Anyone else addicted to radio 4?

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It has such interesting programmes... literally, the first time I switched it on and listened to something about Aristotle's polity I think I later couldn't believe that a popular radio station could be capable of broadcasting about such interesting topics (and somehow didn't tune in to it again until a few years later, but that's sometimes how my bizarre brain works).

I wish Dutch public radio would air programmes of such diverse content; I think the closest we have right now is Radio 5, of which the programming was revised a couple of years ago to the point of mutilation- the interesting radio shows now air weekdays after 19:00u, and on weekends. Weekdays pre-19:00u has become 'Golden Oldies' radio that nominally targets the 50+ demographic, but in reality airs such a bland selection of 50s, 60s, and 70s music that it's barely appealing to most 50+year-olds to begin with (they won't play the Stones, the Kinks, or the Animals because it's 'too edgy' for them, so you can forget about Zeppelin and Deep Purple).

Beyond the 'Golden oldies' programming, our Radio 5 airs discussion programmes/in-depth talkshows, a one-hour popular scientific show, and programmes aimed at cultural and religious minorities (I particularly like their multicultural-themed show, in part because it often features news from Indonesia, the Antilles, and Suriname, which is where I have my roots).

I actually wish I could find an analogous Italian radio station... since I can understand the language I'd appreciate it (and it would help me keep up with my understanding)... but so far all I could find is news, which over time isn't that interesting (that's the one problem I have with radio 4 actually... since the news is on every half an hour I keep listening to exactly the same soundbites, and it can get irritating... possibly depressing).

My Dad listens to it a lot. I call it "The boring talking radio" because there's no music or anything. Not that I like much music on the radio anyway.

Boring, WTF? You've no idea what you're missing. Unless one has no intellectual interests at all I don't see how anyone could find it boring.

For music, though, I leave radio 3 on in the bathroom!