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Melvyn Bragg steps down from presenting In Our Time

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Melvyn Bragg steps down from presenting In Our Time

#51

Post by gadders »

GJim wrote: post #36
specproc wrote: post #4

Ach, very sad. Like Paxman on University Challenge, he was clearly finding it harder and harder towards the end. I hope he's alright, it'd be a tough one to let go of, I can't imagine a better show to present. Brilliant series, can't recommend highly enough to anyone who's not encountered it.

> he was clearly finding it harder and harder towards the end Very reminiscent of Sir Patrick Moore presenting his final episodes of The Sky at Night. (Sadly missed).

Same as Letter from America with Alastair Cooke https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_from_America

Re: Melvyn Bragg steps down from presenting In Our Time

#52

Post by navaed01 »

This has been my go to podcast for bedtime or when I can’t sleep… the broad topics, depth of discussion and tone are all fantastic… the ONLY thing that bugs me is the volume of guests microphones not being equalized, so you get some guests on the same episode being so much quieter than others

Re: Melvyn Bragg steps down from presenting In Our Time

#53

Post by pbhjpbhj »

avian wrote: post #16

In Our Time has been my favorite podcast to listen. It made me appreciate how well moderated a discussion among experts can be and how poorly most moderators on other radio programs or conference panels do their jobs. My complaint with In Our Time is that BBC started inserting the "this program is supported by ads outside of the U.K." ads in the middle of the discussions. The ads start and end with an extremely annoy…

They closed off the website to unregistered in the UK too, last time I tried to access content it asked me for a license number (I don't have a TV license).

I used to follow topical comedy podcasts but they put a large delay in their publication cycle so they're no longer topical.

They also nag you to install the app. They seem often to just repeat the worst habits of commercial media.

Re: Melvyn Bragg steps down from presenting In Our Time

#54

Post by robin_reala »

GJim wrote: post #36
specproc wrote: post #4

Ach, very sad. Like Paxman on University Challenge, he was clearly finding it harder and harder towards the end. I hope he's alright, it'd be a tough one to let go of, I can't imagine a better show to present. Brilliant series, can't recommend highly enough to anyone who's not encountered it.

> he was clearly finding it harder and harder towards the end Very reminiscent of Sir Patrick Moore presenting his final episodes of The Sky at Night. (Sadly missed).

Shows my age I guess that I only really associate Patrick Moore with GamesMaster.

Re: Melvyn Bragg steps down from presenting In Our Time

#55

Post by etothepii »

writebetterc wrote: post #29
benrutter wrote: post #12

I looked, and there's more than 1000 available episodes of IOT on the BBC, they're all (at least every one I've heard) brilliant. I'm curious if anyone here has any particular favourites? I remember really enjoying the Plankton episode because it took me the classic IOT route of "That doesn't sound interesting, but I'll give it a listen" to looking up all the reading list. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001r1t5

I'll do the opposite: The P vs NP episode is aboslutely horrid. Probably the first and last time that they had any informatics people on the show. One major issue is that the experts didn't explain what we mean by "hard". Melvyn thought, as normal people do, that 'hard problem' means you've gotta be real clever to solve it, not that it takes a lot of steps to solve (and how the number of steps increases as the proble…

In 45 minutes assuming only the education of the (wo)man on the Clapham Omnibus explaining P vs NP is always going to be extremely difficult.

I've never made the mistake of thinking that after a 45 minute episode of in our time on, say, Cyrus the Great, that I'm now in a position to write an essay on the man. I would assume that none M/NS/CS types don't make that mistake after listening to the episode on P vs NP.

Re: Melvyn Bragg steps down from presenting In Our Time

#56

Post by stevoski »

You could see this coming with his voice weakening over the years. It’s nice that he was able to continue for as long as he did.

My weekly dose of highbrow-ness from the UK:

1. In Our Time

2. University Challenge

I highly recommend the back catalog In Our Time if you want some good brain fodder on an amazingly wide range of subjects.

Re: Melvyn Bragg steps down from presenting In Our Time

#57

Post by OskarS »

stevoski wrote: post #56

You could see this coming with his voice weakening over the years. It’s nice that he was able to continue for as long as he did. My weekly dose of highbrow-ness from the UK: 1. In Our Time 2. University Challenge I highly recommend the back catalog In Our Time if you want some good brain fodder on an amazingly wide range of subjects.

If you want to add to that list, check out Only Connect on the BBC. Best quiz show for smart people in the world.

Re: Melvyn Bragg steps down from presenting In Our Time

#58

Post by sherr »

dghf wrote: post #49
arethuza wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I always thought it was appropriate that the UK nuclear deterrence fleet apparently would check for Radio 4 still being broadcast to check whether civilisation as we know it (at least in these damp isles) has ended. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letters_of_last_resort

I believe that to be precise they check for the Today programme, the Radio 4 current-affairs slot where Cabinet ministers go to get monstered.

The Today program is a shadow of its former self I think, as is a lot of BBC News today.

Re: Melvyn Bragg steps down from presenting In Our Time

#59

Post by walthamstow »

geokon wrote: post #44
specproc wrote: post #4

Ach, very sad. Like Paxman on University Challenge, he was clearly finding it harder and harder towards the end. I hope he's alright, it'd be a tough one to let go of, I can't imagine a better show to present. Brilliant series, can't recommend highly enough to anyone who's not encountered it.

i wouldnt be surprized if hes been gently pushed out. unfortunately the clarity of his voice has noticeably worsened. listen to a 10+ year old episode and he sounds much clearer as a native speaker its all fine and intelligeable, but for anyone ESL it'd be challenging bc its so much mumbling now

His voice is noticeably frail and less full of life in the last 4-5 years of episodes

Re: Melvyn Bragg steps down from presenting In Our Time

#60

Post by nickdothutton »

Although I am often critical of modern day BBC output, or indeed all "mainstream Tee-Vee" output, this is among their best work. Exposure to higher culture trains the mind to think abstractly, to appreciate beauty, and to orient life toward something greater than just existing.
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