...and radio

[Willem]

I've been listening to 'The Unbelievable Truth' on my trainrides recently, an enjoyable diversion (although the same truth kept coming back on different seasons). I know Little Britain, the Mighty Boosh and Armstrong&Miller started on the radio.

Here in Holland, that's almost unimaginable. Radio shows either have wacky dj's talking songs together, or discussion programs. There's no entertainment/infotainment that compares to what the Brits have.

So, what's the deal with radio in your country? Is it just music and witless banter?

And for the Brits: any other radio shows you could recommend?

[poohcarrot]

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So, what's the deal with radio in your country? Is it just music and witless banter?

Dunno! It's all in Japanese.

[Tonyblack]

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy started as a radio show.

[Anilori]

We French don't have anything like radio plays either - not anymore at least. The only one I know of, Fantômas, was in the forties, and although Wikipedia tells me there was a revival or two, it seems to have all died out with the arrival of television. I was very surprised the first time I heard one on the English radio, I didn't understand what it was - now I always have BBC 4 Extra bookmarked so I have something to listen to when I draw. For the occasional Pratchett adaptations, of course, but I also like comedy shows (as someone who works on fifth century BC Athens, Acropolis Now makes me laugh a lot And I love the radio version of Yes Minister. And lots of other shows)

[The Mad Collector]

Acropolis Now is brilliant

[Anilori]

I love that the historical background is pretty accurate, and I love that Aristophanes is a main character, since he's the author I do my thesis on (by the way, I'just recently realised that one of the plays' main character was pretty obviously CMOT Dibbler. Well, there is one of him everywhere, isn't there?)

[raisindot]

Here in Holland, that's almost unimaginable. Radio shows either have wacky dj's talking songs together, or discussion programs. There's no entertainment/infotainment that compares to what the Brits have.

So, what's the deal with radio in your country? Is it just music and witless banter?

In the U.S., what you have in Holland pretty much describes commercial over-the-air radio. You either have totally syndicated, highly programmed, demographically targeted stations that play the same 20 songs over and again with interruptions from gloried 5 years olds making fart jokes, or you have loud, argumentative talk radio, usually representing only the viewpoints of the far right wing or rabid sports fans or crazy evangelicals.

The only saving grace for radio here in the U.S. are our public radio stations, which features an eclectic mix of news, classical, jazz, blues and folk music as well as documentaries and mild-mannered entertainment programs (like Prairie Home Companion and Car Talk) with a decidedly liberal slant, and the college radio stations, which are the true vanguard here, playing everything the regular stations won't touch.

The further you get from the coasts and college towns, the worse radio gets. Listening to the radio when you're driving nearly anywhere in the south or midwest is one of the most depressing experiences. If you're not near a college, all you'll hear is Jesus radio, right-wing extremists, and country music.