I just wanted to put on record that my favourite program on TV or radio is Radio 4’s Today program, and give my reasons why.

It runs 6am – 9am Monday to Friday every week and has been doing the same, more or less, for as long as I can remember, and, for as long as I can remember, I have been a Today program listener. But like many, listening to the radio is something I do while doing other things, in my case it is usually when I am driving the car, where I often have Radio 4 turned on. There have been a number of occasions when I remained in the car to finish listening to some or other item, and there being many such that are worth listening to. Then there is always catch up (at least seven days worth) so I can go over what I might have missed from my computer.

In analysing why I like the Today program, there are many reasons. The five minute “Thought for the Day” and sports round up slots are but two. As a keen follower of current affairs, I find this medium just right when it comes to keeping me informed of what is going on around me. While BBC impartiality is a much aired subject, I find those doing the reporting and presenting to be intelligent, informed, empathetic, balanced, well researched, good humoured and in the main impartial. It tries to cover widely and in surprising depth what is going on in the world, including less critical popular culture items. The program does it well and, unlike other programs doing similar things, I am usually neither irritated nor bored, but I am interested.

A number of my blog postings is as a result of something I first listened to on the Today program, and many could have been like a recent report on a church based response to homelessness and proposals to build more social housing, and always there are valuable insights concerning some or other trouble spot in the world (the amount of insight regarding Aleppo for example is astounding). I like too how it tries to take in different views and perspectives and give people opportunity to present these, and grilled if need be.

The future of the BBC is continually up for debate and, while I might have suggestions as to what BBC could and should do better, the fact programs like Today continue, make me believe to get rid of it when there is nothing of similar ilk anywhere near as good, would be a big mistake. And one thing that the BBC has, happily, which commercial radio stations have not, is no commercials! Given I am interested in what Today covers, and no one deals with it better, I have little hesitation nominating Today as my favourite TV/Radio program.