Need to find some decent radio documentaries/programmes

Lady Chatterton

I'm hoping some of the regulars to the Radio forum will be able to assist me in locating some decent radio documentaries/programmes. I've an elderly family member who is very ill at the moment, he used to love reading but unfortunately, he is almost blind now.

I want to create a CD library of documentaries for him to listen to. I've been looking through the RTE Documentary on One podcasts on iTunes and I've found some nice programmes - sport, history, current affairs, life stories etc.

I'd be very grateful for details of any other programmes/documentaries that are available as podcasts.

mahoganygas

BBC Desert Island Discs is a fantastic collection of interviews with celebrities, public figures, athletes, musicians etc.

There are hundreds available.

Plenty of Irish interviewees too, going back decades.

padd b1975

Not sure exactly how legal it is, but there's a surprising amount of audio books available via YouTube that can easily be changed into mp3 format.

For documentaries the Doc on 1 app really is your only option, although personally I find navigation on it worse than useless.

Lady Chatterton

Wonderful suggestion! I completely forgot about Desert Island Discs - Thank you

Lady Chatterton

padd b1975 wrote: »

Not sure exactly how legal it is, but there's a surprising amount of audio books available via YouTube that can easily be changed into mp3 format.

For documentaries the Doc on 1 app really is your only option, although personally I find navigation on it worse than useless.

Thanks Padd. I've Audible membership myself but I think audiobooks are out as he is too ill to follow them. I think 45 - 60 minute podcasts might work out better.

coylemj

MrsD007 wrote: »

Wonderful suggestion! I completely forgot about Desert Island Discs - Thank you

For copyright reasons, the podcast of most radio programs will not include any recorded music. For example I recall that at the end of each episode of 'Sunday Miscellany' on RTE Radio1, the continuity announcer tells the listener that the 'audio content' of the program can be downloaded as a podcast i.e. none of the music is included so you will just get the audio essays. Not a big deal for Sunday Miscellany but Desert Island Discs would be useless as a podcast without the music since a lot of the discussion centres around the guest's choice of music.

Mark Tapley

A History of the World in 100 objects - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nrtd2/episodes/downloads

Seriously - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02pc9qx/episodes/downloads

Ted Talks (audio) various sources. Itunes etc.

This American Life - http://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast

No Such Thing As A Fish - If they fancy a bit of comedy from the makers of QI

Librivox have a lot of free audio, many short story collections. -https://librivox.org/

I use Beyond Pod for android to organise podcasts. There is a big selection from all over the world.

Mark Tapley

Have not used this site myself but it might be of interest -http://www.podcasts.ie/

I think the BBC documentary of the week archive is available of itunes.

Mark Tapley

coylemj wrote: »

For copyright reasons, the podcast of most radio programs will not include any recorded music. For example I recall that at the end of each episode of 'Sunday Miscellany' on RTE Radio1, the continuity announcer tells the listener that the 'audio content' of the program can be downloaded as a podcast i.e. none of the music is included so you will just get the audio essays. Not a big deal for Sunday Miscellany but Desert Island Discs would be useless as a podcast without the music since a lot of the discussion centres around the guest's choice of music.

Desert Island Discs do play a short clip of each track.Obviously not ideal but I think the program still works well.

SEPT 23 1989

http://www.newstalk.com/Documentary-on-Newstalks-Never-Ignored:-Ollies-Reds-nominated-at-prestigious-New-York-Festivals

great documentary if they like sport

The Black Oil

Plenty from the World Service.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02nq0lx/episodes/downloads

Harry Angstrom

"The Irish Voice: Ireland on the Radio", a historical/cultural documentary series presented by Brendan Balfe is worth considering. It was first broadcast about five years ago. I'm not sure if it's still available for podcast but it is available on CD.

Lady Chatterton

Thanks very much Harry for that recommendation I've just had a look at the CD details and I reckon he'd enjoy it.

Brought to you by RTE Radio 1's Music and Entertainment, Brendan Balfe's 'The Irish Voice' brings alive the social and cultural heritage of Ireland through the nation's music, poems, drama, speeches, reportage and other historic recordings from RTE's Libraries and Archives. Adapted from the successful series on RTE Radio 1, these three CDs present a truly energetic mix of the sounds and the soul of Ireland.

eviltwin

This American Life, Storycorps, Hearing Voices, Here Be Monsters...all very good, documentary style podcasts.

foxtrot101

BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time - Downloads

In Our Time Podcast. Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the history of ideas...


http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qykl/episodes/downloads

foxtrot101

RTE Radio 1 - The History Show

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/the-history-show/

Newstalk - Talking History

http://www.newstalk.com/talkinghistory

The Black Oil

Radiolab http://www.radiolab.org

Not a regular listener, but I've enjoyed what I've heard.

Skid X

The Irish History Podcast might be worth a look, lots of episodes to choose from

https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/irish-history-podcast/id363368392?mt=2

spurious

A lot of good stuff on NPR.
http://www.npr.org/podcasts/

Technocentral

I download a ton of NPR stuff using an android podcast app, loads of great currant affairs and history stuff.

thedudeinthehat

Can highly recommend an American podcast called "backstory". The panel of 3 historians take a topic in the news each week and they go back across 18th 19th and 20th century to explore connections with that theme throughout US history. Irreverent and informative !

Lady Chatterton

MrsD007 wrote: »

I'm hoping some of the regulars to the Radio forum will be able to assist me in locating some decent radio documentaries/programmes. I've an elderly family member who is very ill at the moment, he used to love reading but unfortunately, he is almost blind now.

I want to create a CD library of documentaries for him to listen to. I've been looking through the RTE Documentary on One podcasts on iTunes and I've found some nice programmes - sport, history, current affairs, life stories etc.

I'd be very grateful for details of any other programmes/documentaries that are available as podcasts.

I want to thank everyone who contributed their podcast suggestions to this thread. I've created a library of 100 (80 minute CDs). There is a wealth of great documentaries out there and I found myself listening to lots of them as I was putting the library together. Thank again folks