Hopefully this isn't going to be a long one, I'm just getting my eye back in. It takes a lot of practice to direct your anger and bewilderment effectively, so here goes.
BBC Radio 5 Live. An excellent radio station by anyone's standards. A wide range of news and sport programmes throughout the day. There are some exceptions to that rule, but generally it's either that or Radio 4 for non-music radio.
However, I have a serious problem with them at the moment, and this was demonstrated horrifically over 2 days this week.
They seem to have a real problem with knowing which extreme of the scale they should be at, and no programme more so it would seem, than 5 Live Drive (weekdays 16:00 - 19:00).
By now everybody should be aware of the disgusting situation unfolding with the kidnapping of April Jones. For her parents it is the kind of nightmare I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. Now, for some reason the BBC deemed it necessary to send one of the Drive presenters out to Wales to bring us the latest on the situation.
Read that again. Yes, you read it correctly. Why the FUCK did they think that was remotely necessary? Before he arrived there were reporters for the BBC in the area doing a great job of giving us the latest. And it seemed that all Peter was doing there was interviewing people who could be spending their time far more fucking productively if he wasn't.
It also seems that there was no other news that day. As I said, this is a horrific situation and I hope that April is found alive and well, but there are other things happening in the world.
The polar opposite of the scale was played out for all to hear only the previous day. With about 5 minutes of the show left, an interview started with 2 callers about depression in workers in the UK. One a sufferer, and one working for a charity to help sufferers.
An excellent topic to raise wouldn't you say? Depression is a much maligned condition that many people are too afraid to discuss.
And it was a fantastic piece of informative radio, right up until the point that the presenter, Aasmah, cut of the charity worker mid-flow to end the interview.
Fair enough you might think, they only have the time they're allocated.
But then they proceeded to spend the last 2 or 3 minutes cunting on about how Ed Balls had used the phrase "un-pack the facts", and business jargon in general.
Again, how the FUCK is this allowed to happen?
It seems that there is some un-written rule that means there MUST be an "and finally" at the end of the programme. A jolly little story with fuck all consequence so that we can trundle on through the evening imagining everything is rosy. Even when it cuts short a serious discussion about a very serious subject.
It hurts me to know that this bullshit still goes on, that we can't be treated like adults and given all the real news. Either we get a massive insight into a select few people's suffering, or a sugar coating of twee fuckery to help us all sleep at night.
I'll be the first to admit how cynical I can be, but I'm not imagining it this time. The media really is this fucked up.
(Ha! Turns out it was a pretty long one after all. Thoughts are welcome.)
