Birt, Baron Birt|John Birt]]. [[Music]] and [[sport]] are the only fields that largely fall outside the station's remit. There are occasional concerts and [[Test Match Special|ball-by-ball commentaries]] of most [[Test cricket|test matches]] played by England [[cricket]] are broadcast on [[longwave]]. Because the longwave service can be received clearly at sea around the coasts of [[Great Britain|Britain]] and [[Ireland]], Radio 4 also carries [[Shipping Forecast|regular weather forecasts for shipping]] and gale warnings. <ref>[http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/marine/guide/shipping/key.html Met Office Shipping Forecast key]</ref> The station has also been designated as the UK's national broadcaster in times of national emergency such as a war, meaning that even if all other radio stations were forced to close, Radio 4 would still carry on broadcasting.<ref name="radio4rival" /> The station is available on [[FM]], [[longwave|LW]],[[Medium wave|MW]] (In Selected Areas), [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]], Digital TV (including [[Freeview (United Kingdom)|Freeview]]), and on the [[Internet]]. == History == {{see also|BBC Home Service}} The BBC Home Service was predecessor to Radio 4 and broadcast between [[1939]] and [[1967]]. It had [[regional variations]] and was broadcast on [[medium wave]] with a network of [[VHF]] [[FM]] transmitters being added from [[1955]] onwards. Radio 4 replaced the Home Service on [[30 September]] [[1967]], when the [[BBC]] renamed many of its domestic radio stations.<ref name="history1960s" />, and moved to long wave in 1978, taking over the 200hz frequency previously held by Radio Two (this later shifted slightly to 198 hz as a result of international agreements aimed at avoiding interference). It was temporarily replaced on [[FM]] between [[17 January]] [[1991]] and [[2 March]] [[1991]] with the [[Radio 4 News FM|continuous Gulf War news service]]. == Programmes and schedules == ===Daily schedule=== The night time feed from the [[BBC World Service]] ends at 0520, with a brief introduction from the early shift [[continuity announcer]]. The five-minute ''[[Radio 4 UK Theme]]'' (composed by [[Fritz Spiegl]]) used to follow this, but was dropped in April [[2006]] after 33 years in favour of an extension to the early [[news bulletin]],<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/01_january/23/radio4.shtml Press release: New early morning schedule for Radio 4]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4640990.stm UK Theme to be dropped by Radio 4]</ref> despite some public opposition<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/reports/misc/uktheme_20052401.shtml Today: The UK Theme]</ref> and a campaign to save it.<ref>[http://savetheradio4theme.co.uk/ savetheradio4theme.co.uk]</ref> After a continuity link and programme trail there is a [[shipping forecast]], [[weather forecasting|weather reports]] from coastal stations for 0400GMT and inshore waters forecasts, followed at 0530 by a news bulletin, a review of British and international [[newspapers]], and a [[business]] report. On weekdays, ''[[Farming Today]]'', which deals with news of relevance to the agricultural sector, is followed by [[Today programme|the ''Today'' programme]] which runs from 0600 to 0900. On or after the hour, a news bulletin is broadcast &mdash; this is sometimes a two minute summary, a longer piece as part of a current affairs programme, or a thirty minute broadcast on weekdays at 6pm and midnight. At 1200, FM has a four minute bulletin whilst [[longwave]] has the [[headline]]s and then the ''[[Shipping Forecast]]''; for the same reason, longwave leaves ''[[PM (radio programme)|PM]]'' on weekdays at 1754. There is a news programme or bulletin (depending on the day) at 2200, then the midnight news at 0000, followed by (on weekdays) a repeat of ''[[Book of the Week]]''. The tune ''[[Sailing By]]'' is then played until 0048, when the late shipping forecast is broadcast. Radio 4 ends with the national anthem, ''[[God Save the Queen]]'', and the [[World Service]] takes over from 0100 until 0520. There is an online schedule page which lists the running-order of programmes.