There is radio – and then there is Jeremy Vine

That’s how we all feel Jeremy!

I listen to quite a lot of radio, I regularly spend quite a large amount of my day in the car and enjoy listening to much of the BBC’s output – I have had my fill of commercial radio. I am a huge fan of Radio 4, there is nothing better to wake up to in the morning than the dulcet tones of John Humphreys on the ‘Today’ show.

And I am definitely a Radio 2 man for much of its music output (I would listen to 6 radio but don’t have a digital tuner in my car), however there is one part of the day on Radio 2 that I can’t listen to – the Jeremy Vine show. I don’t know if it’s just me but I find him rather pointless and deeply annoying!

His program is apparently supposed to deal with the matters in the news that ‘matter’? I just don’t get it, the items are generally pointless and an insult to the listeners intelligence as far as I see it! The other day when the tax avoidance issue was in the news his phone-in was based around the following question;

Is Jimmy Carr still funny?

Is it me or is that a totally pointless and trite question?

The final straw was on today’s show, the earth shattering issue that had to be addressed?

Should people be forced to walk on moving walkways?

Does it matter? No!

I am a huge fan of BBC radio, it is without doubt the best part of the whole corporation, but they really need to do something about Jeremy Vine! And what ever they do please don’t give him more time on TV instead – he is just as bad there!

 

BBC Radio 4 – a great British institution!

I have been having my issues with the BBC recently – the announcement that the Formula One coverage is to be halved from next season rather annoyed me if I am honest. I have sort of got over that now and was really pleased to see that Radio 4 is increasing its listener number while some of the other more ‘popular’ BBC channels are losing listeners. Apparently almost 450,000 more people are tuning in each week compared to last year.

I am not sure if it’s something that one grows into with age or not (sadly it probably is), but I have been waking up to the Today program on radio 4 now for years. There is something very comfortable about the Today program – John Humphries, Evan Davis and their colleagues bring the news to you in a very friendly and accessible way – it’s like your personal morning news briefing.

I don’t feel as if I am being ‘bludgeoned’ awake as I would if I listened to Chris Moyles on Radio 1 (frankly he annoys me – but again that’s probably an age thing). And Chris Evans is fine once I am in my car, but not to wake up to!

Radio 4′s broadcasting during the day can also be fantastic for driving to  – and now I do sound old – the plays or documentary programmes are excellent, I often tune in between listening to albums from my iPod (albums not a selection of tracks – please note!). And then of course there is the Archers………..

So BBC Radio 4, well done and long may you broadcast. You are without doubt one of the Corporations ‘jewels in the crown’.

Give it a go sometime, you might actually surprise yourself – radio is the future!