This is Today--: A Biography of the Today ProgrammeIt is what millions of people in Britain wake up to every morning: the radio programme that starts their day, and sends them off to the office or to take the children to school infuriated, amused, exasperated, eniightened - but above ail informed. Though you might frown at the blood sport of John Humphreys interrogating a hapless cabinet minister, or wince at the homespun philosophising of 'Thought for the Day', Today could no more be dispensed with than the first cup of coffee. It is listened to in Downing Street, in far-flung British embassies, and by foreign ambassadors to the UK seeking to gauge the national mood. So how have these three hours of radio, from six till nine, come to assume such a central part of British political, cultural - and indeed everyday - life? Now, Tim Lucknurst, himself once a producer of the programme, has written the most authoritative anatomy of the phenomenon that is Today. He reveals how what we nowadays value for its hard news exposes and political interrogations began life as an undistinguished miscellany of light news under the avuncular Jack DeManio. He traces Today's move to the political centre-stage back to the Thatcherite eighties, when rad |
Contents
TWO Todays Golden Years | 17 |
THREE The Best Job in Journalism | 35 |
FOUR The Magic of Radio | 54 |
Copyright | |
6 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
affairs agenda Allan appear approach asked audience BBC's become believe Brian Redhead Britain British broadcast called Carver certainly colleagues common concerned Conservative controversial correspondent Daily debate edition editor election experience explained Five followed former Four going gramme happen Harding head hear heard idea important included interest interview issues John Humphrys journalism journalists knew Kurds Labour later less Liddle listeners live London looked MacGregor Manio matter Michael Ancram million minister minutes morning Naughtie never newspaper night opinion Party political politicians powerful presenter producer question radio reached recorded regard remembers reporter running says senior simply sound staff story studio suggested talk television things Thought Timpson Today programme Today's told took week