Feedback

It's a new series of Feedback. Andrea Catherwood sits down with Misha Glenny, former foreign correspondent and investigative journalist to talk about taking on the reins of In Our Time, following Melvyn Bragg's departure from the programme last year. Did Misha's long years in the fields of academia, Investigative journalism and being a BBC Foreign correspondence prepare him from taking on topics that range from cybernetics to Handel's Messiah?
We also received a comment from a listener who feels that the Today programme is changing editorially with too much chat between presenters.
And coverage of the new social media ban for under 16s in the UK has been featured heavily on BBC radio's news programme. A listener shares their opinion on PM's recent coverage of this move.
Finally, another nomination for our annual search for Interview of the Year. This time it's for an episode of Private Passions on Radio 3, in which presenter Michael Berkeley interviews sports and nature writer Simon Barnes.
Presenter: Andrea Catherwood
Producer: Pauline Moore
Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie
Executive Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

Recent headlines have announced that the BBC is set to implement a massive wave of cuts across all of its programming, in order to make a saving of £500 million. The first of these major cuts has just been announced and listeners will soon notice the effects of these changes, with Radio 4 programmes like much-loved The World Tonight being axed. But who's making these choices, and why weren't listeners consulted first? Andrea Catherwood talks to John McAndrew, the Director of BBC's Live and Daily News to get some answers.
Radio 4 might not be the first place you look to for football, and admittedly some listeners might view it as a safe haven from the world's most played sport. But David Baddiel's recent series 60 Years of Hurt for The History Podcast aimed to pin down what "Englishness" means through the history of the England's men's football team. David joins Andrea to hear listener feedback on the series.
Presenter: Andrea Catherwood
Producer: Pauline Moore
Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie
Executive Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

It's the end of this series of Feedback, and Andrea Catherwood is talking to someone who has just brought his own long run at the BBC to a definitive close. Fergal Keane has covered conflicts and events all over the world as a BBC News correspondent, and now he's stepping away. Andrea asks him for his reflections on bearing witness to many world conflicts for 37 years at the Corporation.
And last week we spoke to Jonathan Kanagasooriam, the person in charge of strategy for a new raft of video podcasts from BBC Sounds. You've been in touch with your thoughts about the discussion.
Finally, the team behind obituary programme Last Word have recently produced a series about approaching a big fear in a new way. In Doing Death Differently, presenter Matthew Bannister looks at our changing attitudes and approaches to death. Andrea sits down with Matthew to share your views on the series and discuss the different ways we memorialise the departed.
Presenter: Andrea Catherwood
Producer: Pauline Moore
Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie
Executive Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

The BBC has just released a new raft of visualised podcasts - podcasts productions that you can watch as well as listen to. Some are being released on YouTube and some on iPlayer, but all have audio-only versions available on BBC Sounds too. It's part of a strategy to grow listenership beyond the audiences that usually listens to linear radio. But is it where everything is ultimately headed? Andrea Catherwood talks to Jonathan Kanagasooriam, Managing Editor for Podcast Strategy and Video Podcasts at BBC Sounds, about how he's catering for those who like to watch podcasts.
And the closure of long wave has been set for the end of this year - we hear an update from the BBC.
Finally, we hear from two fans of the longrunning Elis James and John Robins podcast, which has a home on BBC 5 Live. It's been on the airwaves for years, but a recent announcement has indicated that the pod is now moving visualised versions of their recordings behind a paywall on Patreon. Longtime listeners Emma and Chris give their take.
Presenter: Andrea Catherwood
Producer: Pauline Moore
Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie
Executive Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4

Listeners have been telling us their thoughts about a recent episode of Radical with Amol Rajan, in which he interviewed Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan, a physician specialising in neurology and clinical neurophysiology. It was an in-depth discussion about the potential dangers of "over-diagnosis" - but some listeners felt that Dr O'Sullivan's views could have been challenged more. We get some answers to your questions.
A long-running and award-winning Radio 4 drama series has just come to an end. Faith, Hope and Glory has run for 43 episodes since 2021, and has recently wrapped up telling its ambitious, generation-spanning story about the emergence of modern multicultural Britain. Listeners have been in touch with their thoughts about the series, and so Andrea Catherwood sits down with one of the writers, Roy Williams, and director Jessica Dromgoole, to talk about how they weaved the story together.
And lastly, there's another nomination for our Interview of the Year award. Listener Maggie nominates the recent interview with legendary photographer Don McCullin on Radio 4's This Cultural Life, who shared his cultural touchstones while reflecting on his challenging experiences in his early life and as a working war photographer. Listen to find out why she thinks it deserves the top spot.
Presenter: Andrea Catherwood
Producer: Pauline Moore
Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie
Executive Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4