Today Programme (BBC RADIO 4)

• Today Programme


  BBC Radio 4's flagship current affairs programme
• Today Programme


  • Has a daily live broadcast slot that fits in with viewers' lifestyles and routines
  • Available on BBC Sounds
  • Available as a podcast
  • Episodes are archived
• Today Programme


  • Has presenters with journalistic backgrounds
  • Format includes interviews with invited guests who are often experts on a particular topic
  • Includes interviews with politicians from different parties to ensure impartiality
  • Has regular news bulletins
  • Offers in-depth analysis of topics and provides context
  • Has a reputation for investigative journalism
  • Focuses primarily on hard news topics, e.g. politics, business, economics, education, health and international affairs
  • Informs and educates its audiences about the complex issues of the day
• Codes and conventions of Today programme

  • Programme begins at 6.00am with 6 pipps to signify the time
  • Presented by a female and male presenter
  • Mode of address is formal and welcoming
  • Presenters speak in RP (Received Pronunciation) accents
  • Organises stories in descending order of seriousness
  • Includes different reports and features to keep listeners interested
  • Includes a detailed weather bulletin
  • Includes a segment on newspaper front pages
• The Today programme has a history of formidable presenters and very few people are employed in these highly respected roles
• Justin Webb


  • Highly experienced journalist who began his career reporting on the troubles in Northern Ireland and spent several years in Washington as the BBC's North American editor
  • Described as "calm and authoritative without the arrogance of some other of the long-term regulars"
  • His educational background, experience as a professional journalist and refined accent could appeal to the older, well educated core listeners
• Mishal Husain


  • Very experienced journalist and the first Asian woman to present the programme
  • The fact that she is Asian and female reflects the BBC's need to be more inclusive and diverse in recent years
  • Described as "an authoritative, impressive and very listenable presenter"
• Justin Webb's role


  • Leads with the headlines to be covered on the programme
  • Introduces the news, read by Chris Aldrige
  • Introduces a segment on what the mainstream newspapers feature on their front pages
  • Conducts an interview with Helen King, former Assistant Commissioner at the Metropolitan Police
• Tone of voice


  Sombre to reflect the negative news value of the story
• The language is formal and serious
• The representation of events avoids speculation and is not melodramatic like tabloid coverage but factual and precise
• The organising of stories in descending order of seriousness happens in most editions of the programme
• Radio is not a visual medium, so it is essential to keep listeners interested by frequently including different reports and features
• Judith Moritz's mode of address


  Formal and serious, using a complex opening sentence
• Weather presenter's tone


  More upbeat and less serious than previous presenters, perhaps to provide listeners with a lighter alternative to the gloomy main news
• The inclusion of the segment on newspaper front pages suggests that quite a few of the listeners would be interested in the content of newspapers and would trust and value their coverage of events
• Use of the words "of course"


  Reinforces the importance of the Nicola Bulley story and perhaps alludes to the fact that she was a conventionally attractive and photogenic person
• The presenters make no comment on the loaded questions asked by newspapers about the police handling of the case, reinforcing the need for this programme to be seen as impartial
• There are frequent time checks between segments, presumably because many listeners will be getting ready for work
• Sports segment


  Mode of address is slightly more informal
• Interview with Helen King


  Complex discussion using phrases like "ghoulish information, swirling around" which would appeal to the educated older listeners who might disapprove of tabloid journalism
• Webb asks if the cosy relationship between some print journalists and the police, which was exposed by Levison, has led to problems in getting information to the public and resulted in police failings in this case
• The interviewee also criticises the way that social media coverage of the event made the police response more difficult
• Justin Webb


  Highly experienced journalist, calm and authoritative without arrogance, appeals to the older, well educated core listeners
• The Today programme has a history of formidable presenters and very few people are employed in these highly respected roles