http://blogs.independent.co.uk| Blogs from the Independent newspaper - news, views and features from the world's most free-thinking newspaper| Tue, 18 Jun 2013 04:00:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2| en hourly 1 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/07/11/london-a-tale-of-two-cities/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/07/11/london-a-tale-of-two-cities/#comments Wed, 11 Jul 2012 14:46:01 +0000 Matthew Richardson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=26238 Perhaps unsurprisingly given the imminent prospect of the Olympics, London has been newly interrogated by many different sources recently. ]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/07/11/london-a-tale-of-two-cities/feed/ 3 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/05/03/reporting-from-the-frontline/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/05/03/reporting-from-the-frontline/#comments Thu, 03 May 2012 12:31:44 +0000 Matthew Richardson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=23836 What is it that makes war correspondents put their lives on the line? At a time when journalism’s shadier side fills the headlines, it was pleasant to be reminded of nobler possibilities recently thanks to Life and Death on the Frontline (Radio 4). John Simpson, the BBC’s redoubtable World Affairs editor, began with the recent death of Marie Colvin of the Sunday Times and reflected on what the job of reporting from theatres of conflict means. And why, despite the risks, so many still do it.]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/05/03/reporting-from-the-frontline/feed/ 7 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/01/10/a-legacy-worth-having/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/01/10/a-legacy-worth-having/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:33:09 +0000 Matthew Richardson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=20290 The ‘legacy’ of the Olympic games can often seem like typical management speak: slippery, elusive, royally inflated yet by now emptied of meaning. Headlines abound with the latest scare statistics about the sackfuls of cash ring-fenced for ceremony budgets and chauffeur-driven limos, or squandered on websites that malfunction with acrobatic aplomb. Amid the endless opinion-mongering and naysaying it is hard for the impartial observer to make sense of it all.]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/01/10/a-legacy-worth-having/feed/ 0 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/12/19/the-king-james-bible-still-no-1/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/12/19/the-king-james-bible-still-no-1/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:45:16 +0000 Matthew Richardson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=19745 Celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible tend to have focused on predictably grand themes: how it has shaped politics, literature, society etc. Thank goodness then for Pop Goes the Bible! (Radio 4), a bit of genial weekend relief, reminding us of the way popular culture is similarly awash with the KJB’s phrases and stories. ]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/12/19/the-king-james-bible-still-no-1/feed/ 0 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/10/28/will-the-real-sherlock-holmes-please-stand-up/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/10/28/will-the-real-sherlock-holmes-please-stand-up/#comments Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:40:23 +0000 Matthew Richardson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=18058 The craze for Sherlock Holmes continues as the BBC rolls out a new radio series, The Rivals, featuring possible challengers to the great detective. Is it as much fun as the recent TV spin-offs?]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/10/28/will-the-real-sherlock-holmes-please-stand-up/feed/ 3 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/09/16/the-great-debate/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/09/16/the-great-debate/#comments Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:30:20 +0000 Matthew Richardson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=16317 One of the most enjoyable things about good radio is chancing upon those figures that too often hide in the cupboard of cultural life. Matthew Parris’s excellent show, Great Lives (Radio 4), provided such a finding last week. Back for a staggering twenty-fifth series (all 152 shows have recently been made available on the BBC website), the show allows a guest to nominate a hero or heroine who they think bears the hallmark of greatness.]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/09/16/the-great-debate/feed/ 0 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/08/02/sounds-of-summer/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/08/02/sounds-of-summer/#comments Tue, 02 Aug 2011 05:00:47 +0000 Matthew Richardson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=14807 One of the most reassuring sounds for any radio-lover, aside from the pristine diction of the Today programme newsreaders, has to be that of Test Match Special. To say it ushers in the summer season might be laying it on rather thick. But summer would be denied a certain shine without the jest of Aggers [...]]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/08/02/sounds-of-summer/feed/ 4 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/07/26/radio-riches/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/07/26/radio-riches/#comments Tue, 26 Jul 2011 04:55:08 +0000 Matthew Richardson http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=14520 There has been much finger-wagging directed at Radio 4 recently for cutting its fill of short stories from three a week to a measly one. For critics, the decision is the artsy equivalent of America having its AAA rating confiscated. With the Beeb losing confidence, publishers and co. will surely follow them to the exits. It’ll be celeb tell-alls forevermore. Right?]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/07/26/radio-riches/feed/ 5