The Glass Box
Welcome to the Glass Box - the place where you can comment on what you heard on PM, interact with other listeners and get responses from the people who make the programme. We hope this will be a useful tool for you and for us.
Just click on the "comment" link. If you've never commented on the Blog before - don't worry. There's a simple registration process you only have to go through once.
Don't worry either if you didn't catch the whole programme, or were busy doing other things and not giving us your full attention. If there was something that "caught your ear" we want to hear about it.
The Glass Box is named after the booth outside the PM studio where we all discuss the programme at 18.00 every weeknight. We try to be honest and constructive. Sometimes there is criticism, and the criticised get a chance to explain themselves.
And so it should be here. The people who make PM will read the comments posted, and will sometimes respond. Please feel free to post your thoughts. There is a link to previous Glass Boxes on the right.
Also on the right, you'll find lots of other links you might like. The Furrowed Brow for example is the venue where you can start talking about anything serious: The Beach is a fun place, and there are links to Blog entries with photos, audio and links.
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Good luck studio! 3,2,1 The Glass Box is go!
Strange thing, everyone is going to listen that little bit harder tonight!!
Bl**dy cricket on Long Wave - yet again!
(It has been on 5 times a week for the last 3 or 4 weeks between 14h 30 until 22h 00)
Thus, I give my apologies, in advance, for not listening to PM tonight.
Just heard Eddie's trailer. He is surely poorly.
I hope everybody behaves for him tonight.
I have been otherwise occupied for over a week, but on trolling back through the week's 'threads' I notice absolutely no mention of the recent . A very small excerpt:
It is the most comprehensive, authoritative and serious warning yet, and I do think it would be a good topic for the programme to cover.
xx
ed
Jacques;
If you have broadband to the Internet why not use the 'listen again' function from the Radio Four website after transmission? Or perhaps this is not available if you are not in the U.K.?
Si.
Eight minutes to transmission....
I will be listening extra-carefully, in between writing a writing-course and preparing for a meeting tonight.
All jolly exciting.
Seven minutes to TX....
Fifi
Okay, we're half way through the show.
Given that the presenter is under the weather, it's all gone pretty well. A good mix of items. Now listening to the BP story. This interests me (no shares, just like the idea of shareholders finally getting fed up with fat cat pay cheques). Why don't we hear more about AGMs? If their goings on were aired more, they might be a bit less complacent. I know there were particular reasons for following this story (With Lord Brown leaving, safety issues, etc.), but I think companies might handle their AGMs a bit differently - less spin, etc.
Now there's a discussion about the Glass Box with Peter R. We do hope that listeners' views will be taken into account. As Peter says, it wouldn't make much sense not to.
It says "Just click on the "comment" link. If you've never commented on the Blog before - don't worry. There's a simple registration process you only have to go through once."
Is that what I'm about to do? If so, I've done it by pressing the "Comments" link rather than the "comment" link - don't mean to be pedantic - just had a moment of confusion about ensuring I'm using the right link . . .
Cheers, Mark
signing in only
Surely you could have found someone to talk about life in St. Agnes Place who actually lived there rather than an actor who last cycled down it 10 years ago.
I really like PM, except when it goes on too much about PM. All this interactivity is great, but please don't use up too much of your precious hour telling us what listeners think about this, that or the other, rather than covering proper stories. Those that are interested can read it all here and those, like me, who prefer to get an hour of PM's take on the news, can listen to the programme.
I think Ed Iglehart's comment probably qualifies as an 'eggcorn' (see as described, I think, on Thinking Allowed. I believe he means he was 'trawling'.
'Trolling' is the practice of hanging about in chat rooms making unhelpful, pointless or abusive comments purely for the dubious satisfaction of spoiling other people's conversations - a bit like throwing litter into the boating pond.
HTH ;-)
Mark
As mentioned by many others yesterday - trailer for other shows should be sent to outer mongolia, or the centre of the earth, or somewhere else that they can't find their way back from.
Secondly, good question from Eddie regarding how much notice programme makers will take of any comments. I have felt for a long time that criticisms are not listened to, not here but on Feedback. I stopped listening because I got so frustrated with representatives coming on to the programme and defending their decisions with a "I'm right and you're all wrong" attitude.
May I suggest publicising any changes you make as a result of this feedback.
