PM (BBC Radio 4)
 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
| Genre | Current affairs |
|---|---|
| Running time | Weekdays: 60 minutes Saturday: 30 minutes |
| Country of origin | BBC Television Centre (until Dec 2012) Broadcasting House (Dec 2012 onwards) |
| Original release | 6 April 1970 |
| Opening theme | PM Theme |
| Website | PM |
PM, sometimes referred to as the PM programme to avoid ambiguity, is BBC Radio 4's long-running early evening news and current affairs programme. It is currently presented by Evan Davis and produced by BBC News. Easter holiday cover in 2023 was provided by Paddy O'Connell.
Launched in 1970, PM became the first radio news programme to feature its theme tune. PM is known for its serious news content and occasional satirical commentary. Evan Davis serves as the lead presenter since 2018. The show also spun off a programmr called iPM, which allowed listeners to engage in discussions and influence content through a blog. PM has won awards at the Sony Radio Academy Awards, and its production team also works on other Radio 4 programs.
PM airs on weekdays from 5 pm to 6 pm and Saturdays from 5 pm to 5:30 pm.
Broadcast times
PM is broadcast from 5pm to 6pm from Monday to Friday and from 5pm to 5:30pm on Saturdays. On weekdays it is followed by another news programme, the Six O'Clock News. Until 2024, the final five minutes of the weekday edition was only broadcast on FM as long wave broke away from the programme at 5.54pm to broadcast the teatime
History
PM launched on 6 April 1970, with its first presenters,
PM made history for being the first radio news programme to feature its own
Notable presenters after William Hardcastle included
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, the programme's main presenter was
Valerie Singleton and Hugh Sykes co-presented the show during the 1980s but had a difficult relationship. Singleton made a one-off return to PM on 29 February 2016 to co-present a special 'Leap Day' programme, alongside Eddie Mair, and proposed marriage to him at the end of the programme.[2][3]
On 12 April 1998, a Saturday edition of the programme was launched.
Presenters
| Years | Presenter | Current role |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-present | Evan Davis | Lead Presenter |
| 2001–2023 | Eddie Mair | Presenter |
iPM
On 12 October 2007, the programme started an additional blog for a spin-off programme called iPM,[4] broadcast on Saturdays at 5:30pm (immediately after the Saturday edition of PM) until 22 December and available as a podcast.[5] 'Through the blog, iPM listeners could discuss ideas with the production team and comment on the stories being lined up for the following show – so what ended up on air was shaped by the listeners.[6]
Quirky features
Though predominantly consisting of serious news, the programme is known for occasional satirical commentary, both from the presenters and in letters from listeners.
In 2008 the programme renamed its financial news slot "Upshares, Downshares" and used the title music of the television drama Upstairs, Downstairs, composed by Alexander Faris. In 2009, variations on the tune performed by PM listeners in a variety of styles from bossa nova to heavy metal[7] became a regular feature. This ended when the UK statistically left recession early in 2010. In October 2010, a compilation was released in aid of the Children in Need charity appeal, for which it raised over £70,000.[8]
Production
PM is currently[
A
Awards
The programme won two accolades in the 2007 Sony Radio Academy Awards: Gold in the Interactive Programme Award, and Silver for Speech Programme.
See also
- The Today programme, Radio 4's early morning stablemate to PM.
- The World at One, Radio 4's afternoon stablemate to PM.
- The World Tonight, Radio 4's late-evening stablemate to PM.
Analogous programmes include
References
- ^ a b BBC Radio 4, 2007. "PM History." Accessed 2007-09-10.
- ^ Valerie Singleton's wedding proposal to Eddie, BBC Radio 4, 29 February 2016
- ^ Val Singleton returns to the PM Programme on Radio 4, Radio Moments, 1 March 2016
- ^ BBC Radio 4, 2007. "iPM Blog Introduction." Accessed 2008-08-01.
- ^ BBC Radio 4, 2007 "iPM Show Notes, 22nd December 2007." Accessed 2008-01-08.
- ^ BBC Radio 4, 2007 "What's iPM? 12 October 2007." Accessed 2008-01-08.
- ^ "Up Shares, Down Shares theme tune". BBC Online. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- ^ "Upshares Downshares: More than £70,000 raised. And you can help raise more". BBC Online. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- ^ BBC News, 2005. "RT Poll." Accessed 2007-09-10.
External links
- PM at BBC Online
