The Waiting - BBC Radio 4

[Camy]

I was driving into town a couple of days ago, late to pay the rent. The traffic on the south coast isn't in the same ballpark as London, but I was still annoyed at catching red light after red light. I turned on the radio (as you do when you're bored to death of a CD) and caught the last ten minutes of a programme called 'The Waiting.'

I went home (somewhat poorer) and fired up the BBC's iPlayer.

You HAVE to listen to it! I'd tell you what it's about, but that would rather ruin its impact.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04dmxw6

[DesDownunder]

So I played the link and waited for it to finish, and I'm glad I did, thank you, Camy.

[dude]

Tha was great... thanks Camy!

[Chris James]

Every time I see one of these BBC postings I realize how boring American radio really is. Don't get me wrong, I like the NPR programming but after that....(the sounds of silence and crickets).

FM radio here is rap/ hip hop music (unbearable), salsa (I crave tacos after two minutes of that), and talk programs (mostly about Jesus and how screwed up we are as a nation). But a brief encounter with BBC and you get cultured language, thought provoking ideas and the occasional obtuse humor.

Face it, Americans are addicted to television and since I don't watch any of that I consider myself lucky. With 999 cable channels you can almost believe there is a whole industry prepared to bring us the most mundane images ever encountered. It makes nature programs and cooking shows look like intellectual advancement. I gave up television when I realized the Muppets were the most intelligent thing on my screen.

If it wasn't for music on DVD's I would be unable to write a word.

[Merkin]

Try this, Chris: https://www.google.com/search?q=internet+radio&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=np&source=hp

[Nigel Gordon]

Every time I see one of these BBC postings I realize how boring American radio really is. Don't get me wrong, I like the NPR programming but after that....(the sounds of silence and crickets).

Chris, I often had to work overseas and before the days of widespread internet spent a lot of my time figuring out how to get BBC Radio 4 and the World Service. I don't think most people in England realize how good our radio is. Fortunately though middle England regards BBC Radio 4 as something akin to a Sacred Cow. Any move by any parties that might end up in endangering their Women's Hour, Gardner's Question Time or, heaven forbid, the Archers, has middle England raising in rebellion. Our government may be prepared to face off most objections to their policies but all the parties know better than try to stand up against 'Furious of Tunbridge Wells'.

This morning I have been delighted to listen to Music of the Forest, the story of Colin Turnbell which you can find at

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04f9r4m

Colin Turnbell was a anthropologist (more by accident than design) who was also gay and eventually died of AIDS. It is an interesting story and well worth listening to..

[DesDownunder]

Thank you, Nigel, for the link to the broadcast on Colin Turnbell. I found it poignantly inspiring.

Here in Australia, our recently elected right wing coalition government (Liberal National Party, LNP) has our own Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in its sights for dismantling. The ABC was based on the BBC, and its loss would be tantamount to the barbarians destroying the achievements of ancient civilisations . The ABC provides an extraordinary service to not only Australians but to the whole Pacific region fulfilling many functions of informed debate and world news.

The Friends of the ABC are actively seeking to halt any sale or dismantling of this world class organisation.

[Gee Whillickers]

Every time I see one of these BBC postings I realize how boring American radio really is. Don't get me wrong, I like the NPR programming but after that....(the sounds of silence and crickets).

FM radio here is rap/ hip hop music (unbearable), salsa (I crave tacos after two minutes of that), and talk programs (mostly about Jesus and how screwed up we are as a nation). But a brief encounter with BBC and you get cultured language, thought provoking ideas and the occasional obtuse humor.

Face it, Americans are addicted to television and since I don't watch any of that I consider myself lucky. With 999 cable channels you can almost believe there is a whole industry prepared to bring us the most mundane images ever encountered. It makes nature programs and cooking shows look like intellectual advancement. I gave up television when I realized the Muppets were the most intelligent thing on my screen.

If it wasn't for music on DVD's I would be unable to write a word.

Chris, you may be interested in giving a listen to CBC radio One, Two, and Three. My go-to radio programs when I want to listen to something interesting or thought provoking.

Online streams available.

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/

[Nigel Gordon]

The Friends of the ABC are actively seeking to halt any sale or dismantling of this world class organisation.

Des, I listened to ABC many years ago whilst island hopping in the Pacific and enjoyed listening to it. I hope you have the Australian equivalent of "Furious of Tunbridge Wells", it would be a shame if anything destroyed ABC.

[DesDownunder]

Thanks Nigel. For anyone interested there is a GetUp! petition to save the ABC at this link.

Signatures and comments from interested friends outside Australia are always welcome.