I wanted to comment....but nodded off
Mark (12),
Trolling is also fishing by trailing a baited line behind a boat and is short for patrolling.
xx
ed
As you announced the bee item, a bee flew into my kitchen. It didn't wait around to hear the whole story though.
Item on Alan Johnston was quite moving, seems like we haven't had enough airtime about him, what with all the hooha over the iranian sailor debâcle.
Peter Rippon has a nice voice can we hear more of him?
It was a good move to have the chap on to give their perspective on the Big Brother cameras - providing a bit of balance to how it was handled in recent programmes. I thought you gave him a good degree of space to make himself clear, while also delving further into how it might develop.
Bees interested me. What may have seemed a small item to many listeners is, actually, really important because if bee numbers decline significantly we'll have real problems with our crops.
Again, Eddie, you're v. good at matching style to interview, and the mix of content is most satisfying.
Why is your programme so twee and middle class? Is there a ban on serious, investigative news before one has had ones supper?
Surely No 11 (Rhona Skene) can spot an economy when she sees one? Come to think of it PM, you could tell the older generation where we go for simple, unadorned, non-interactive news and current affairs. I read that an in-house ´óÏó´«Ã½ enquiry found all the movers and shakers think N and CA dull and in need of "funning up".
Mark (12),
I worked out why your otherwise excellent link failed. You mustn't end with a full stop because the software includes that in the
;-)
ed
And now the software warns me that I'm ejaculating prematurely!
N.B.: ejaculation; noun 1 a sudden exclamation or cry. (Chambers online dictionary)
oh dear me, I've been ROFL after that comment from the lady bee keeper ' Bee keepers aren't in it only for the honey'. Very good.
I heard more of the programme than usual, thanks to cunning plan of sending the 9 yr old to another room with story tape of highly unsuitable Jacqueline Wilson novel.
Jasper, are you waiting with fear & trepidation to hear what the listeners say? And Peter thingie too? Nice voice btw. (Really, you'd think young Eric could at least bother to learn your name by now). I enjoyed all of it. The appeal from Alan Johnston's father left me with tears in my eyes. Very very moving.
As far as the virtual church - sorry but I really thought "Hey, we've already got all that on the blog". Sing along? Done it. Open all hours? Yep.
Everything else he mentioned - already happening. Except possibly the G*d connection.
Seemed to be fewer promos for other programmes tonight. Hooray. Long may that continue.
I'm sure I may be told I am wrong but I do detect in Eddie's voice a certain lack of belief in the vitrues of Talking Cameras. Please do tell me I am wrong for in these days of it being ever more expensive to ever provide the Police we really need out on the street then these devices are perhaps a viable support for Law and Order if not just good old Decency and which deserve our welcome.
As tonight's interviewee reminded us, their operatives do NOT shout at people but conduct themselves professionally and, personally speaking, I would find such calls to be more of a comfort, knowing that I was not alone out in the street in witnessing yet another example of selfish and thoughtless bad behaviour. They may indeed prove to provide a valuable element of deterrance to the itinerant as well as reassurance to the rest of us.
Your interviewee's suggestions of other beneficial uses of these devices was I think less well considered but in the circumstances (to my ears he sounded a little nervous at being interviewed) those he provided had some merit but I would suggest that talking cameras could also provide welcome distress calls in an emergency at any certain location ie "Please, is there a doctor in this vicinity..." or "Please, did anyone here yesterday at this time witness the collision between a blue car and a motorcycle? If so please contact..." and should we ever need the mass alert we used to get from the old air raid sirens in these present times of terrorist attacks how much better it would be to receive a clear and more detailed alert from the Talking cameras.
Unless I have indeed got you wrong Eddie please can you promote the positive aspects of these devices so that we may all soon have the benefit to be had from them. I reckon that, with the cost benefits from mass production, we could and should ideally have them on each and every street lamp pole. Sure, the real Police out on their beat would always be better but.....!
I felt very anxious for the interviewee in the talking cameras story.
Now, I know that not everyone is used to talking to the media ... but it is equally distressing for the listener, wondering if the poor mite is going to make it through to the end of the piece without drying up completely.
This morning's Today programme -- last 10 minutes -- provide further examples of how the public, and even public figures, can let down an otherwise excellent piece.
Alasdair Gray, one of my favourite authors, was in one of his incoherent moods discussing the late Kurt Vonnegut. It doesn't make good radio. Not even when it's a politician -- remember Charles Kennedy's excruciating numero-amnesia?
