Broadcasting House is a current affairs programme on BBC Radio 4. It airs every Sunday morning between 9 and 10 o'clock.
Though appropriating a similar timeslot and set of presenters as Today (Radio 4's daily morning news programme), it takes a lighthearted approach, including humorous items such as "The Donald Rumsfeld Soundbite of the Week" and "Martin Jarvis Reads 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'". (The latter being the actor Martin Jarvis reading the six words "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", designed to poke fun at the amount of scheduling time Radio 4 had been devoting to Harry Potter.)
Other opportunities for humour come from art competitions which satirise the art world, particularly of the modern art variety, and the introduction to the programme: "This programme is protected by a glass screen, but vital parts of it aren't", referring to a flour-throwing incident in the House of Commons that week.
More serious features include the headlines and current affairs pieces, looking at the background to recent news stories. There is also a review of the Sunday papers, with guest reviewers. Frequent guest reviewers include Gyles Brandreth and Tim Bentinck who plays David Archer in The Archers, BBC Radio's longest-running soap opera.
Audience participation is encouraged, by the previously mentioned competitions, and also through correspondence. Selected e-mails are read as they arrive, with the selection tending to favour correspondents who share the programme's subtle sense of irony and sarcasm.
Broadcasting House started out with Eddie Mair as presenter. After a period with no regular presenter, Fi Glover has taken the reins.
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Last updated: 07-29-2005 01:04:45
