| Today Programme |
Article Index for Today |
Shopping Programme |
Website Links For Today |
Information AboutToday Programme |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT TODAY PROGRAMME | |
| bbc radio programmes | |
| sony radio academy award gold winners | |
|
''Today'', sometimes referred to as the '''''Today programme''''' to avoid ambiguity, is 3-May-2007 Today programme voted by MPs as most influential programme in setting the political agenda HISTORY ''Today'' was launched on the BBC 's Home Service on 28 October 1957 as a programme of "topical talks" to give listeners a morning alternative to light music. It was initially broadcast as two 20-minute editions slotted in around the existing news bulletins and religious items. In 1963 it became part of the BBC's Current Affairs department, and it started to become more news-oriented. The two editions also became longer, and by the end of the 1960s it had become a single two-hour long programme that enveloped the news bulletins and the religious talk that had become '' Thought For The Day ''. It was cut back to two parts in 1976-1978, but was swiftly returned to its former position. and Brian Redhead became established. This arrangement lasted until Timpson's retirement in 1986, when and more recently Evan Davis . The show reached a peak in terms of influence in the 1980s, when prime minister Margaret Thatcher was a noted listener. Ministers thus became keen to go on the programme and be heard by their leader; but the tough, confrontational interviewing style they encountered led to accusations that the BBC was biased. Criticism was particularly directed against Redhead, who was widely seen as being on the left. The style of the male interviewers was analysed and contrasted with that of MacGregor, who was alleged to be giving subjects an easier time. The 'Big 8.10' interview that follows the 8 o'clock news remains an important institution of British politics to this day. NOTABLE FEATURES ''Today'' regularly holds an end-of-year poll. For many years this took the form of write-in votes for the Man and Woman of the Year. This was stopped after an episode of organised Vote-rigging in 1990, but was soon revived as a telephone vote for a single Personality of the Year. A further episode of vote-rigging, in favour of Tony Blair in 1996, forced the programme-makers to consider more innovative polling questions. In 2004 listeners nominated candidates for a Peerage , in 2005 the question was set of 'Who Runs Britain?' (though this, too, turned out to be rigged). Recent years have also included nominations for a 'Listener's Law' (which an MP agreed to sponsor as a parliamentary bill), and, in 2006, nominations were sought for the law that listeners would most like to see repealed. In ''Thought for the Day'', featured since 1970, a speaker reflects on topical issues from a theological viewpoint; the editorial responsibility lying with BBC's Religion and Ethics Department. BBC Religion and Ethics Notable contributors to the slot include Rabbi Lionel Blue and Richard Harries , the former Bishop Of Oxford . Over the years the slot has featured an increasing number of speakers from religions other than Christianity , though Christian speakers remain in a substantial majority. In August 2002 University Of Oxford professor Richard Dawkins gave a non-religious Humanist thought for the day, however this did not replace the regular thought and was broadcast an hour later as an alternative thought. The programme has a regular slot for sports news and items between 26 and 30 minutes past each hour, presented by Steve May or Garry Richardson. Garry Richardson It is an established in-joke that that the presenters will pour scorn on the reliability of the programme's racing tipster. If , David Wilby, David Wilby Rachel Hooper and Susan Hulme. Susan Hulme Journalist and historian signal of Radio 4 is capable of penetrating to depths where submarines normally operate, although it does not have the range required to be heard at this depth far from the UK's coastal waters. CONTROVERSY ''Today'' found itself in the midst of controversy again in 2002, when its editor Rod Liddle wrote a column in '' The Guardian '' that was extremely critical of the Countryside Alliance and which raised questions about his own impartiality. In the article, he wrote that catching "a glimpse of the forces supporting the Countryside Alliance: the public schools that laid on coaches; the fusty, belch-filled dining rooms of the London clubs that opened their doors, for the first time, to the protesters; the Prince of Wales and, of course, Camilla ... and suddenly, rather gloriously, it might be that you remember you voted Labour once again." He eventually resigned from his post on ''Today''. In the summer of 2003, ''Today'' once again found itself at the centre of allegations of political bias, this time against a Labour government. The controversy arose after ''Today'' broadcast a report by its correspondent Andrew Gilligan . The report alleged that a dossier the British Government had produced to convince the British public of the need to invade Iraq was deliberately exaggerated, and that the government had known this prior to publishing it. In his live 2-way (interview with presenter John Humphrys), just after 6.07 a.m., Gilligan asserted that the Government "probably knew" that one of the main claims in its dossier "was wrong". Gilligan's Anonymous Source for the claim was Dr David Kelly , a key adviser on biological weapons who had worked in Iraq - though it was never established whether Dr Kelly had actually used the words Gilligan attributed to him. In the furore that followed Gilligan's report, David Kelly's name became public and he was forced to appear before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. Shortly afterwards he was found dead having committed suicide. In the ensuing public inquiry (the Hutton Inquiry ), that reported in January 2004, the BBC was heavily criticised. This led to the resignation of the BBC's Chairman Gavyn Davies and Director-General (equivalent to Chief Executive), Greg Dyke ; Andrew Gilligan also resigned. MESSAGE BOARDS In 2001 the ''Today'' Programme created a system of message boards Today Programme Message Board allowing the users of its web site to challenge thinking on current affairs with all those contributing. Available statistics indicate the amassing, over five years, of up to 18,000 separate discussions - Topic Thread s - sometimes with as many as 3,000 contributions per thread. However, on 16 Nov 2006 the programme changed its board policy so that only the producers of ''Today'' could start a thread, but all contributors could still join in with them. This action appears to have been unattractive BBC in Radio 4 messageboard punch-up to past contributors and, it seems, many stopped dealing with ''Today'' in favour of other outlets James St George . After the changes there were fewer contributions, but, on occasion, contributions made by the public are featured on-air in the ''Today'' programme. Complaints continue. PRESENTERS
EDITORS
GUEST EDITORS Beginning in 2003 for over one week at the end of December guest editors have been invited to commission items for one edition of the programme. These usually reflect their social or cultural interests and at the end of each edition the guest editor is interviewed by a member of the regular presenting team about the experience. 2003 Guest Editors
2004 Guest Editors 2005 Guest Editors
2006 Guest Editors
SEE ALSO
REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS
|
|
|