Radio 4Extra WTF

[Tim Hall]

Tuning (probably using radio buttons) in to 4Extra this morning in the hope if finding creaky old comedy, reflecting the language and attitudes of the time it was originally broadcast, or some not quite contemporary drama, I was instead confronted with Yesterday in Parliament. Switch to 6Music. Flicked back later to 4Extra, ah, a programme about maps and the A to Z. Much better. That ends to be followed by the Daily Sodding Service.

No. Just no.

 Is this a temporary thing or are we doomed forever?

[toontra]

 Is this a temporary thing or are we doomed forever?

Listings would suggest this is the new normal.  Big turn-off 

[redshift]

Nearly as bad as the unlistenable, loud, unfunny shite between The World Tonight and the Midnight News.  I'm starting to think the World Service might be the last usable Radio station.

They're probably trying to make R4 unpalatable so they can kill it.

[andrewc]

They are shuffling things around in R3 as well.  Listeners are not happy.

[ravenbait]

Is this so they can give up on their idea of supporting FM and DAB for longer than anyone else?

Sam (pissed off to discover my Roberts DAB is functionally useless now)

[andrewc]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/df0b5352-deab-45a1-b17a-b92688f1d094?shareToken=b2e626fe92bfb83b9bd33c907c0cd14e


https://www.for3.org/forums/forum/classical-forum/talking-about-music/1303787-radio-3-schedule-changes



Article about the recent changes.


No idea about DAB but I hope they keep FM going for as long as possible.  "At least 2030" was the last date I saw.   

[Flite]

Sadly FM reception is pathetic here, and we will never get DAB, so internet radio is the only choice.

Tried 4extra a couple of times, always seemed to be shouty unfunny comedy rubbish.
Radio 4 comedy shows are just a leap to the off button.
And R4 have moved the food programme.
Thank goodness for "Sounds"

[Tim Hall]

Ah. It's because of Long Wave getting old.

From April 2024 The Daily Service will be available at the same time on weekdays on BBC Radio 4 Extra.

4 Extra is a digital station available on DAB Radios, on the BBC Sounds app and online.  It will no longer be available on Long Wave. Radio 4 are ending separate scheduling on Radio 4 LW as the technology is coming to the end of its life.

Linky with more details https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/articles/2023/bbc-radio-4-long-wave-transition

Down with this sort of thing.

[andrewc]

They're running out of valves !   https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/oct/09/bbc-radio4-long-wave-goodbye


I must lay in some stocks for my hifi.  Most currently produced valves are made in Russia or China. 

[Kim]

Sadly FM reception is pathetic here, and we will never get DAB, so internet radio is the only choice.

There's also DVB (in either -S or -T flavour).  And I believe there's precedent for a $ky box with the video output connectors removed (radio at decent bitrates, for the reception of) not requiring a TV Licence.

Not that that makes the programmes any better.

[Kim]

They're running out of valves !   https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/oct/09/bbc-radio4-long-wave-goodbye

This article is useless without pictures of terrifying high-power equipment in an Art Deco transmistter hall.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I thought they had to keep LW going so that Trident sub commanders can surface and discover whether or not anyone's still there?

[Cudzoziemiec]

Anyway, I don't think I was previously aware of the existence of Radio 4Extra. It sounds like it has, or used to have, all the interesting things that used to be on R4 in the 20th century, without the news, news highlights, news analysis, current affairs, political developments, news, more news, other news. Ah well.

[MikeFromLFE]

Sadly FM reception is pathetic here, and we will never get DAB, so internet radio is the only choice.

Tried 4extra a couple of times, always seemed to be shouty unfunny comedy rubbish.
Radio 4 comedy shows are just a leap to the off button.
And R4 have moved the food programme.
Thank goodness for "Sounds"

I was initially a fan of 4xtra but it went off the boil on the fifteenth repeat of, well, just about everything.
While I won't be listening it does seem to be the natural home of the minority programmes orphaned by the coming demise of Radio 4 on long wave.

[toontra]

The chances of catching anything you like "live" on R4x are pretty remote but it's a good source of quirky historic drama on Sounds that I regularly subscribe to.  That's pretty much how I listen to R4 itself these days - gone is the need to quickly switch off at 7.50am and 2.05pm.

[citoyen]

I was instead confronted with Yesterday in Parliament.

Oh FFS. I’d rather listen to The Navy Lark. And I never want to listen to that.

[Tim Hall]

I was instead confronted with Yesterday in Parliament.

Oh FFS. I’d rather listen to The Navy Lark. And I never want to listen to that.

<sotto voce>I don't mind The Navy Lark

[rogerzilla]

UK DAB is utter shite anyway, except for R3 which one man and his dog listen to.  Even on a mediocre car stereo it sounds bad.  It's tolerable for speech on a mono kitchen radio

[T42]

I was instead confronted with Yesterday in Parliament.

YiP 1944 might have been interesting.

[Efrogwr]

R4X is the home of the Radio Comedy Hall of Shame.