Civilisation FM
The preceding event aren’t important, but after 40 years of having to compromise on so many of the smaller, yet significant, preferences of daily life, I suddenly found myself in a position to indulge my inclinations unimpeded. I could have gone for wine women and song, but, staying faithful to my nature, I was content to merely be free to have both the radio in my car and domestic residence permanently tuned to BBC Radio 4. Along with toast and marmalade, tea, and cricket on the village green, Radio 4 is an indispensable thread in the weave of the fabric of civilisation, or at least my kind of civilisation. I should just mention that even though I don’t have any interest in cricket, it matters to me that it’s there.But what is it about Radio 4 that I can’t imagine living without?
Radio 4, it seems to me, is predominantly intended to appeal to an educated middle class audience; I am uneducated and working class, so, given my contrary nature, I was bound to like it. Lets take a look at the daily schedule:
06:00. The Today Programme:
The three hour flagship daily news programme. This is my window onto what is happening in the world. Unbiased, accurate and up to the minute reporting. Human prejudice can never be totally eliminated but the BBC news comes as close to impartial as it gets. They don’t always give me as much detail as I would like but I have complete confidence in what they do tell me, except when I haven’t.
10:00. Woman’s Hour
I’ve learnt some interesting stuff on Woman’s Hour. For one thing, I now know that it’s okay to talk about the clitoris at 10:00 a.m. Not that I ever have, but it’s good to know that I could if I wanted to. It can be provocative too. Many is the time I’ve found myself getting worked up at the presenter’s blatant attempts at getting somebody to blame men for something that isn’t exclusively their fault, and then found myself wearing a smirk when the interviewee won’t go along with it.
12:15. You and Yours
Daily consumer rights programme. Usually about electricity prices or pension pot scams. They sometimes have a phone in, when idiots from the general public can tell their stories of how con-men have taken advantage of their stupidity.
14:00. The Archers
Daily soap about a farming community based around the West Midlands village of Ambridge. Absolute crap, yet I still listen.
18:30. Comedy
Half hour comedy slot. Although sometimes second rate, it is more often third rate or drops of the scale altogether.
19:00. Another dose of The Archers.
I can see how Radio 4 might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I love it, it’s so bloody British.
Comments (12)
"Originally produced with collaborative input from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, The Archers was conceived as a means of disseminating information to farmers and smallholders to help increase productivity in the postwar era of rationing and food shortages."
I used to listen to Radio 4 all the time back in the days when I spent my days (and nights) in my workshop.
Sometimes I'd find myself transfixed by the plays and Book At Bedtime, my toes hovering over a pedal, not wanting to interrupt with the noise of machinery.
Now I'm not sure how much I would miss, even in a quiet room.
The thing is, so is the story of Shock Headed Peter.
I'd like to think my fondness of Radio 4 is discerning, but I have to doubt myself under the circumstances.