Broadcasting House (radio programme)
Encyclopedia
Broadcasting House is a current affairs programme on BBC Radio 4
, presented by Paddy O'Connell
. It is broadcast every Sunday between 09:00 and 10:00.
Broadcasting House or "BH" takes itself less seriously than other Radio 4 news programmes. It was launched in 1998. Early examples of BH irreverence include the "The Donald Rumsfeld
Soundbite of the Week" and "Martin Jarvis Reads 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
'". (The latter being the actor Martin Jarvis reading the six words "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", designed to poke fun at the amount of time Radio 4 had been devoting to Harry Potter and to readings, of anything and everything, by Martin Jarvis.)
More recent send ups have included a "Theatrical Arrest" prompted by remarks made by the former Home Secretary David Blunkett
and a spoof campaign call to some young children after the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg
decided send a recorded message to voters in marginal constituencies.
There is a weekly quiz, with a cryptic sound clue pointing to a news event in the last week. The prize is a spoon, originally a Jam Spoon but now been replaced by a Honey Spoon. The programme makes frequent visits to the BH beehive based in South West London. The competition was nominated for a Sony Award in 2007.
More serious features include the headlines and current affairs sections, which look at the background to recent news stories. There is also a review of the Sunday papers with guest reviewers.
Broadcasting House's original presenter was Eddie Mair
who left the programme on becoming the regular sole presenter of PM
in 2003. After a period with no regular presenter, Fi Glover
replaced Mair at the beginning of 2004. Matthew Bannister
was the first stand-in presenter when Glover went on maternity leave, but on gaining his own new obituary strand on Radio 4, Last Word, most editions of BH in the spring/summer of 2006 were presented by Working Lunch
and BBC Three
presenter Paddy O'Connell
. Glover did not return, instead taking on the Saturday 9am slot with Saturday Live, and on 30 August 2006, O'Connell was named as the new regular host of BH.
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
, presented by Paddy O'Connell
Paddy O'Connell
Guy Patrick Bennett O'Connell , known as Paddy O'Connell, is an English television and radio presenter, working mainly for the BBC....
. It is broadcast every Sunday between 09:00 and 10:00.
Broadcasting House or "BH" takes itself less seriously than other Radio 4 news programmes. It was launched in 1998. Early examples of BH irreverence include the "The Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
Soundbite of the Week" and "Martin Jarvis Reads 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the first novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling and featuring Harry Potter, a young wizard...
'". (The latter being the actor Martin Jarvis reading the six words "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", designed to poke fun at the amount of time Radio 4 had been devoting to Harry Potter and to readings, of anything and everything, by Martin Jarvis.)
More recent send ups have included a "Theatrical Arrest" prompted by remarks made by the former Home Secretary David Blunkett
David Blunkett
David Blunkett is a British Labour Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, having represented Sheffield Brightside from 1987 to 2010...
and a spoof campaign call to some young children after the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg
Nick Clegg
Nicholas William Peter "Nick" Clegg is a British Liberal Democrat politician who is currently the Deputy Prime Minister, Lord President of the Council and Minister for Constitutional and Political Reform in the coalition government of which David Cameron is the Prime Minister...
decided send a recorded message to voters in marginal constituencies.
There is a weekly quiz, with a cryptic sound clue pointing to a news event in the last week. The prize is a spoon, originally a Jam Spoon but now been replaced by a Honey Spoon. The programme makes frequent visits to the BH beehive based in South West London. The competition was nominated for a Sony Award in 2007.
More serious features include the headlines and current affairs sections, which look at the background to recent news stories. There is also a review of the Sunday papers with guest reviewers.
Broadcasting House's original presenter was Eddie Mair
Eddie Mair
Eddie Mair is a British BBC radio and television presenter. He presents BBC Radio 4's daily news magazine PM also the Radio 4 Saturday only iPM and the BBC's NewsPod, is an occasional presenter of Newsnight, the stand-in presenter for Any Questions replacing the late Nick Clarke, and was the...
who left the programme on becoming the regular sole presenter of PM
PM (Radio 4)
PM, sometimes referred to as the PM programme to avoid ambiguity, is BBC Radio 4's long-running early evening news and current affairs programme.-Broadcast times:...
in 2003. After a period with no regular presenter, Fi Glover
Fi Glover
Fiona "Fi" Glover is a BBC journalist and presenter and, until March 2011, the host of BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live.-Career:...
replaced Mair at the beginning of 2004. Matthew Bannister
Matthew Bannister
Richard Matthew Bannister is a British media executive and broadcaster. After attending King Edward VII School , he graduated in law at the University of Nottingham in 1978, and joined BBC Radio Nottingham as a trainee reporter and subsequently the presenter of its speech-based breakfast show,...
was the first stand-in presenter when Glover went on maternity leave, but on gaining his own new obituary strand on Radio 4, Last Word, most editions of BH in the spring/summer of 2006 were presented by Working Lunch
Working Lunch
Working Lunch was a television programme broadcast on BBC Two which covered business, personal finance and consumer news between 1994 and 2010. The programme was first aired on 19 September 1994. It had a quirky, relaxed style, especially when compared to other BBC business shows such as World...
and BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
presenter Paddy O'Connell
Paddy O'Connell
Guy Patrick Bennett O'Connell , known as Paddy O'Connell, is an English television and radio presenter, working mainly for the BBC....
. Glover did not return, instead taking on the Saturday 9am slot with Saturday Live, and on 30 August 2006, O'Connell was named as the new regular host of BH.