It’s fair to say I was a news junkie. As an ex journalist and radio producer, ‘No news is good news’ never made sense. A slow news day, counter-intuitively, meant a doubly hard work day, scratching around to fill a running order with worthy stories.
A typical day when I worked at Radio 4 a decade ago went like this: Wake up to Radio 4 Today programme, cycle to work, skim-read at least five broadsheet newspapers in the half hour before the The World at One editorial meeting, then produce the afternoon PM Programme. Cycle home, hopefully in time to catch Channel 4 News. Eat, watch the Ten O’Clock News while trying to listen to The World Tonight. Scream at the beta version of iPlayer buffering Newsnight because you’d missed the top of the programme while you were watching the Ten (and listening to The World Tonight). Sleep with the World Service on the radio because I suffered from insomnia.
On reflection, I don’t think you need a PhD in sleep disorders to diagnose the problem. It’s little wonder that my parasympathetic nervous system had given up the ghost.
Despite quitting as a news hound, I never quite managed to quit news programmes. Switching on Radio 4’s Today programme every morning was part of the fabric of my being. Going into PR I replaced the never-ending news cycle with the merry-go-round of social media. I fell head over heels in love with Twitter and Facebook and was managing about a dozen accounts on each.
For more helpful information on this ‘Tired but Wired’ state of sleepless exhaustion watch:
It wasn’t until this summer when I finally snapped that I realised I need to get out of PR. The last of my ’12 Steps’ was switching off the Today Programme (which felt like ripping out the sticking that held together the fabric of my being).
My top tip for recovering from addictions whether it’s to sugar or booze or news is to find an enjoyable alternative and a guilty pleasure. I tuned in to 6 Music in the mornings instead. I weaned myself off Channel 4 News using ‘A Place in The Sun’ as my current affairs methadone. I filled the empty hole in my soul with podcasts – everything and anything, except for news.
Here’s my podcast favourites list:
- Here’s The Thing With Alec Baldwin. Husky-voiced Alec gently probes the world’s top celebs.
- Jam Crack – The Niall Grimes Climbing Podcast. I’m not a climber but novice podcaster Niall is a born broadcaster with an innate talent for interviewing.
- Slate’s Culture Gobfest. Sassy Americans with feisty opinions on art, music and film from high to low-brow.
- Slate’s Audio Book Club. In-depth reviews of modern and classic literature. The discussion you wish you were clever enough to have at your book club instead of getting drunk and talking about work.
- The Allusionist. Linguistic adventures for grammar nerds.
- Dan Snow’s History Hits. The history behind today’s headlines with reports from the weird and wonderful places around the world where history has been made.
- Serial – Seasons 1 and 2. One true story told week by week (or thereabouts). Pushing the boundaries of long-form journalism from the makers of This American Life. Season 2 isn’t quite as gripping but I still can’t wait to download the latest episode.
- Slate’s Serial Spoiler Specials. A recap and discussion about the Serial Podcast. It’s like a book club for a highbrow soap opera.
- Distraction Pieces By Scroobius Pip. I don’t love all of his interviews but when the guest is to my taste, this is a great listen. And I admire him for having the balls to podcast with a stutter.
- The History Hour, BBC World Service. Using interviews and archive materials, the people who witnessed history tell their stories. The perfect companion to Dan Snow.
- WTF with Marc Maron. A recent discovery, via Adam Buxton’s interview with Scroobius Pip, I’ve fallen in love with Maron’s irreverent style. If you don’t like swearing, don’t subscribe, or at least only listen to the Barack Obama interview where he’s on his best behaviour.
- Alan Davies As Yet Untitled. I’ve only listened to a couple of these Dave preview pieces. It’s properly funny and made me sad that we don’t have the Dave Channel.
- The Adam Buxton Podcast. Genius. I’m very late to the Adam Buxton party having never listened to anything but speech radio all my life but I’ve fallen in love. He’s having a podcast break at the moment.
- Only Human. A US podcast about health issues told via super-interesting interviews.
- The Daily Evolver. This is getting a bit into the spiritual field but I love ‘The Shrink And The Pundit’ episodes with psychiatrist Dr Keith Witt. (See my book list for more on Integral Theory).
- Richard Herring’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast. The godfather of stand-up interviews the cream of comedy talent in front of a live audience. He’s just finished his 100th interview. It’s a rich comedy archive to binge on to catch up.
- The Bottom Line*. The Dragon’s Den’s Evan Davies talks to top business bods about a different topic each week.
- Radio Headspace. A radio programme from the creators of the brilliant Headspace meditation app. Inspiration for a healthier, happier life. Presenter Georgie Okell’s voice and delivery initially put me off but either she’s improved or I’ve got used to her.
- Death, Sex & Money. About the big questions and hard choices we’re usually too polite or reluctant to talk about, but really ought to.
- Last Word. Radio 4’s obituary programme. Oddly heart-warming to hear about dead people. Matthew Bannister is such a brilliant broadcaster.
- Desert Island Discs. Being a spoken word fan and a music ignoramus I prefer this to the live show as they cut the tracks short for rights reasons which means you get back to the interviews sooner.
- This American Life. If you want a lesson on how to write and edit for radio, you can’t do better than Ira Glass and his team. 2.2 million listeners can’t be wrong.
- Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review. For me he’s too ranty to listen to in bed so I save Kermode for car trips.
- Great Lives. My favourite newspaper columnist Matthew Parris talks to famous people (in the very C list Radio 4 sense) about people who’ve inspired their lives.
- Bookclub. Jim Naughtie gets deep and meaningful with authors in front of an earnest audience.
- TED Radio Hour. Brings together the best TED talks under an umbrella theme each week. The Mark Ronson one is one of my all-time favourite podcasts. La di da.
- Planet Money*. NPR makes world economics accessible and fun.
- Profile.* A slightly irreverent audio biography of whoever’s in the headlines.
- The Media Show*. Steve Hewlett’s topical programme about the UK’s media scene.
- 99% Invisible. Explores the process and power of design and architecture. Another masterclass in radio editing.
- More Or Less: Behind the Stats*. Nerd heaven. The FT’s Tim Harford and his team get to the bottom of what the stats in the news headlines actually mean.
- Freakonomics Radio*. I’m getting a little jaded by this format now but I have been listening for years and when it’s good, it’s still very good.
- Books and Authors. A feed combining Marielle Frostrup interviews with Harriet Gilbert talking to two very C list celebs about their favourite books. I often discover new authors via this podcast.
* Verges on news and therefore has to be consumed infrequently with care.
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