In the midst of its industrial trouble, Radio National has announced its 2004 lineup which will come into effect on Monday, 26 January 2004.
The main parts of the schedule to be refashioned occur on the
weekend, with a new look Saturday morning and evening, and some
amendments to the Sunday rundown.
Saturday morning changes begin at 7am with news and current affairs
program AM followed at 7.30am by Asia Pacific with highlights from the
week’s programs. At 8am, listeners can hear The Buzz presented by
Richard Aedy – Radio National’s program focussing on new technology
and innovation – which moves from its previous slot on Mondays.
The
environmental news and issues program Earthbeat, presented by Alexandra
de Blas, will now be broadcast at 8.30am.
Radio National has created a ‘book band’ across the weekend at 1pm with
Jill Kitson’s Book Talk on Saturday and Ramona Koval’s Books and Writing
on Sunday.
All in the Mind with Natasha Mitchell – the program looking
at the mind, brain and human behaviour – can now be heard on Saturdays
at 1.30pm.
On Saturday evening, Music Deli with Paul Petran at 7pm is
followed at 8pm by The Story of Pop, the BBC’s comprehensive history
of popular music from the 1950s to the modern day. The alternative
listening time for The Comfort Zone with Alan Saunders follows at 9pm.
On Sundays, The Radio National Quiz replaces The Goons at 3.30pm. The
classic BBC Radio comedy is finally rested from the Radio National
schedule having been re-broadcast on ABC Radio on more than 20
occasions over 50 years – ten years longer than on BBC Radio.
At 7pm,
Rachael Kohn’s The Ark, with curious tales from religious history, will
now follow Rachael’s program The Spirit of Things, and then at 7.25pm
Radio National introduces a features program on Sunday evenings titled
Sunday Night Radio National presented by Robyn Ravlich.
The weekday schedule changes are minimal but noteworthy. Julie McCrossin
will now present Life Matters from Monday to Friday. Radio National
“thanks Geraldine Doogue for nurturing and developing this groundbreaking
program since its inception in 1992 and wishes her well on her move to
host Sunday Profile on ABC Local Radio.”
Radio National Breakfast with Peter Thompson is extended each weekday,
starting half and hour earlier at 5.30am to rebroadcast the key
interviews from the previous day.
On Tuesdays, The Makers with Julie
Copeland will be heard at 2.15pm followed by the repeat of Books and
Writing, and on Wednesdays at 1pm, for the first time people can hear
again the features and documentaries from the award-winning Radio Eye
program. This change is the subject of the recent strike.