Feedbacks Listeners Panel

[Phase Shift Billy]

Yet again (this is about the third time), the Listeners’ panel on last night’s edition of Feedback comprised contributors from areas south of Birmingham: Stevenage, Cheltenham and Royston (contributor’s accent sounded like Royston Hertfordshire and not Yorkshire). I’d like to know why the Culture Department or Ms. Jenny Abramsky isn’t asking questions about the skewed nature of this Listeners’ panel? The two mail contributors were also extremely grim and miserable and didn’t strike me as enthusiastic radio listeners. It was interesting to note how negative they were about the folk related item and I wondered why the 1Xtra programme about black sailors involved in Trafalgar (1) wasn’t discussed (or Mike Harding’s excellent recent sea related programme).

The new Feedback website is a great improvement, but I believe they should reference the breakaway boards such as QQR and The Desert Island as well as the R4 boards. R4 has made it abundantly clear over the last five years that it’s not remotely interested in listeners’ views and opinions (via their boards), so why bother citing the R4 boards? Alex Lester refers to his unofficial web-site every morning and has nothing but praise for it. The owners and contributors to QQR and Desert Island have worked hard to establish their boards and they, too, should get a mention on the Feedback website.

Notes
(1) Sue Arnold reviewed this in last week’s edition of The Observer

[Captain Nudnick]

Phase said:

Yet again (this is about the third time), the Listeners’ panel on last night’s edition of Feedback comprised contributors from areas south of Birmingham: Stevenage, Cheltenham and Royston (contributor’s accent sounded like Royston Hertfordshire and not Yorkshire). I’d like to know why the Culture Department or Ms. Jenny Abramsky isn’t asking questions about the skewed nature of this Listeners’ panel?

So what? If you prick them do they not bleed? Why are you so keen on this so-called 'North-South divide'?

There really is no great difference that I've ever been able to discern, between Northern and Southern folk - why should there be - there's only a couple of hundred miles in it.

Now Scots.... that IS different! :-)

[Accents Irrelevant]

Captain, I agree. I think it's some northerner with a chip on his shoulder about southerners.

Tried local radio Billy? There'll be plenty of local northern accents on there, no doubt.

Maybe Ms Abramsky doesn't give a hoot about regional accents, so why should you?

Bet you don't answer this....

[Billys Fan Club]

Dear Billy

please don’t take any notice of these nasty comments which are probably written by R4 employees. I’m a southerner, but I’m on your side. You’re completely accurate with the comments about the southern bias shown by ‘Feedback’. I agree that Licence payers throughout the whole of the country should be represented on the Listeners’ Panel. R4 hates people from the north because they make far more talented broadcasters than snobbish southerners. Chris Evans was marvellous on Desert Island Discs today. Did you hear him speaking about the warm glow that you feel when listening to the radio?

I’m listening to ‘Feedback’ at the moment and all I can hear is southern accents - David Jordan has just finished speaking and he’s southern posh. Robert Ingram – a small businessman and also southern – has just started carping on about the business news on R4. Yuk.

Keep up with your wonderful postings Billy.

Lots of love,

Felicity (Billy’s number 1 fan) xxxxxxx


P.S. I hope you won’t mind me saying, but you sound absolutely gorgeous and sooooo clever. I love a man with fervent views about R4. Any chance of posting a photograph of yourself?