Fifi
Re; Ian Wright (SB 18)
What's wrong with 'twee and middle class'?
Mind you, - five minutes before Eddie hit the airwaves there was a man hammering a nail in to a block of wood with a banana - the bottom of a banana, as the head and ribcage had shattered, I'd just tuned in and double checked that it *was* radio 4 - he actually said that the banana had 'buns of steel' !
I thought to myself 'How common and working class' ;-)
How much longer do we have to put up with this relentless Americanisation of PM (and the rest of ´óÏó´«Ã½ current affairs programmes, come to that)?
Mention the UN and in comes John Bolton or some other neo-con to tell us what to think. Move on to industrial matters and on comes one of the many Americans who have infiltrated the lucrative executive positions in British industry. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ slips too easily into its "51st State mode" these days. Whole programmes are devoted to local affairs in the USA (eg food, for heavens sake!). Give it a rest, please. Surely British experts can be found to comment on PM.
Fifi - I heard Eddie digging a great big elephant trap for the poor chap, "Could the cameras be used to tell people to look both ways crossing the road?", but at the last minute he must have felt sorry for him and let him off the hook. Gosh he really musn't be well!
David (22) - were there examples of that in tonight's programme?
Peter (27)
I spotted that - I was waiting for the pounce.
Yes I saw the elephant trap too. But, in fact, the man did answer - bravely, I thought, because, like others, I detect a note of sceptism over the talking cameras from Fair Lord Mair.
Re the virtual church: Well, I guess it was interesting for some people. It didn't interest me particularly (beyond being a bit of a curio), but I could see that, particularly for the housebound, it's something of merit and I shouldn't knock it just because I don't feel I need it myself.
As to Alan Johnston - Well, I think we all know how we feel about that story. And it needed to be covered again today of all days. Strangely, his Dad sounded a bit like Dr. Reid (which put me off a bit) - shows how much I know about Scottish accents! I think it was probably because - and I feel pretty sure about this - they both smoke or have been smokers.
Was the Glass Box launched by smashing a bottle of champagne against its side?
Oh.
Thanks for the eggcorn link, Mark.
Seemed OK to me. [Certainly when compared to the car-crash radio that was the last 15 minutes of Today this morning, not just Alasdair Gray, Fifi, but the junior docs and gap year travellers also had me squirming].
I too wasn't altogether satisfied by the coverage of the St Agnes Place thing, Geoff (10). The Vox Pops were OK, but some official Rasta spokesperson would have been good, if one exists and the ex-resident, ex-pat added nothing much at all to the story. Sometimes when PM tries a different angle on a story it doesn't quite work, but I would still prefer it to try than just follow the standard news approach.
Mark (@12) and Ed (@15), in English 'to troll' predates the Internet by several hundred years, being a Middle English word meaning 'to saunter, stroll or ramble', and was still listed in dictionaries as recent as the 1988 Chambers and the 1998 Collins as having that meaning. Chambers also offers 'to trundle', and I like the idea of Ed trundling gently through the past week's posts. Why not?
If Ed didn’t happen to know that, and just thought he was using a fishing term, well, he knows now...
No, it’s not that I’m hypersensitive about fishing terms. Really. They just make me come all over pedantic.
What a sad self interested and un worthy group we Brits have become. HSBC are now refusing to give financial advice to the very people that most need financial advice in oredr to favour those who have more money than they need to live on.
When are these greedy organisations going to be made to realise that income inequality and poverty are the biggest contributors to ill health today. Such inequality results in people dying on average up to ten years sooner in the most deprived areas and actions like this are an absolute disgrace in a civilised society.
We heard nothing from a Labour government that should be at the forefront of addressing this and a pathetic excuse from a conservative MP who didn't even have the guts to condemn this outrageous action.
Do we have to really kick the poorest in society just to curry favour with the rich?
Re; eddie (28)
I think David may have been referring to the trailed Justin Webb forthcoming series about America on Radio 4 - but may be wrong.
Peter did very well and I hope the Glass box is a success.
Peter's blog has more details on the glass box :-
/blogs/theeditors/2007/04/the_glass_box.html
What a fantastic new comedy serial is now taking shape on pm. (that is if 2 episodes constitute a serial). I refer to 2 reports, 1 last week and 1 this week, concerning the camera and voice security cameras operating on Teeside. My journey from work on one night last week was greatly relieved listening to the government appointed spokesperson attempting to justify the logic behind these cameras. She took a verbal battering, sadly not witnessed by the said cameras....shame...
