Woman's Hour
Encyclopedia
Woman's Hour is a radio magazine programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4
in the United Kingdom
.
and originally presented by Alan Ivimey the programme was first broadcast on 7 October 1946 on the BBC
's Light Programme (now called Radio 2
). It was transferred to its current home in 1973. Over the years it has been presented by Joan Griffiths, Olive Shapley
, Jean Metcalfe
(1947, 1958), Marjorie Anderson
(until 1972), Judith Chalmers
(1966–1970), Sue MacGregor
(1972–1987), Jenni Murray
(1987 – present), and Martha Kearney
(1998 – March 2007). Sheila McClennon regularly filled in for Murray and Kearney before joining the presenting team of You and Yours
. More recently, Carolyn Quinn
, Jane Little and Ritula Shah
have hosted occasional programmes, and guest presenters have included Oona King
and Amanda Platell
. Jane Garvey
became part of the presenting team on Monday 8 October 2007. On 1 January 2005, the show became Man's Hour for one day only, on which it was presented by Channel 4 News
anchor Jon Snow
. On 18 July 2010, after 64 years of Woman's Hour, the BBC began broadcasting a full series called Men's Hour on BBC Radio 5
presented by Tim Samuels
.
s (Woman's Hour Drama) which periodically change. One of the most popular of these are the recurring Ladies of Letters
serials starring Prunella Scales
and Patricia Routledge
. Before 1998 the last quarter of an hour was dedicated to readings. Research consistently shows that approximately one third of the programme's listeners are male.
's revision of the Radio 4 schedules in April 1998. Between September 1991 and April 1998 it was broadcast at 10.30am, having previously gone out for many years in an early afternoon slot. The programme's move to a morning slot was unpopular among some listeners who, for family or other reasons, work only in the morning. Michael Green, the then controller of Radio 4, made his decision the previous year and considered the elimination of the programme title; its "outdated" title is a subject of consternation in some quarters. A weekend version is broadcast on Saturday afternoons at 4 pm, which features highlights of the previous week.
' Vanity Fair and the lively Overture from Gabriel Fauré
's Masques et Bergamasques. From the early 1970s, specially composed pieces were used, several of which were provided by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop
.
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...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
History
Created by Norman CollinsNorman Collins
Norman Collins was a British writer, and later a radio and television executive, who became one of the major figures behind the establishment of the Independent Television network in the UK...
and originally presented by Alan Ivimey the programme was first broadcast on 7 October 1946 on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Light Programme (now called Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
). It was transferred to its current home in 1973. Over the years it has been presented by Joan Griffiths, Olive Shapley
Olive Shapley
Olive Mary Shapley was a British radio producer and broadcaster.As an undergraduate at St Hugh's College, Oxford from 1929 she soon met her lifelong friend Barbara Betts, the future Labour politician Barbara Castle; the two women spent their holidays together, and unlike Betts Shapley was briefly...
, Jean Metcalfe
Jean Metcalfe
Jean Metcalfe was an English radio broadcaster.-Early life:She was the eldest child of Guy Vivian Metcalfe, a railway clerk with the Southern Railway at Waterloo station, and Gwendoline Annie, née Reed...
(1947, 1958), Marjorie Anderson
Marjorie Anderson
Marjorie Anderson was a leading BBC radio broadcaster for over thirty years. From 1940 to 1945 she presented Forces Favourites on the World War II BBC Forces Programme and BBC General Forces Programmes and then its peacetime successor Family Favourites on the BBC Light Programme...
(until 1972), Judith Chalmers
Judith Chalmers
Judith Chalmers OBE is an English television presenter who is best known for presenting the travel programme Wish You Were Here...? in the 1970s and 1980s, where she often appeared in a bikini.-Early life and career:...
(1966–1970), Sue MacGregor
Sue MacGregor
Susan Katriona MacGregor CBE is a British writer and broadcaster.-Early life:Her parents were Scottish and emigrated to South Africa where she was brought up. Her father was a doctor, a neurologist who was in the British 14th Army in Burma in the Royal Army Medical Corps...
(1972–1987), Jenni Murray
Jenni Murray
Dame Jennifer Susan "Jenni" Murray, DBE is a British journalist and broadcaster. She attended Barnsley Girls High School and has a degree in French and Drama from Hull University...
(1987 – present), and Martha Kearney
Martha Kearney
Martha Catherine Kearney is an Irish-born British broadcaster and journalist. She is the main presenter of BBC Radio 4's lunchtime news programme The World at One.-Early life:...
(1998 – March 2007). Sheila McClennon regularly filled in for Murray and Kearney before joining the presenting team of You and Yours
You and Yours
You and Yours is a British radio consumer affairs programme, broadcast on BBC Radio 4.-History:It began broadcasting in October 1970, its first presenter was Joan York. In the great rescheduling of April 1998 it was increased from a 25 minute programme to 55 minutes. In the 1980s it briefly ran...
. More recently, Carolyn Quinn
Carolyn Quinn
Carolyn Quinn is a British journalist best known for her work on BBC Radio 4 as a political correspondent and for presenting the Today programme and PM.-Early life:...
