Radio Programs and Podcasts

Does anyone have any favorite radio programs or podcasts they'd like to share?

I really enjoy This American Life, and recently started listening to Snap Judgment (which is fairly similar to TAL in that they both have a theme to an episode and deliver stories on the theme).

A Prairie Home Companion has always been a favorite, although it's rare that I get to sit down and actually listen to an entire episode start to finish. But I love hearing the News from Lake Wobegon segment (which is available as a podcast on iTunes). They tour the country and do the show live for an audience, and they're coming to the state fair at the end of August and I'm considering going.

Another one, that I haven't listened to in a while is along the lines of the News from Lake Wobegon, but with a Lovecraftian twist. Welcome to Night Vale I'll just post what they have on their website.

WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE is a twice-monthly podcast in the style of community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale, featuring local weather, news, announcements from the Sheriff's Secret Police, mysterious lights in the night sky, dark hooded figures with unknowable powers, and cultural events.

It can be pretty amusing, and I should start listening to it again.

I listen to quite a lot of radio plays rather than podcasts, mainly BBC stuff.

I love the horrendously named Wait, wait don't Tell Me from NPR. The fact that they could make the Gulf War so hilarious still amazes me.

In fact they can make anything hilarious, without a sense of crossing the line. Even though after all these years it's gotten a bit formulaic it's still entertaining.

What kind of show is it Halfy?

I like the News Quiz on Radio 4 for topical stuff- its basically Have I got News for You on the radio, and has been going for longer.

I am also a huge fan of the host Sandi Toksvig.

CABIN PRESSURE!!  

What's Wait Wait don't Tell me? Very similar to what Petty just posted.

On the National Public Radio (NPR) show they gather together some journalists picked for their quick wit along with some political comedians.  Then they ask questions about current events.  Would be boring except that they pick funny ones, and also the panel is encouraged to make off the cuff quips.

It's hosted by Peter Sagal, and here's an example still remembered from the first show I heard, during the Gulf War:

Peter Sagal: "A week before the official start of the war, a platoon of British soldiers were performing live ammunition exercises right next to the border.  A group of Iraqi solders on the other side of the border heard this, made their way over a barricade, through a ditch, and under some barbed wire and approached the soldiers in order to do what?"

Mo Rocca: "Gee, I don't know, surrender?"

Peter Sagal: "That's right!  The British platoon leader had to tell them 'Sorry, it's not time yet.' "

Charlie Pierce: "...But if you surrender three more times you get a free cup of coffee!"

That sounds very similar to the News Quiz and HIGNFY

Had a hunt on youtube for Wait wait don't tell me? and found a bunch of full episodes, but sadly nothing newer than last years episodes so far-



Given I read quite a lot of American news I am looking forward to listening to these. If its anything like the UK equivalents they are usually a very good way of getting the news!

If anyone finds somewhere with newer full episodes please put up the link.

Enjoy.  I usually download podcasts for long drives.  Those will be recent; putting a bunch of images together to make a video out of a radio show takes devotion.

EDIT: that program you posted is a conglomeration, and somewhat substandard unfortunately. They do have a few 'best of' shows in the podcasts, those are the ones to go for.

Bugger. Thats what I get for trusting a you tube search for 'full episodes'   

Wait Wait gets a thumbs up form me.

I've also found that I like listening to old radio shows. Mostly horror/mystery/sci-fi shows.

This youtube channel has a lot of old CBS Radio Mystery Theater episodes.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwvGg42DW2e3KmMsqbN5GBg

I'm not interested in music, so I only really listen to the radio at work or round a friends house. I do make a point of listening to The Kermode and Mayo film review Blog when I can.

But since signing up for Big Finish, I have been listening to rather more radio plays than I ever intended...damn their quality writing!

You tried I, Davros yet Malick?

Pettytyrant101 wrote:You tried I, Davros yet Malick?

No, I've mainly been listening to Mcgann's stuff, some of the early adventures and specials (The Light At The End was brilliant!), I thought it was kinda pointless to listen to any of the spin off's or get to into the other Doctors, as I haven't watched past Pertwee in the Classics yet and it's rather confusing trying to work out the continuity of the audios.

Well I davros is quite easy for continuity- it charts th elife of Davros form a young boy to adult hood and ends about a month or so before the events of 4th Doctor story Genesis of the Daleks.

It doesnt involve any of the Doctors so no worries there.

If you haven't seen Genesis that doesnt matter as you can watch it after I,Davros where it chronologically belngs anyway.

Its easily my favourite BF audio.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:Well I davros is quite easy for continuity- it charts th elife of Davros form a young boy to adult hood and ends about a month or so before the events of 4th Doctor story Genesis of the Daleks.

It doesnt involve any of the Doctors so no worries there.

If you haven't seen Genesis that doesnt matter as you can watch it after I,Davros where it chronologically belngs anyway.

Its easily my favourite BF audio.

I'll add it to the list.

In many ways BF feels like more of a natural extension of Classic Who than the New Series, the quality of the writing is much more consistent at least.

I think a part of it is down to not needing to work within a budget. In BF a writer can have what they imagine, on TV you have to show it. And typical of the BBC as Who has got more popular they have cut its budget every single year since 2008.
Although it doesn't look it (and hats off to the production team for that) this series is the lowest budget for Who in 6 series.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:I think a part of it is down to not needing to work within a budget. In BF a writer can have what they imagine, on TV you have to show it. And typical of the BBC as Who has got more popular they have cut its budget every single year since 2008.
Although it doesn't look it (and hats off to the production team for that) this series is the lowest budget for Who in 6 series.

Yeah I'd agree on both points, I read an interview with Nicholas Briggs the other day where he stated (paraphrased) he preferred the freedom of Radio to the constraints of TV budgeting and scheduling, although some of the stories can be hard to visualize, I think, in general the radio plays offer the best of both worlds-wacky stories, but great character development, with the TV show it sometimes feels like the two are competing, and with over a dozen (or more) audio plays spread through the year, I think BF doesn't suffer as much from hype or expectation. It's a little annoying they don't get more mentions in the show-they are licensed by the BBC after all.

That's kinda annoying about the Budget being slashed (esp when they spend money on crap like that puppet quiz show and the voice) but you wouldn't really notice the difference (visually the show keeps getting better and better) hopefully this might have a similar effect on the way TV writers approach the show.

Radio is bettter suited to character stuff in many ways as radio is talking.
Its for the same reason I think Lotr's is more suited to radio adaptation than film or tv. Large parts of it- Shadow of the Past, Council of Elrond ect are just people talking. Which works perfectly on radio but requires different treatment for the screen that is inevitably less word based.

Just got the new "Good Omens" BBC Radio Dramatisation by Dirk Maggs (don't know if there's a specific thread for it; couldn't find one...) and I've got stuck at chapter one.... Because I know that I know the score that's being played in the background but I absolutely can't put my finger on it
maybe someone here can help me out

Listen to 3:12

Can't help you on the the score, I'm affraid. But the recording is great. Thanks for sharing.

mmmhh, pity (it bugs me when I can't remember the music's origin..)

Yeah, the recording is really awesome!!! Not as awesome as Neverwhere but still fantastic!

I usually get everything wrong but, I looked at the comments to that Vid Semiramis & someone suggested 'killer queen' by Queen ?? so, maybe ? I had a listen also & it sounds familiar but couldnt quite 'get it' myself.

You kind of got it
"Killer Queen" comes later on - in the next chapter. And that's something I managed to recognise for sure