But tonights interveiw with the executive of the local council was excellent!!!!!!! your comment on whether the camera and voice could encourage people to 'look left and right' at pedestrian crossings went straight over his head and left him considering it as an option worth considering. It was laugh-out-loud funny...(it was intentional wasn't it?) sadly I fail to understand how we, as a country are falling prey to the nanny-state, guided by this type of person... on a brighter note I shall be listening next week during my daily commute to hear the next episode in this big-brother saga.
I posted the following email on Feb 20, when it was topical: no response or apparent behaviour change. However, encouraged by today's suggestion that programme makers will attend to this blog, I try again. It's still topical, even if out of the headlines.
"Why has the coverage of the Road Pricing petition been so off-course?
The fundamental flaw with any petition is that it represents the view of a non-
representative sample, and so has no democratic weight. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ has
demonstrated this point by commissioning its own survey, showing not only that
there are people in favour of road pricing, but confirming that how you put the
question has a major effect on the answer.
The Prime Minister's site is less democratic than the usual form of petition, partly
because it is much easier to get some to click a mouse than to collect signatures,
with names and addresses, on paper. And the people on the road pricing petition,
through their demographics, are more likely to be against road pricing than those
who do not have access to the Net.
Sitting in a car in a traffic jam is annoying, but it is comfortable, warm, and you can
listen to the radio. Standing in the rain and cold waiting for a bus which is delayed
by the traffic jam is a whole different experience. There is a high correlation
between not owning a car and not having access to the Net.
Some people will argue that elections are not democratic because many voters do
not vote. That is not the point: all have an equal opportunity to vote, and that is what
makes them democratic, and useful, and makes all self-selection processes
(including phone-in votes) undemocratic, and no guide to the truth.
So. Please reflect these facts in your future coverage, starting tomorrow."
For David Walker Number 26: The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is not slipping into 51st state mode. I listen to the ´óÏó´«Ã½ since the US Media is a media that lacks objectivity and freedom. Also, the people of Great Britain express themselves better than the USA.
What a fantastic new comedy serial is now taking shape on pm. (that is if 2 episodes constitute a serial). I refer to 2 reports, 1 last week and 1 this week, concerning the camera and voice security cameras operating on Teeside. My journey from work on one night last week was greatly relieved listening to the government appointed spokesperson attempting to justify the logic behind these cameras. She took a verbal battering, sadly not witnessed by the said cameras....shame...
But tonights interveiw with the executive of the local council was excellent!!!!!!! your comment on whether the camera and voice could encourage people to 'look left and right' at pedestrian crossings went straight over his head and left him considering it as an option worth considering. It was laugh-out-loud funny...(it was intentional wasn't it?) sadly I fail to understand how we, as a country are falling prey to the nanny-state, guided by this type of person... on a brighter note I shall be listening next week during my daily commute to hear the next episode in this big-brother saga.
Having "listened again" to the program today (I am in Ontario, Canada), I was struck by the BP story, particularly the references to the outgoing CEO, Lord Brown. Over here, the "Beyond Petroleum" ads have begun again, after several months of a hiatus after the pipeline fiasco in Alaska. Need I mention the fiery explosion in a refinery in Texas City in 2005? So, let me get this straight: a man who has been in charge of a company that has degraded the local environment, as well as very likely been guilty of at least moral negligence in human deaths when a refinery explodes, may well get 30 million pounds upon retiring from his post? Am I correct in this? If so, perhaps the brand name"BP" should stand for Beyond Perniciousness"!
How is it that after reading all the comments I find that I have been automatically registered (full name and e-mail address)? Clearly it is thought I can't be trusted to do it on my own!
That could well be... but slightly creepy all the same
Well, having said that I should add that democratising, as it were, the glass box is a good idea. It would be interesting to know if the decision was listener- or team-driven. Or both.
Eddie - sorry, didn't make it to the programme this evening so have absolutely nothing to say - except that it's clear that the Glass Box has attracted some new comment, which is always welcome, and therefore it is probably a Good Thing.
I promise to take my listening role more seriously tomorrow.
