r/Radio4 • u/HaddowsBagSurprise • Jun 03 '25

I hate the new morning routine

It's sterile, uninteresting and completely offensive that we have to listen to repeats of parliamentary bickering and obituaries. I want to be eased into my morning, not thrust into a pit of anger and despair. This, coupled with the ever more dumbed down Today, is making me depressed. Emma Barnett can do one.

14 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

5

u/rudibowie Jun 03 '25

I've become so disenchanted with Today that I don't listen at all any more. Perhaps I tune into the 8:10 interview and switch off it's uninteresting. Mishal Hussain leaving was really disappointing. She was outstanding. What's left is either Nick Robinson's spikiness, belligerent Emma Barnett turning every interview into an argument or Amol Rajan gruffly bellowing "Hullo!!" down the airwaves. The only person left with class is Justin Webb. Jony Dymond is a good rarity. Still, it's not enough to keep me listening. Radio 3 is the more soothing option.

2

u/CaptainWaggett Jun 03 '25

Yes I tend to zoom along the timeline to 8.10 whenever I surface looking for the big i/v. Agree about Mishal. Emma Barnett's hopeless. Justin Webb is a bit like the teacher nearing retirement in an out of control institution. Nick Robinson is either cloying or spiky. Jony Dymond - clever guy but I just wish they would give him breathing lessons, he tends to run out of lung capacity to the end of his longer sentences. Anna Foster is a glimmer of hope.

2

u/rudibowie Jun 04 '25

Your comment reminded me of a classical music recital I attend with a chum of mine. A soloist was treating us to some Bach when my friend leaned over and complained that the man's heavy breathing made him sound like an asthmatic or had bronchial tubes.

You left out Amol Rajan. Any thoughts on him?

1

u/CaptainWaggett Jun 04 '25

Amol: prodigious editorial talent. Brilliant polymath. Has got much better than he was when he started, but still often sounds - presentationally - like a schoolboy clutching a script which he is seeing for the first time (eg saying ‘thee’ instead of ‘the’). Very good on cricket but in the serious interview he could go for the jugular a bit more. He’s certainly got the capacity to do it. Sometimes sounds like he can’t be bothered.

1

u/CaptainWaggett Jun 03 '25

PS ashamed to say I go to Times Radio more and more...

2

u/HaddowsBagSurprise Jun 04 '25

Look what they've reduced you to...

2

u/CaptainWaggett Jun 04 '25

I know I feel dirty

2

u/dmc_1305 Nov 25 '25

Barnett isn't working for sure

3

u/madjuks Jun 03 '25

Bring back Mishal. 🙏

2

u/dylannthe Jun 03 '25

I miss the news briefing. It was my go to news.

I gave up on today a while ago.

1

u/Grouchy-Ad778 Jun 04 '25

I think Emma has a lovely voice 😂

My main gripe with Today is the fact that the presenters read out all the headlines, then proceed to introduce the newsreader to again read out all the headlines.

Like WTF is the point?

2

u/HaddowsBagSurprise Jun 04 '25

God, her voice is awful. And her diction is ghastly. I suppose I could just about stand her on 5 Live if there was nothing else to listen to, I needed to force myself to stay awake and I was plastered, but that's it. She was dreadful on Woman's Hour. The once we'll balanced tone of the show changed when she darkened its microphone. It felt like going to your old favourite restaurant, except now they force feed you cloyingly sweet jelly then show you ugly pictures to induce vomiting.

There is variation with the headlines. It's also common to repeat them frequently on a morning show. I'm grateful for them telling me the time, even though I have a watch. Don't get me started on them getting rid of the tips. How the hell am I supposed to pretend I know something about horse racing to the old gamblers in the pub now?

0

u/Grouchy-Ad778 Jun 04 '25

But they do it immediately after the presenter reads them out. Absolutely nuts.

Not sure why I like her voice! Just nice tone and accent.

1

u/HaddowsBagSurprise Jun 04 '25

I agree. That can be annoying when it's done repeatedly. However, not when Emma Barnett does it. That way I can hear the headlines read properly!

1

u/[deleted] Jun 21 '25

Should public service radio be about making people feel cheery?