Radio
Reassuring voice
Michael Vestey
Some of the fun has gone out of Feed- back on Radio Four (Friday). It's still a good programme, yes, but BBC executives no longer sound as if they're simultaneous- ly on the rack, the wheel and the thumb- screws when they're being interrogated by Chris Dunkley. They seemed to have learnt a thing or two, enduring the lancinating discomfiture more skilfully. There might even be, in the bowels of Broadcasting House, a special studio mocked up to look like the splendid York Dungeon, where they go to practise being interviewed.
It's not that Dunkley has lost his thumb- screws, just that his interviewees have improved, or at least some of them have. James Boyle, the controller of Radio Four, was DunIdey's guest on the last Feedback of the season (it returns in the summer) and I thought he came over very well. He was plausible, honest as much as he could be at this stage and reassuring. He's con- ducting a review of the network's pro- grammes which sounded ominous when first announced. It certainly put the wind up many listeners who feared the worst, not just those who hate any change but more sensible souls who worry that when programmes are dropped or revamped there's not necessarily an improvement; and, of course, we live in dread of the BBC's vogue word 'accessible' which for many means lowering standards to increase ratings.
There's no doubt in my mind that some of this has taken place on Radio Four over the past few years: more celebrity presen- ters, mostly from television, a relentless chirpiness and mateyness in serne hosts when dealing with serious subjects, as if that's the only way to increase audiences. The current American cliché 'clumbing down' springs to mind, though Boyle reject- ed this. Dunkley asked him if audience lev- els were slipping, and the answer was no. In that case, why change Radio Four? Boyle replied that any changes would ensure that the network stays as it is, 'the best speech network in the world'.
It is certainly that. But what about all this talk of attracting younger listeners? Here, Boyle spoke a great deal of sense. He didn't want any 'hare-brained schemes' to attract one 20-year-old and lose two 40- year-olds. Nor did he want to shed people of his own age; he's 50. He said he hoped to reach people whose education suggested they should be listening to Radio Four but who weren't. This is a perfectly valid objec- tive but I wonder who they are. Are they people who don't have the time to listen to the radio, except in cars? After all, many spend their days in offices and return home to young families. It's not easy then to turn on the radio and ignore their spouses and children. In some ways, modern living, fam- ily life, the rise of television and so on, has gone against radio networks like Three and Four and yet they hold their audiences remarkably well.
The future of Test Match Special on long wave is being examined and this will pro- vide one of his greatest short-term chal- lenges. There's huge scope for a cock-up here. When TMS takes over long wave, some listeners flee Radio Four while others start listening, but the complaints roll in. I received a few myself when I praised TMS last year. I still think, even for those who don't follow cricket, it is fine broadcasting, full of wit and humour. It used to be even better when rain stopped play, the talk became eloquent and funny, but now lis- teners are returned quickly to the Four schedules. It's difficult to see where else it can go without upsetting those listeners who don't care for it. I don't believe Radio Five is a more suitable home because when major news breaks TMS would be constant- ly interrupted and that network has to cover other sports as well. I think I would leave it where it is and try to persuade those who have FM radios to retune, though that wouldn't help listeners in northern Europe. TMS is too good to ruin.
Boyle also said he wants to study the audience research before coming to any firm conclusions about the network and Dunkley suggested that he should rely more on his own tastes and judgment, which I agree with. I sometimes think pro- grammers depend too heavily on research and should trust their own instincts more. One good thing about Boyle is that he's untainted by stifling metropolitan tastes that demand programmes reflecting mod- ish concerns not shared by most listeners across the country (Boyle was head of Radio Scotland).
To my surprise, he told Dunkley that he was discussing the return of Round Britain Quiz, dropped last year, and that he was a
'Well, I want to look like someone who can afford plastic surgery,'
fan of the programme. This is heartening news and I hope he retains the same con- tributors; civilised programmes like this helped give Radio Four its uniqueness.
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