I am getting increasingly frustrated by the introverted navel gazing of the PM team., They are there to interpret and report the news.. they themselves are not the new. Why O why do we have this interminable introspection about the programme and it's team. Why also do we have constant interruptions giving trailers for other programmes. I suggest you ditch the 'glass box' as it is distorting your purpose. I could not believe the comment tonight that you did not have time to report all the news because of pressures of time and yet you can wax lyrical ad nauseum about your own intestines. You may be very nice people but I want to hear the news...
I am getting increasingly frustrated by the introverted navel gazing of the PM team., They are there to interpret and report the news.. they themselves are not the new. Why O why do we have this interminable introspection about the programme and it's team. Why also do we have constant interruptions giving trailers for other programmes. I suggest you ditch the 'glass box' as it is distorting your purpose. I could not believe the comment tonight that you did not have time to report all the news because of pressures of time and yet you can wax lyrical ad nauseum about your own intestines. You may be very nice people but I want to hear the news...
I enjoyed the programme today, I know it was a slowish news day but that meant that items like the bees made it into the programme, which whilst not perhaps hard news, was none the less informative and interesting to many people. What happens to items like that on a busy day? Are they just binned? If the reports exist on tape (or whatever the medium is) could we hear them via the blog? I'm sure they would be of interest and it would be instructive to hear what froggers think about the stories that made it versus the ones that didn't.
I find it difficult to understand how one registers with this site. A hugh disappointment since the ´óÏó´«Ã½ site in general is extremely good.
Well Tom (42) and others the glass box was at least in part listener driven, as it was on this very frog that some regular contributors asked if we could have a PM Blog glass box. I don't know if the PM team were already thinking of doing something similar but they certainly ran with the idea.
I don't really understand why some people are so against it. At the time it first came up some of us were amazed at how differently the editing team and the listeners appraised the program they had just heard. Pesonally I think it's wonderful to have somewhere to go if eg I think too much prominence has been given to one story at the expense of another, or if I think the lead story should have been down at no 4 or something.
Obviously this isn't going to happen every day, in fact I'd be surprised if I was bothered one way or the other more than about twice a year, but your only other option if you want to moan is Feedback and your chances of being picked up on that are slim. And even if your questions / comments are featured on the program 10 - 1 all you'll get in reply is some suave suit who will dress up in flowery language the fact that he couldn't care less about your opinion since it disagrees with his and this applies in spades if you don't have a London post code. At least here we know the hapless editors are going to have to read what we say.
I think PM is a very special program with a very special audience and that's partly down to its willingness to listen and respond to listeners. When I complained to the program about something they broadcast recently I had a very detailed and thoughtful reponse from Peter Rippon, which is more than I got when I once wrote to Feedback about something appalling that was said on Desert Island Discs.
And at the end of the day - if you don't like the Glass Box, guess what? You don't have to use it!
Admin:
I am standing and applauding you loudly!
You asked for suggestions, OK, given that we now all finnish work later can the ´óÏó´«Ã½ ditch the tedious repeat of the news at 6pm and extend PM till 6:30 so that we can get more of this excelent program.
In winter this will also improve road saftey as it will stop drivers falling asleep on that dark drive home....
AA (45) , Couldn't agree more - see previous post, not half as articularly put as yours.
Tom (40) - I have no idea what the tecki answer is but as a quite new joiner to the blog, I found it quite democratic to join or not.
Tom (42) - As has been said by more erudite people than me, if you're looking for the hard news why not listen to Today, The World at One, The Six O'Clock News or The News at Ten? Is there not enough time for a different point of view within the schedules? I enjoy PM for it's different subjects and tones.
Also, as I have said before, I have more confidence in this process for accepting and listening to feedback than any other I have tried. I hope this proves to be the case as otherwise it would just reinforce people's perceptions of a certain impotance when suggesting improvements.
And so am I, Annie!
♡ââÁõ¡
ed
Jonnie (25) - Best comment by far! LOL, thank you!
Re admin annie, Izzy, Big Sis, and on behalf of all the supportive Froggers ..
----------------------------------------------------------
At 01:39 AM on 01 Mar 2007, jonnie wrote:
I think - from now on , along with the 'Beach' and the 'Furrowed brow' we should have the 'de-brief' thread! perhaps we should just call it 'glassbox'
Eddie et al, could simply open up the blog and all would be there on a plate.
Not such a bad idea really?
As an experiment, tomorrow I will create a new page on the extra site called 'glassbox' or we can change it to whatever.
If it sits better on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ site as another thread all well and good.
