Francis Bown, a listener since 1968, has written to the BBC to express concerns about the Today programme on Radio 4. He acknowledges that complaints about the show are nothing new, but argues that it has recently lost its way in two key areas.
Bown criticises the frequent inclusion of pop music items, which he describes as noisy and distracting. He says he tunes in for news and serious discussion, not for sounds readily available on other channels.
More seriously, he points to a lack of balance in discussions, where two experts with similar views are often paired together. This, he says, stifles diversity of thought and suggests an 'approved BBC line'. Bown believes these issues could be easily corrected, allowing the programme to better compete with podcasts.
