Radio 4 has returned to its pre-plague early morning sequence, cutting away from the World Service at 5.20 for the shipping forecast, and then having News Briefing at 5.30.

During the intense period of the shutdown they were sticking with the WS till after its 5.30 news bulletin, then cutting away and having the shipping forecast after that. One morning during that time I heard the continuity announcer openly taking the p***, he said 'If you're interested in the state of the sea, farming and birdsong then you're in luck this morning.'

For me News Briefing is an awkward fit at 5.30, it's the only xx30 news bulletin on Radio 4. When I was young news on the half-hour was the province of vulgar radio stations like LBC and Radio 1

I think I preferred it in the 80s when NB was at 6am.

It's a good title though isn't it, News Briefing, it suggests it's for people who have to get up very early to do important things and so require a concentrated 10-minute dose of very serious news before they begin.

I say 10 minutes, it's 7 minutes now with a 3-minute newspaper (and news site) review. Back in the day it was a full 10 minutes of news and then 5 minutes of the newspapers.

When's the cricket going to start?

I see there's a rock show on BBC radio, something for the boomers there.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000c2zz

Ooh, Grace Earl Slick will be on the next one.
Presented by a 104 year old Johnny Walker! in your face Britney Spears!

I've bought a DAB radio and a DAB clock radio.

I've not tried them out yet, but I bet neither of them work properly

The clock radio works!

Now I can have the World Service on while I go to sleep, without having to wait till 1 o'clock in the morning.

I can't decide whether to put the other one in the kitchen, the bathroom or the back bedroom.

Back bedroom I think, as I don't have any other entertainment devices in there.

www.cliffrichardradio.com

https://cladriteradio.com

This lockdown special of I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue is pitiful!

I simply can't stand Andy Hamilton.

In the good old days, the ISIHAC Christmas special would always feature a 'surprise' appearance by Humph's jazz band. In the swanee/kazoo round for example.

It works much better when they've spent a couple of days scripting each episode.

And there's too many bloody songs, I don't care you did singing for 2 years at drama school luv, it's supposed to be funny, not a show reel.

Conversely I never thought Jeremy Hardy's crap singing thing was funny after the first time. And I'm a big fan of Jez generally.

Helliniki Radiophonia on 9420 kHz Shortwave.


I think.

I heard quite an interesting modernised version of Heart of Darkness on Radio 4 last week. Marlow was a lady and Kurtz was an NGO doctor who'd gone all VHE - 'exterminate the brutes'. There's a lot of cr*ppy adaptations on R4 nowadays, but this one was well done.

Something for us, mature listeners, and Buttertubs, people who think Radio 2 has become a little too racy.*



https://www.cityam.com/boom-or-bust-radio-veterans-take-on-bbc-with-new-baby-boomer-station/



https://www.boomradiouk.com


NOW PLAYING
The Whole Of The Moon
by The Waterboys




* Apart from Ken Bruce. who is apparently the most listened to DJ. He'll be out by Xmas.

Yep, as expected, Just a Minute is coming back next Monday.

Paul Merton to host.


Of course he is, of course.

I'm spending a lot of time in the car at the moment, and the only radio station I can pick up is Radio 5 Live. So I'm being bombarded with unwanted sports information.