AND! It's March so we were told we will be able to have all these new features :-)
Off to bed
Night
-------------------------------------------------------
Now, any ideas for the speech, in case I'm invited to the Sony Awards ceremony?
I'd like 'The Froggers song' playing in the background - please Eddie ?
Wel Thank you RJD (50)
Except my buns aren't coomon and my twee certainly isn't working class ;-)
Re: RJD - Err perhaps you should substitute buns for twee? It may be more correct.
Night all xx
Re Tom (SB 42) I really wanted to answer your point - but waited an hour - and my comment hasn't come through.
To do a brief re-iteration :- what your comment said is in fact an ideal comment for the Glassbox.
I'm sure they have taken note and that Eddie has taken the appropriate medication, if any?
As for your observation:-
'this interminable introspection about the programme and it's team'
I think it's very positive, and it's really not that
interminable, is it?
Navel gazing? Explain more Tom, and I'm sure Eddie will take note - otherwise we will ensure he does!
Buns and middle class?
Don't get it. But never mind.
So glad to hear about the Alan Johnston appeal. I found his father's quiet words very moving. I'm glad the D-G turned up.
Great to see so many people 'boxing' today.
you should be asleep ƒräñ瀧 Ø
I heard just about all of the programme, but all that sticks in my mind is that I rather liked Peter Rippon's voice (which is impressive given its juxtapostion with the sexiest voice in broadcasting). Is that the kind of thing you wanted Peter? -- You did say something about looking for comments from people who are only half-listening, I believe...
Rona (11), you make a fair point. As I noted in an earlier thread, we've talked on air a LOT about the Glass Box in recent days to let people know about it. Popular though this Blog is, the vast majority of our listeners don't use it. We do think the Glass Box has all the potential we said, and we wanted to let as many people as possible know about it. We know from research that not everyone listens to the whole of each edition of PM, and not everyone listens every day. So to make sure as many people got to hear about it as possible, we sprinkled mentions of it over a week, at different times in the programme.
So yes, I know it can be annoying but it was for a useful purpose...and you'll notice a pleasing drop in items about it from now on!
Mind the Gap!
I thought it was an excellent programme last night: The Bee segment was great and the Bee Honey Queen was a lovely interviewee (what was her name again?), the Talking CCTV spokesman was very good, and I was pleased to see Eddie refrain from Humphrysing, despite his obvious skepticism. The Alan Johnson segment made me cry - it was very well put together I thought, deeply moving without being mawkish.
These are the bits which have stuck in my mind, the day after the broadcast.
First rule of PM: You do not talk about the GLASS BOX. Second rule: You DO NOT talk about the GLASS BOX.
Actually I do not mind all the references on the programme, as I think it's a great project and idea and I hope it proves as useful as it could be.
Christoff (34);
I'm confused by your comments. That branch of the HSBC had all but closed to walk-in customers, being reduced to appointments and cashpoint service, no counter service. HSBC is not responsible for income equality or poverty, nor are it's competitors.
I can't see that HSBC offering the fullest range of financial advice in this branch will help solve poverty and increase the life span of the people of Bournemouth.
The Government does not run the banking system. It does not own it. What should it do about the state of affairs that you describe? The banks are private or public companies with a vast number of shareholders, usually dominated by investment companies and pension schemes. They are required by law to maximise the returns to shareholders, so that people's pensions are increased. When they fulfill their legal obligations they get castigated by the press and the public.
They are absolutely entitled to run their businesses as they please so long as they pay due regard to the law, as is every single business in the country. No-one has the right to dictate how a business is to be run, save the owners (shareholders). Certainly not the Government.
When the Government owned substantial slices of the nations assets (coal, steel, railways, car-making, etc.) they successfully ran them into the ground. British Leyland anyone? God forbid that we ever get back to a state where the Government of the day tries to directly run the country again. They have troubles enough trying, unsuccessfully, to improve the NHS, schools and prisons.
And who would pay much attention to the Conservative MP? He's in opposition and has no power. He is elected to represent the views and interests of his constituents, which happens to include the affluent voters that HSBC are appealing to. He'd be a damned fool to spit in the face of his own electorate.
Less fiery polemicism and more reasoned argument please old chap.
Si.
Tom (42);
Maybe the PM production team are interested in hearing your views on how they do their job? It might even be the case that they modify certain aspects of the entire production because their listening public make it known that they wish it to be so.
If you like the programme, then just listen. If you feel strongly about something then write, phone, e-mail or post here about it. Maybe YOU will make a difference.
