Over to You

We hear listeners’ bugbears about one aspect of news programmes that really annoys them: why do live interviewees sometimes get abruptly cut short by the interviewer? We go behind the scenes to reveal the pressures of live news production with one of the BBC’s news editors, Karen Martin. Plus, a listener tells us what he likes so much about his favourite programme: Weekend. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service

Listeners react to Hollywood Exiles, a new podcast that explores how Charlie Chaplin became embroiled in what was known as the “Hollywood blacklist”. We speak to the show’s producer about how the presenter, the star’s granddaughter Oona Chaplin, became totally immersed in the production process. Plus, we air more of your feedback responding to recent schedule changes. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown Production for BBC World Service

As the clocks change in many parts of the world this weekend (30th March), BBC WS English announces schedule changes - and we hear your initial reactions. Plus and after nearly a year of intense fighting in Sudan, how did the BBC World Service finally get its correspondents safely onto the front line? Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown Production for BBC World Service

Stumped is a weekly digest of news, features and debate from the world of cricket - but are you bowled over by it? We hear your comments and are joined by one of its hosts, Alison Mitchell. Plus, a listener asks why, when listening online, the volume level changes so much? Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service

Amazing Sport Stories “The Black 14” recalls how in 1969 14 young Black American college football players in Wyoming were kicked off their team for wanting to protest against racism.We hear your views on this series and are joined by its presenter and editor. Plus, an edition of Trending looked into The Disinformation War Over the Middle East Conflict. But a listener takes the producers to task over what he sees as “false equivalence”. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service

Crowd Science is the show that takes listeners' questions and puts them to experts. We put some of your views on the programme to one of its presenters Marnie Chesterton and producer Ben Motley. Plus, the BBC WS has announced a change to the way it will be structured in India. Listeners ask what it means for them. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

If news fatigue is getting worse, do we need more podcasts like The Happy Pod? Almost a year since the launch of this weekly good news show, we hear listeners' views on whether it is a welcome antidote and we are joined by the show’s presenter Jackie Leonard. Plus, a listener complains about the unwanted appearance of a trailer in Trending - especially when the programme topic and the subject of the trailer jar. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service

The presenter and producer behind Paris: Football’s Greatest Talent Factory, joins us to talk about how they made the documentary and hear listeners’ comments. Staying with the football theme, a listener feels the Asian cup is losing out on coverage to the Africa Cup of Nations because both are running at the same time. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

World of Secrets is billed as “the stories they don’t want told”. Series two has turned its attention to exposing the cult of Nigerian prophet TB Joshua. We hear your views and we are joined by the series’ presenter and producer. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

The New Year saw us broadcast our annual “ask the controller” special edition in which the boss of BBC World Service English, Jon Zilkha, answered a number of comments and questions. But were listeners satisfied with what they heard? We hear your follow-up feedback. Plus, listeners give us their thoughts on the World Service’s sports output. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

The Reith Lectures are an annual tradition, started in 1948 by the BBC’s first director general. In a special edition, we hear your thoughts on the programme, and we’re joined by the man who gave this year’s address. We also talk to the BBC executive who commissioned it. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service

In a specially extended edition, we have Jon Zilkha, the controller of BBC World Service English, in the studio to answer listeners’ questions about what they’ve heard on the World Service in the past year. Some are happy - others feel there’s work to be done! Topics include news coverage of the Middle East conflict, proposed schedule changes and the BBC’s long-term finances. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service

Listener power strikes again! Following an invitation from Gilbert Banda from Zambia on this programme earlier in the year, World Questions has just been broadcast from Zambia. We asked Gilbert to record his own radio diary and go behind-the-scenes to report on what it is like when the BBC World Service comes to his home city of Lusaka. Plus, a listener asks if an edition of The Real Story on right-wing populism in Europe meant to miss out Britain? Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

We hear listeners’ thoughts on the BBC World Service’s reporting of the ongoing events in the Middle East. We ask if the war in Ukraine really has dropped out of the news headlines and discuss the issue of “news fatigue” with the head of journalism at World Service English, Simon Peeks. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service

We examine arts programming on the BBC World Service as we talk to the teams behind two of its long-running shows: In the Studio and The Cultural Frontline. Do you enjoy these arts series? Or does arts programming in general leave you cold? Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

As much of the world’s attention remains focussed on events in the Middle East, we hear more of your feedback on the BBC World Service’s coverage. Plus, Africa’s Urban Future with Mike Wooldridge has been exploring the opportunities and challenges of breakneck development in that continent. We speak to him and hear your comments on the series. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service

The past week’s unprecedented violence between the militant group Hamas and Israel have once again thrown the spotlight on the difficulties and challenges of reporting on the Middle East. Listeners share their thoughts on how the BBC World Service has reported the deadly events. We ask the BBC’s director of news content, Richard Burgess, about the use of language and the pressures news programmes face in handling a fast-moving story. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service

The Evidence invites scientists and experts to explore issues that are the focus of advanced medical science in the world today. A recent edition looked at something that affects millions of us: allergies. We are joined by the programme’s host Claudia Hammond. Plus, how Business Daily tackled the issue of irregular migration in Europe through the lens of finance. Its reporter Frey Lindsay is in the studio. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service

My Indian Life is a podcast that celebrates being young in India today and features a Bollywood star as its presenter. But a recent edition was different: it was about a pioneering female mountain climber who died tragically before the programme could be broadcast. We hear your feedback and the show’s producer talks about striking the right editorial tone. Plus, a listener says she misses not being able to bookmark programmes in BBC Sounds after first hearing a trailer. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

It is history as told by the people who were there. We hear listeners’ views on Witness History and its editor joins us to explain how subjects are chosen. Plus, why do podcasts contain trailers for other programmes? And how an edition of Heart and Soul that told the story of a guard at Guantanamo Bay proved so insightful. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown production for BBC World Service