Seriously...

Do We Still Need the Pips?


Listen Later

To mark the centenary of the Greenwich Time Signal on the BBC, Paddy O'Connell asks the unaskable - Do We Still Need the Pips?

First broadcast at 9.30pm on Feb the 5th 1924, the six pips of the Greenwich Time Signal have become synonymous with Radio 4. But today digital broadcasting has rendered this time signal delayed and inaccurate. Plus their immovable presence can cause accidents on-air, and no-one wants to crash the Pips. So after 100 years, should Radio 4 just get rid of them? What is the point of a time signal in 2024 anyway?

Paddy O'Connell looks back across a century of organised beeps, and meets the people who listen to, broadcast and sometimes crash in to the Pips to find out what we really think about these six little characters. With interviews including Mishal Husain, Robin Ince & Brian Cox, Jane Steel, Richard Hoptroff, Jon Holmes and David Rooney.

Produced by Luke Doran.

Original music by Ed Carter.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Seriously...By BBC Radio 4

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

258 ratings


More shows like Seriously...

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,399 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

376 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,837 Listeners

Start the Week by BBC Radio 4

Start the Week

161 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,783 Listeners

Thinking Allowed by BBC Radio 4

Thinking Allowed

308 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

502 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,820 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,062 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,128 Listeners

More or Less: Behind the Stats by BBC Radio 4

More or Less: Behind the Stats

890 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

587 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

966 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,918 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,077 Listeners

The Life Scientific by BBC Radio 4

The Life Scientific

250 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

827 Listeners

Word of Mouth by BBC Radio 4

Word of Mouth

61 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

756 Listeners

Sliced Bread by BBC Radio 4

Sliced Bread

136 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

741 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,962 Listeners

Sideways by BBC Radio 4

Sideways

73 Listeners

Limelight by BBC Radio 4

Limelight

257 Listeners

The History Podcast by BBC Radio 4

The History Podcast

28 Listeners