The amusing thing, of course, is that by posting your comment you have legitimised the thing you want to see discarded. You have used it for the very purpose for which it was intended, whilst claiming to think it superfluous!
Si.
Re; The Reverend Green, 6" (Six seconds) last night :-(
jonnie (63)
I'm much obliged to you. I do have it carefully logged in my red Analysis Book. If you ask me - I think it'll be more like 7 or even 8.5 secs tonight.
It's Friday...lickaty split you know. They'll be in and out of that Glass Box thing like electric hares.
Rachel (32)
I was editing last night's programme and I think you've got a point about the St Agnes' Place item. The intention was to get our reporter, Nick Davis, to tell the story of the day and the raid (which I think he did well) , and then take a sideways look at St Agnes' Place as a focus for counter-cultural activity over the past 30 years. But in retrospect I'm not sure that our interviewee did that and I should have given longer to Nick.
Admin Annie..........a big "Well said!" from me too..
I just do not understand quite frankly how some people become so easily irritated but such minor things. I also think it is marvellous that we as listeners can actually contribute something real to the programme. One of the big appeals about PM is that I actually feel like what we say here is genuinely read, used and dare I say, cared about. I feel part of a community (if that doesn't sound too twee!). I'm all for it. And yes he has mentioned the Glass Box quite frequently of late - but so what! He talks about for what a few seconds at a time? - so perhaps in the course of the whole programme possibly 2 or 3 minutes are used making reference to it. If that is enough to get people's backs up well then..........what can I say!
Re: The Reverend Green,
According to John Tricki the clock never loses or gains more than 3 seconds. So I can only presume that the strike mechanism is more random?
Perhaps we should try and have a word with John or whoever is currently in charge of the clock and find out why we still need the gap.
Someone mentioned that it would be a good idea to comment directly to a persons comment without it being published on the thread. I suspect this is a good example, as this is not related to the glassbox. Oh well!
thank y'awl for your kind comments and especially to Jonnie for digging up the original suggestion from March.
J R Adams (37)
Thank you, but I am tired of hearing the road pricing lobby in the media. The whole exercise is intended to soften us up in preparation for the introduction of yet another complex tax. It is a naff scheme for several reasons, not the least being that successive governments have taken billions from road users without investing enough of that money in our roads. Now we are expected to pay for their negligence. As one of the 1.8 million petitioners, I received Mr. Blair's emailed response. Like all politicians in power, he effectively said, "I hear what you say and intend to ignore it."
As an avid listener, and reader, can we have the order of comments reversed; so the latest come first? Then I (we?) won't have to scroll all the way down to near the end to read the latest. Yes, I do read them, would you believe.
Incidentally, no need to change the timing of the programme from my perspective. Five o'clock is a bit early for me so I listen to it on the net in the evening. That way I am even more behind you all on the PM team!
Reverend Green (64) Hahahaha!
Last night Eddie spent about 15 minutes going on about the Glass Box and then we had free publicity for HSBC - the non-story about a branch restricting financial advice to customers with money to invest! - I just dont understand why more time was not spent dealing with the Guy Fawkes incident in Iraq - other than it would have been very depressing. Why can't we just get the news, rather than constant navel gazing and invitations to listeners to comment. It's not as if anyone listens to anything that people say anyway, as the guy from Radio 4 more or less admitted. By the way, I am not one of those who listens with a notepad in hand, so don't blame me if any of this is wrong. I cant even find the glass box on the website, it seems to be just part of the general blog thing anyway.
Adrian (70)
Why don't you just press the [End] key on your computer? You can then use [Page Up] to go back to wherever you last were, as it were. If you realise it's all new stuff, press [Home] to go back to the top.
There was a request some time a go for the "Previous - Main - Next" bar to be displayed at the foot as well, but that has not so far been implemented (Hint, Hint).
I disagree (72) Peter Causton's comment.
We devoted around 10 minutes at the start of the programme to the day's bombings in Iraq.
On HSBC we had the local MP, Robert Syms, accusing the company of financial apatheid and saying he would be writing to the company's chief executive. HSBC did not want to do an interview. I suppose this does constitute publicity for HSBC, but it's hardly the sort the company would seek. I understand that you're feel the item on the Glass Box was navel gazing but it's a new service we are offering to listeners and we're keen to you to participate in it. Once it's up and up and running you're unlikely to hear much more about it.
