Over to You

Last week we aired a candid interview with the departing boss of the BBC World Service. This week listeners react to what Liliane Landor had to say - and reveal their hopes and fears for the future. Plus, the BBC is currently running a trial using Generative AI - artificial intelligence. We ask what it might mean for you the World Service listener. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

It’s all change at the top of the BBC World Service as the boss for the past three years leaves. We ask the departing director Liliane Landor about the challenges she faced during her time at the helm. She gives us an honest personal appraisal of the highs and lows - and the challenges her successor faces. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

We are now into the second year of changes affecting Focus on Africa and its switch to being primarily a podcast. So how is it going down with listeners? We hear your views - including on recent events in Kenya - and are joined in the studio for an update by its news editor, Alice Muthengi. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

We get your comments on one writer’s endless curiosity about the effects of culture wars on ordinary lives. And we ask that journalist, Jon Ronson, about how he approached making the Things Fell Apart mini-series. Plus, a unique broadcast that is unlike anything else heard on the BBC World Service for the world’s smallest audience! We tell the story of the Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast 2024. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

It was back in May 2022 that OTY reported on the launch of a new weekly podcast called Lives Less Ordinary - from the Outlook team. Producers describe the show as a chance to step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected. So how has it bedded in? We hear listeners’ comments and also from its production team. Plus, it has been three months since the Fifth Floor moved to its new weekend slot but a listener tells us she is not happy with the schedule change. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service

We hear how listeners feel about the BBC World Service's reporting on the plethora of elections around the world. By way of a case study, we focus on India and hear about the challenges faced by the corporation in reporting the country’s recent elections. We are joined from Delhi by the BBC’s director of journalism with the Collective Newsroom, Mukesh Sharma. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

It was back in May 2022 that this programme reported on the launch of a new weekly podcast called Lives Less Ordinary from the Outlook team. Producers describe the show as a chance to step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected. Extraordinary stories from around the world. Two years on we ask listeners how they feel it has bedded in. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

We hear your thoughts on series three of Dear Daughter which bills itself as a “handbook to life”. We are joined by its presenter Namulanta Kombo and producer Lucy Burns. Listeners ask if the series only appeals to women. Could there be letters from fathers to daughters or sons and express appreciation for the new run having more complicated and difficult conversations. Plus, a listener in the US feels the World Service’s reporting of the UK’s general election is proving to be too “England-centric”. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

A listener recently told us how he found correspondents' news reports that are repeated across different news shows “irritating”. We hear whether you agree with him. We invited BBC Newshour editor Tim De Faramond to respond listeners and understand why this repetition happens. Plus, a listener feels a recent History Hour was wrong in its use of terminology. The show’s production team respond. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown Production for BBC World Service

The BBC World Service has launched its Global China Unit, a new team that will focus on reporting stories on the country’s role in the world. Listeners say its opening is vital but also ask if coverage of China will be fair and balanced. We speak with the BBC executive who will help run the team. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

The new podcast series Where to be a Woman has been asking: where can women live their best lives? One of the programme’s presenters Sophia Smith Galer and senior journalist Prabhjit Bains tell us why they feel this question is such a pertinent one right now and listeners tell us what they think of the podcast. Plus, following a recent complaint of changing sounds levels online, several more listeners say they too are suffering the same problem. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon A Whistledown Production for the BBC World Service

It is the programme that brings you “the biggest guests and hottest sounds from all over Africa.” But can the music show This is Africa cross over and appeal to a global audience? We get your thoughts and hear from its host, DJ Edu. Plus, how a listener was deeply affected by the documentary El Salvador's Missing Children. Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Howard Shannon. A Whistledown production for BBC World Service

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

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