Today's show 30/09/11

Is this a record? The time is 09:45 and the show's web page has already been updated with today's stories. This makes such a pleasant change from the situation only a few weeks ago where the web page wasn't being updated until after the programme had started. So what has changed? Has somebody finally been told to do their job properly? If so, it is about bloomin' time.

I notice again that there are no links to newspaper web pages. Time for another complaint, I feel (see below).

Anyway, welcome back Paddy - whoever you are. All I will say is: You are an improvement on the abominable Ms Feltz.

Today's issue that affects me: Today is the last day of free supermarket carrier bags here in Wales, but what is the best way to mark this event?

So, what despicable drivel has the producer stitched you up with today then? Let's see...

1) BINS - The government has found an extra £250 million to bring back weekly bin collections which it says is the “right” of every householder. But can we afford it in these difficult times? : This is a story that was discussed by Ms Feltz as recently as 31st May and described thus: WEEKLY BIN COLLECTIONS - Reports say that the government will give councils cash incentives to restore weekly bin collections with a link to an article in The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/councils-offered-cash-to-keep-weekly-bin-collections-2291073.html). The important sentence in the BBC news page that you link to today, as far as I am concerned, is: The government says it will make £250m available to help English councils keep or restore weekly bin collections. "English", not "Welsh". To repeat what I wrote on 31st May: Here in Gwynedd we have a weekly bin collection that alternates between household waste and garden waste. We also have a separate weekly collection for items to be recycled. We are provided with good quality bins in which to store rubbish between collections. Collections occur every Monday morning, including bank holidays, and it all works rather well for me. I see no need at all to have three separate collections every week. As you will appreciate, I am struggling to find any relevance to this story. First Feltz, then you - doesn't Jeremy like talking about bins? Next...

2) DIALLING 999 - We discuss the 2 year old who knew to dial 999 when her mother collapsed. At what age do you tell your kids about the emergency services? : What kids are those then? Next...

3) MOTORWAY SPEED LIMIT - The Department of Transport wants to increase the speed limit on motorways to 80 mph. It claims it’s good for economic growth, but admits it may also increase casualties : Another repeated story, this time from 28th February when you were standing in for Jeremy, and described thus: MOTORWAYS - With the government considering increasing the speed limit on motorways to 80 mph, we speak to someone who went on a speed awareness course and says they’ll never speed again. As I said in February: They have motorways in England, and the only one in Wales is a long way away from here. My nearest ones are the M56 and the M54, both about 90 miles away in England. Do you think this item is relevant to me? I thought not. Next...

4) ALLOTMENT - Finally, are you enjoying the sunny weather? Terry is on his allotment in the Rhondda : Could you ask Terry "Sound Effects Man" Walton a question for me? Could you ask him what he thinks about the end of free carrier bags in Wales? Not that I'll be listening, of course.

Two items dragged back from the past, and the very definitely non-news twaddle allotment item. I think you definitely have been stitched up!

If you really want to repeat stories, how about repeating the one from 6th September where you discussed the driving of a 4x4 car up Snowdon? It seems that it has happened again - with the same 4x4 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-15108712). I was glad to see that the BBC have chosen to check the facts (A BBC reporter, who travelled to the summit on Thursday, said the vehicle matched the description and number plate of the vehicle from the earlier incident.) but I'm not sure that spending £25 and three hours on a train journey to the summit was the best use of his time or my licence fee.

The Jeremy Vine Show - regurgitating rubbish repeatedly



Complaint lodged on BBC web site:

The topics to be discussed in Mr Vine's daily programme are listed on his show web page every day, together with a link to another web page for more information. Until a few weeks ago a large number of these links would be to web pages belonging to various newspapers, but recently only BBC web pages have been included. This can lead to some frustration when no relevant BBC web page is available and so no link is shown.

While I am happy to read the BBC's view of events it is also good to read the alternative viewpoints expressed in the printed press, and my complaint is that I am now deprived of this useful facility.

 

 

Freedom of Information request sent to BBC:

 

I would like to know how many complaints in total were received by the BBC Complaints Department that related specifically to the Jeremy Vine programme on Radio 2 during the most recent 12-month period for which you have details available.