, Jane Little and Ritula Shah
Ritula Shah
Ritula Shah is a journalist and news presenter on BBC Radio. As of January 2009, she is a regular presenter of The World Tonight, the Saturday edition of PM, and Woman's Hour on Radio 4, and The World Today on the World Service....
have hosted occasional programmes, and guest presenters have included Oona King
Oona King
Oona Tamsyn King, Baroness King of Bow is a Baroness and Member of the House of Lords, and former Chief Diversity Officer of Channel 4. She previously had served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow from 1997 until 2005, when she was defeated by Respect candidate George...
and Amanda Platell
Amanda Platell
Amanda Jane Platell is a British-based Australian journalist, and from 1999 to 2001 was the press secretary to William Hague, the then leader of the British Conservative Party.-Early life:...
. Jane Garvey
Jane Garvey (broadcaster)
Jane Susan Garvey is a British radio presenter, currently a presenter of BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour.-Education:Garvey was educated at Merchant Taylors' Girls' School in Crosby, Merseyside and is a graduate of the University of Birmingham.-Work:She was employed as a medical records clerk in a...
became part of the presenting team on Monday 8 October 2007. On 1 January 2005, the show became Man's Hour for one day only, on which it was presented by Channel 4 News
Channel 4 News
Channel 4 News is the news division of British television broadcaster Channel 4. It is produced by ITN, and has been in operation since the broadcaster's launch in 1982.-Channel 4 News:...
anchor Jon Snow
Jon Snow
Jon Snow is an English journalist and presenter, currently employed by ITN. He is best known for presenting Channel 4 News.He was Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University from 2001 to 2008.-Early life:...
. On 18 July 2010, after 64 years of Woman's Hour, the BBC began broadcasting a full series called Men's Hour on BBC Radio 5
BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
presented by Tim Samuels
Tim Samuels
Tim Samuels is an award-winning British documentary filmmaker and broadcaster. His work is characterised by approaching serious topics in innovative and subversive ways to produce hard-hitting documentaries. Samuels formed older people's rock group The Zimmers for a BBC documentary and is a...
.
Format
In its current format, the first 45 minutes of the programme consists of reports, interviews and debates on health, education, cultural and political topics ostensibly aimed at women and mothers (but often of general interest). The last 15 minutes are taken up with short-run drama serialSerial (radio and television)
Serials are series of television programs and radio programs that rely on a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode by episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the full run of the series, which distinguishes them from...
s (Woman's Hour Drama) which periodically change. One of the most popular of these are the recurring Ladies of Letters
Ladies of Letters
Ladies of Letters is a BBC Radio 4 comedy series starring Patricia Routledge and Prunella Scales, based on the series of books of the same name written by Carole Hayman and Lou Wakefield...
serials starring Prunella Scales
Prunella Scales
Prunella Scales CBE is an English actress, known for her role as Basil Fawlty's long-suffering wife in the British comedy Fawlty Towers and her award-nominated role as Queen Elizabeth II in the British film A Question of Attribution.-Career:Throughout her long career, Scales has usually been cast...
and Patricia Routledge
Patricia Routledge
Katherine Patricia Routledge, CBE is an English character comedy actress and singer. She is best known for her role as character Hyacinth Bucket in the British television series Keeping Up Appearances and Hetty Wainthropp in the British television series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates...
. Before 1998 the last quarter of an hour was dedicated to readings. Research consistently shows that approximately one third of the programme's listeners are male.
Schedule
Woman's Hour has been broadcast at 10am since James BoyleJames Boyle (broadcasting)
James Boyle is one of the leading public figures in the British arts world with a long track record in broadcasting in particular. His take-no-prisoners style has earned him numerous plaudits, but also resulted in controversy, most famously at BBC Radio 4....
's revision of the Radio 4 schedules in April 1998. Between September 1991 and April 1998 it was broadcast at 10.30am, having previously gone out for many years in an early afternoon slot. The programme's move to a morning slot was unpopular among some listeners who, for family or other reasons, work only in the morning. Michael Green, the then controller of Radio 4, made his decision the previous year and considered the elimination of the programme title; its "outdated" title is a subject of consternation in some quarters. A weekend version is broadcast on Saturday afternoons at 4 pm, which features highlights of the previous week.
Music
In its earlier years, it used a variety of popular light classics as signature tunes, including such pieces as Anthony CollinsAnthony Vincent Collins
Anthony Collins was a British conductor and composer.-Biography:Anthony Vincent Benedictus Collins was born in Hastings, East Sussex in 1893. At the age of seventeen he began to perform as violinist in the Hastings Municipal Orchestra. He then served four years in the army...
' Vanity Fair and the lively Overture from Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Urbain Fauré was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th century composers...
's Masques et Bergamasques. From the early 1970s, specially composed pieces were used, several of which were provided by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop
BBC Radiophonic Workshop
The BBC Radiophonic Workshop, one of the sound effects units of the BBC, was created in 1958 to produce effects and new music for radio, and was closed in March 1998, although much of its traditional work had already been outsourced by 1995. It was based in the BBC's Maida Vale Studios in Delaware...
.
