Web Site Of The Week – Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is one of our vastly under-valued institutions, particularly amongst those under the age of 35 years. If the purpose of a Web site is to promote, and get people to readdress their opinions, then Radio 4 not only needs, but deserves, any of the benefits that this would bring to its image. The site itself has only been up for a few weeks, and there have been whisperings that it was created on a shoestring budget, it isn’t updated as often as it might be, and, at the end of the day, doesn’t really tell us anything of any interest. Well, quite harsh accusations, and I must say on the contrary to the findings I made in the site.
Although this site is perhaps geared for those who don’t need, or want to be impressed with cheap thrills, there are some gimmicks here. No flashing bits, no pictures of the Spice Girls, but, never the less, some nice pieces of design, coupled with easy-to-read informative text – more or less what you’d expect from Radio 4. What you get is a clearly laid out, easy to surf through gold-mine of programming information and related bits and bobs. The categories to look through are Comedy, Science, Drama, News, Travel, Fourtaste (a collection of audio ‘highlights’ – including the infamous Shipping Forecast), and a prize draw section. It does make rather a pleasant change to find a Web-site that has clearly labelled categories like this, and one knows that it is not going to take all afternoon traipsing through page after page of rubbish simply to find the information you want.
Remembering that this is a Radio Web-site, you won’t be surprised to know that there is a lot to listen to here and you’ll need the appropriate software to get the most out of what is available. Everything is linked these days, so if you get to a stage where some additional plug-ins are needed, then you’ll probably be pointed in the right direction, with guidelines as to what you need to get. It is worth making the effort to get these technical points sorted out as a great majority of the enjoyment from this site comes from sampling the world of Radio 4.
The comedy section contains details of all the old favourites,Just A Minute, I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue, The News Quiz, and Loose Ends. There’s information on current comedy highlights, details of the BBC New Comedy Awards, tips for comedy writing, and even an online version of the game Mornington Crescent. Best of all, is a full retrospective of comedy on Radio 4 from the 1930’s to the present day.
The other sections carry much the same format and approach, listing Radio 4 favourites, information on current or forthcoming special attractions, each with its own unique attraction. Just about the best bit of design on the site is the ‘Drama Room’ where one clicks on an object contained in an illustration of a Radio 4 Studio, and is then taken to a relevant subject; i.e. clicking on the pair of wellies takes you to information on the Archers.
News and Travel very much live up to the high standards set by the rest of the site, and, again, are full of interesting facts as well as comprehensive breakdowns of what 4 has to offer in these areas. But then you’re probably about to go and have a look yourselves; don’t forget to retune your radio, even if it is just for the evening.