Yesterday Mr Mair you asked on your program "When was the last time you saw a bumble bee". I thought for a moment and realised it was that day. Today I saw four in an hour. I think you need to see more of the world and stop trying to create scare stories.
Enjoy life and help your listeners do the same.
Dear Duke of Putney,
Don't be too hard on Eddie,he does his best. If you were to look through the archive of this blog, you would see that at various times he has posted for us reindeer, elephants, a sheep, a goat, a pony, a border collie, frogs, a water vole, toads, tadpoles, & 2 dead mice. (That last one was my fault, btw). How much more life do you want him to see from the studio? I'm sure if you were to send in a picture of those bumble bees, he'd share that with us all too. He can't help being stuck in the office for hours, it goes with the job.
When you're out enjoying life, perhaps take a photo & send it in for those who are not lucky enough to share your experience!
Peter Causton (72), Re I cant even find the glass box on the website Um, you're on it. That's the thing with glass -- it's easy to miss if your focus isn't quite right. :-)
Good show but not sure about this glass box.
admin annie 45. izzyT'me 48 jonnie 54 simon worrall 62.
thanks to above kind people for their comments on my blog entry. I agree with the points you make. Just to clarify a couple of matters.. I applaud the introduction of this glass box, the one I want banned is the one attended by the team at the end of the show. Get down to the pub like normal people you will find a wealth of common sense there that will better equip you to comment upon the real world. Secondly I have been a PM addict for years, hence my frustation with the recent drift into irrelevant introspection. Many of us are a captive audience at 5pm in commuter traffic - we need the PM team to keep us calm, not annoy us with overwheening descriptions of their own self importance.
Roberto (38) misunderstands what I mean when I refer to PM's "51st State mode". OK, he prefers the ´óÏó´«Ã½ to his local Florida radio. Fine. But we on this side of the pond are getting fed up with our media reaching out for content and comment and all too often getting it from US official sources, complete with White House spin.
Yes, jonnie, you are wrong (35). I was not referring to Justin Webb's forthcoming program. Whatever conclusion Justin comes to in that program, it is not "News and Comment" but documentary. You do appreciate the difference, don't you?
I am a 34 year old HGV driver & I am not a fan of Radio 4- I just started switching over from Steve Wright at 5pm to near the news on PM. But unless there is something big happening in Westminster or Baghdad, I don't get news...just fillers. Stupid stuff about bumble bees or some new Art exhibition- stick that lot on a culture show. If you lot bothered to watch CNN for half an hour a day, you'd soon realise there's a lot going on in the world. ´óÏó´«Ã½ reporters like Hugh Sykes and Justin Webb are the best in the business, but when it comes to news presentation, CNN are light-years ahead of you. I put CNN Today on 1am when I get home from work, and in half hour, I've got a full summary of what's happening- I even know its going to 39oC and sunny in Mumbai tomorrow. Digital radio is already here, & if they get onto it, they're going to leave you behind.
No, eddie, there were no superfluous American contributors to Thursday's pm (nor Wednesday's) but over the week there were no less than four examples of what I'm talking about - two on Monday, one on Tuesday and a superb example on Friday. This last one involved a Pentagon staff general, Robert Holmes, who was interviewed on his way through London (how convenient) to fill us in on how the Surge was progressing.
Condescending or what!
We have already heard what John Simpson has to say on the recent Bagdad situation and that was solid gold. Anyone from the MoD could have given you the Government spin.
The Glass Boxers should take this seriously or PM will degenerate into a flabby magazine giving out "all the news that's easy to get".
Alisdair (82) Other News programmes are available....particularly The News, at 6pm, following PM. I suggest you give it a try, to see if it tells you more of what's going on in the world.
I'm sure Alisdair that it is very useful for you to know the weather report for the next day in Mumbai. Since I am not going there and know no-one who lives there, it would not be useful for me.
But Gillian is right, if it's hard new you want don;t turn to R4 until 6.
Tom, if you are still checking back on this thread I am sorry that I took you up wrong, and I hope you will hang around and make many more contibutions to the frog. New names we like to see,
admin annie 86
Thanks for the apology but it wasn't your mistake it was mine, I should have made it clear which 'glass box' I was objecting to. I am a long term fan of the PM team and wish to remain so. Will certainly be back on the frog.
Annasee
I refer you to this: -
Time to get out of the office yes?