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/schedule/ Radio 4 Daily Schedule page]</ref> ===Production=== Many Radio 4 programmes are pre-recorded, although some programmes are transmitted live including daily programmes such as [[Today programme|''Today'']], magazine programme ''[[Woman's Hour]]'', consumer affairs programme ''[[You and Yours]]'', and (often) the music, film, books, arts and culture programme ''[[Front Row (radio)|Front Row]]''. [[Continuity (broadcasting)|Continuity]] is generally managed from [[BBC Broadcasting House]] whilst news bulletins (including the hourly summaries and longer programmes such as the ''Six O'Clock News'' and ''Midnight News'') and news programmes (such as ''Today'', ''The World at One'', ''PM'', etc.) come from the [[BBC News Centre]] at [[Television Centre]] in [[White City, London|White City]]. They were moved there in [[1998]] when the News Centre was opened to house both radio and TV news.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/report99/review2c.shtml BBC Annual Report and Accounts 1998-1999]</ref> News is due to return to Broadcasting House in [[2008]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/998847.stm New era for Broadcasting House]</ref> The [[Greenwich Time Signal]], known as 'the pips', is usually broadcast every hour to herald a news bulletin. === Programmes === <!-- Please add programmes to [[List of BBC Radio 4 programmes]] --> {{main article|List of BBC Radio 4 programmes}} Radio 4 is marked out by a set of long-running programmes, many for well over 20 years. The station is notable for a varied schedule of unusually intelligent and diverse programming. Most programmes are available as streaming audio from Radio 4's ''listen again'' page for a week after broadcast, although [[RealPlayer]] is required to listen.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/progs/listenagain.shtml Radio 4: Listen Again]</ref> A smaller selection of programmes are available as [[podcasts]] or [[download]]able audio files.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/help/podcasting.shtml Radio 4 - Downloading and Podcasting]</ref> The BBC has announced its intention to provide an online service provisionally called the [[MyBBCPlayer|BBC iPlayer]] which would let its licence fee payers access a broader range of its audio and video.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/speeches/stories/thompson_edinburgh05.shtml Press release: Speech given at the Edinburgh International Television Festival 2005]</ref> Many comedy and drama programmes from the Radio 4 archives are now rebroadcast on [[BBC Radio 7|BBC 7]]. == Continuity announcers and newsreaders == Announcers link programmes, read trails for programmes and read the Shipping Forecast. Newsreaders read hourly summaries and longer bulletins.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/presenters/newsreader.shtml ''Being a newsreader'' by Harriet Cass]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/radio_newsroom/radio_newsreaders/ List of BBC Radio newsreaders]</ref> '''Senior Announcers''' *[[Chris Aldridge]] *[[Harriet Cass]] '''Newsreaders / Continuity Announcers''' *[[Alice Arnold]] *[[Carolyn Brown]] *[[Kathy Clugston]] *[[Corrie Corfield]] *[[Charlotte Green]] *Annie McKie *Rory Morrison *[[Susan Rae]] *[[Neil Sleat]] '''Newsreaders (non-''Today'' programme) / Continuity Announcers''' *Charles Carroll *[[David Miles (radio)|David Miles]] *[[Vaughan Savidge]] *[[Alan Smith (radio)|Alan Smith]] *[[Zebedee Soanes|Zebedee 'Zeb' Soanes]] '''Newsreaders (non-''Today'' programme)''' *[[Peter Donaldson]] *[[Brian Perkins]] '''Continuity Announcers''' *[[Peter Jefferson (Radio)|Peter Jefferson]] *[[Jim Lee (radio)|Jim Lee]] *[[Neil Nunes]] *Howard Philpot *[[Diana Speed]] '''Former staff''' *David Anderson (left to senior management, but covered during the May '05 strike) *[[Edward Cole (radio)|Edward Cole]] *[[Andrew Crawford]] *[[Caroline Nicholls]] (left July 2007) *[[Alison Rooper]] (left 2005) *[[Astley Jones]] (left 2006) *[[Pennie Latin]] (left 11/04) *[[Patrick Muirhead]] (left 9/04) *[[Laurie Macmillan]] (died 10/01) *[[Andy Rushton]] ([[Test Match Special]] announcer 1998 - June 2007) *[[Moira Stuart]] (left 1981 to TV) *[[Anna Hill]] (left ~2000) *[[Clive Roslin]] (left ~1990) ==Frequencies and other means of reception== '''Radio 4''' is broadcast on:<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/help/waystolisten.shtml Ways of Listening to Radio 4]</ref> *92-95 MHz [[FM]] **95.8 MHz in central Scotland **96 MHz in [[Greater Belfast]]<ref name="analogue">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/waystolisten/analogue/ BBC analogue broadcast frequencies]</ref> **103-104.5 MHz in parts of Wales and on 103.6 MHz in the Inverness area<ref name="analogue" /> *198 kHz [[longwave]] *[[Medium wave]] in some areas: **720 kHz in [[London]] and [[Northern Ireland]] *[[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]] **standard FM content **subsidiary LW content, where applicable *[[Freeview (United Kingdom)|Freeview]] channel 704 (FM only)<ref>[http://www.freeview.co.uk/channels/radio/radio4 BBC Radio 4 on Freeview]</ref> *the [[Internet]]<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio4.shtml?fm Radio 4 FM live]</ref> *satellite **Radio 4 FM: [[British Sky Broadcasting|Sky]] channel 0104<ref name="sky">[http://www.wickonline.com/fta.htm Free Channels on the Sky Digital Satellite Platform]</ref> **Radio 4 LW: [[British Sky Broadcasting|Sky]] channel 0143<ref name="sky" /> *selected [[Cable television]] providers *cable television **NTL Digital Cable channel 910 in [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] == Criticisms == There have been criticisms voiced by members of the British public and in newspapers in recent years over a perceived "left-wing" bias at Radio 4 across a range of issues such as the EU and the Iraq War <ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=BLOGDETAIL&grid=F11&blog=yourview&xml=/news/2007/02/06/ublview06.xml Is Radio 4 alienating its core audience? - Telegraph<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1942948.ece BBC report damns its ‘culture of bias’ - Times Online<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <ref>[http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/eu_referendum/article298647.ece BBC is given EU ‘bias’ rap | The Sun |HomePage|News|EU Referendum<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2006/10/27/do2701.xml&sSheet=/opinion/2006/10/27/ixopinion.html The BBC's commitment to bias is no laughing matter - Telegraph<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, as well as sycophancy in interviews, particularly on the popular morning news magazine "Today" <ref>[http://www.labour-watch.com/bbcbias.htm BBC Bias<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/stephen-pollard-i-dont-want-bias-with-my-cornflakes-583933.html Stephen Pollard: I don't want bias with my cornflakes - Commentators, Opinion - Independent.co.uk<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <ref>[http://www.igreens.org.uk/bbc_radio_4_today_bias.htm BBC radio 4 "Today" bias<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, as part of a reported perception of a general "malaise" at the BBC. Accusations of institutionalised [[groupthink]] have been reported on the Radio 4 "Feedback" programme. People have also complained about a perceived prejudice towards "left-wing" comedy shows, such as "The News Quiz" and "The Now Show". They see this 'prejudice' as evidence that Radio 4 tends to favour broadcasting comedy that promotes a particular world view, rather than comedy which is broadcast purely for its humorous qualities. == See also == *[[Radio 4 UK Theme]] *[[ABC Radio National]] ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==Further reading== *Elmes, Simon ''And Now on Radio 4'', 2007, Random House *Hendy, David ''Life on Air: A History of Radio Four'', 2007, Oxford University Press *{{cite news | last =Mullen| first =L| coauthors =| title =20 things you didn’t know about Radio 4| work =TV & Radio| pages =| language =| publisher =The Times| date =[[2007-09-29]]| url =http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article2529314.ece| accessdate =2007-10-02}} == External links == *{{bbc.co.uk|id=radio4|title=BBC Radio 4}} *{{bbc.co.uk|id=radio4/newsletter|title=BBC Radio 4 Newsletter}} *[http://www.last.fm/group/BBC+Radio+4 Last.FM: BBC Radio 4 group] *[http://www.usabilityviews.com/r4_by_date.html Index of Radio 4 programmes about usability and design] *[http://www.pilgrimagetothepips.org.uk Pilgrimage to the Pips]: A Radio 4 Announcers' Charity Walk {{BBC Radio}} {{London radio}} {{Birmingham radio}} [[Category:BBC Radio 4| ]] [[Category:BBC national radio stations|4]] [[Category:News and talk radio stations in United Kingdom]] [[Category:Radio stations established in 1967]] [[de:BBC Radio 4]] [[es:BBC Radio 4]] [[fr:BBC Radio 4]] [[it:BBC Radio 4]] [[nl:BBC Radio 4]] [[no:BBC Radio 4]] [[pl:BBC Radio 4]] [[pt:BBC Radio 4]] [[sv:BBC Radio 4]]