[Swprograms] MediaGuardian.co.uk: Radio 4 closes ears to foreign affairs pleas

[jfiglio1@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

John Figliozzi spotted this on the MediaGuardian.co.uk site and thought you should see it.

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Note from John Figliozzi:

I don't think I saw this noted anywhere else...  
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To see this story with its related links on the MediaGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://www.mediaguardian.co.uk

Radio 4 closes ears to foreign affairs pleas
Wednesday May 09 2007
The Guardian


The Radio 4 controller, Mark Damazer, has axed foreign affairs magazine show A World in Your Ears after nine years on the network - to the consternation of the show's originator and its presenter.

Rosie Goldsmith, who has presented the programme which samples English language radio from around the world for four years, openly questioned the BBC's commitment to foreign affairs in the light of Mr Damazer's decision. 

The axing of A World in Your Ears comes just weeks after BBC Radio Five Live dropped its foreign affairs slot Euro News also in a bid to make savings.

"We all understand about efficiencies but you have to wonder how great our commitment is to foreign coverage," Goldsmith told the current issue of BBC in-house magazine Ariel. "My fear is that the perspective is becoming too parochial."

She was joined in criticising the axing of A World in Your Ears by Radio 4's world programmes editor, Maria Balinska, who launched the series more than nine years ago.

"We've just done a programme on Zimbabwe - radio that's produced inside, outside and about Zimbabwe, for instance from South Africa. How would you compile that range of programmes any other way?," Ms Balinska said.

The programme will end on May 27 with a special episode focusing on the BBC's first African radio awards.

Mr Damazer said has dropped the show, which airs on Saturday afternoons, in order to "refresh the schedule".

"We are losing A World in Your Ears from the schedules. It's done well but we do regularly make changes to our schedule to vary our output and to ensure value for money for licence payers," he added.

"The staffing implications are still being worked out. Current affairs remains crucial to Radio 4's health - as can be witnessed every day of the week. That won't change."

He also insisted that his network may commission a new and less costly programme at 5.30pm on Saturday afternoons made by Ms Balinska's team.

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Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited

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