The Listening Project

Last updated

The Listening Project
Running timeVarious
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Language(s) English
Home station BBC Radio 4
Hosted by Fi Glover
Original release30 March 2012 
27 September 2022 [1]
Website The Listening Project

The Listening Project is a programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 between 2012 and 2022, introduced by Fi Glover. [2] The programme was a joint project between BBC Radio 4, BBC Local Radio stations and the British Library, which records conversations between friends, colleagues or relatives with the aim to preserve voices and experiences from the United Kingdom to "build a unique picture of our lives today". [3] Over one thousand recordings have been made as of 2020, and they will be archived by the British Library for preservation. [3] [4]

Examples of conversations recorded for the Listening Project

The Listening Project aired a conversation in April 2022 between Pedro and Caroline, talking about how they are coping with the rising cost of living – with a particular focus on food. Pedro explains how he gets food from his local Community Fridge and also volunteers there, and Caroline is getting food from her local food bank. The programme was aired on BBC Radio 4 on 10 April 2022. [5]

In 2020, the BBC Listening Project aired the episode Mark and Darren- Strangers in Conversation, [6] as an extended length episode. Palliative care consultant Mark Taubert and Darren Bradbury only knew each other from Mark's visits to the Llandough hospital café, where Darren works. They had never had a full conversation before this day, and talk about diverse topics like Brexit, witnessing grief in hospitals, and the health of Darren's daughter who has a rare eye condition.

Another example is a conversation between Ken and Peter, talking about the pain of their respective divorces. They acknowledge the difficulty they had in talking about their problems. It was aired in October 2018. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BBC Radio 4</span> British national radio station

BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasting House, London. Since 2019, the station controller has been Mohit Bakaya. He replaced Gwyneth Williams, who had been the station controller since 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BBC Radio</span> Division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation

BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the state media outlet British Broadcasting Corporation. The service provides national radio stations covering the majority of musical genres, as well as local radio stations covering local news, affairs and interests. It also oversees online audio content.

BBC Radio 5 Live is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It broadcasts mainly news, sport, discussion, interviews and phone-ins. It is the principal BBC radio station covering sport in the United Kingdom, broadcasting virtually all major sports events staged in the UK or involving British competitors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Blackburn</span> British radio presenter, offshore broadcaster

Antony Kenneth Blackburn is an English disc jockey, singer and TV presenter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caroline Quentin</span> English actress and presenter (born 1960)

Caroline Quentin is an English actress, broadcaster and television presenter. Quentin became known for her television appearances: portraying Dorothy in Men Behaving Badly (1992–1998), Maddie Magellan in Jonathan Creek (1997–2000), Kate Salinger in Kiss Me Kate and DCI Janine Lewis in Blue Murder (2003–2009).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sian Williams</span> Welsh journalist and television presenter

Sian Mary Williams is a Welsh journalist, current affairs presenter, and psychologist.

BBC Local Radio is the BBC's local and regional radio division for England and the Channel Islands, consisting of forty stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iain Lee</span> English broadcaster, writer, and former television presenter and stand-up comedian

Iain Lee is an English former broadcaster, writer, and television presenter and stand-up comedian who hosts the phone-in talk show The Late Night Alternative on "pay to view" Patreon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Wright (DJ)</span> English radio presenter (1954–2024)

Stephen Richard Wright was an English disc jockey, radio personality, and occasional television presenter, credited with introducing the morning zoo format to British radio with a humorous collection of personalities. He presented Steve Wright in the Afternoon for 12 years on BBC Radio 1 and 23 years on BBC Radio 2, two of the BBC's national radio stations. He continued to present his Sunday Love Songs on Radio 2 until his death and, in October 2023, he took over as the host of the long-running Pick of the Pops chart show. On BBC Television, Wright hosted Home Truths, The Steve Wright People Show, Auntie's TV Favourites, Top of the Pops and TOTP2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laser 558</span> Offshore pirate radio station

Laser 558 was an offshore pirate radio station launched in May 1984 using disc jockeys from the US. It broadcast from the Panama-registered ship MV Communicator in international waters in the North Sea. Within months the station had a large audience, due to its strong signal and continuous music, mixing current records with oldies. However, insufficient advertising starved the station off the air in late 1985. In 1986 an attempt was made to return as Laser Hot Hits, but the same problems arose.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fi Glover</span> British journalist and presenter (born 1969)

Fiona Susannah Grace "Fi" Glover is a British journalist and presenter who currently hosts a two hour show for Times Radio and the Off Air podcast, for The Times. Before joining The Times in October 2022, Glover worked for the BBC for almost thirty years, most recently presenting the Fortunately podcast, with Jane Garvey, The Listening Project for BBC Radio 4 and My Perfect Country for the BBC World Service.

Michael John Bakewell was a British radio and television producer.

This is a list of events in British radio during 1990.

A timeline of notable events relating to BBC Radio 4, a British national radio station which began broadcasting in September 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GB News</span> British television news channel

GB News is a British free-to-air opinion-orientated news television and radio channel. The channel is available on Freeview, Freesat, Sky, YouView, Virgin Media and via the internet on Samsung TV Plus and YouTube. An audio simulcast of the station is also available on DAB+ radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TalkTV (British TV channel)</span> British television channel

TalkTV is a British free-to-air opinion-oriented television and radio channel owned and operated by News UK. The channel is available on Freeview, Freesat, Sky, Virgin Media and via the internet on YouTube. It launched on 25 April 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strangers (Bring Me the Horizon song)</span> 2022 single by Bring Me the Horizon

"Strangers" is a song by British rock band Bring Me the Horizon. Produced by Zakk Cervini, BloodPop and Evil Twin, it was released as the second single from the group's upcoming 2024 commercial release Post Human: Nex Gen on 6 July 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Taubert</span> British-German Palliative Care Doctor and Campaigner

Professor Mark Taubert FRCP FRCGP is a German-British consultant doctor and professor of medicine at Cardiff University. He is a palliative care physician in Wales, who according to the Western Mail and Welsh Government website has contributed significantly to the development of his specialty, and has received recognition as a doctor and campaigner, nationally and internationally.

References

  1. "BBC Radio 4 - the Listening Project, the Final Edition".
  2. "Destiny: Chick and Lindsay". BBC Radio 4. 30 March 2012.
  3. 1 2 "About". The Listening Project website. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  4. "The Listening Project". British Library. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  5. "Living Costs". BBC 4 - The Listening Project. 10 April 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  6. "Sunday Edition- Mark and Darren: Strangers in conversation". BBC Radio 4- The Listening Project. 8 March 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  7. "Ken and Peter- The pain of divorce". BBC Radio 4 - The Listening Project. 5 October 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2024.