Dipping into our archive, here's a selection of our past & present programs broadcast on BBC and ABC Radio

Scottish Humour :: What does nationality have to do with humour? It's said that throughout the United Kingdom, making people laugh is a kind of social oil, more so than in many other countries and cultures. But what about differences say between southern English humour and west coast Scottish humour? Fiona Croall speaks with author and comic Jenny Colgan about the national characteristics of her favourite form of humour (listen)

The Cut-up Technique :: Package for The Book Show on ABC Radio National. From at least the early 1970s, David Bowie used cut-ups to create some of his lyrics. To investigate the roots of the cut-up genre, Fiona Croall speaks to poet Jill Jones (listen)

Open World :: Documentary for Poetica on ABC Radio National. A meeting with the expatriate Scottish poet, philosopher and founder of Geopoetics, Kenneth White (more info)

The Last Tutor :: Documentary for Hindsight on ABC Radio National. The remarkable life story of Reginald Fleming Johnston, one of the few foreigners to make his way into the inner court of the Qing Dynasty (listen)

Charlie Chaplin's Paris Archive :: Documentary for Artworks on ABC Radio National. Chaplin, celebrity and modernism. Producer Fiona Croall had privileged access to Charlie Chaplin's Parisian private archive and investigates Chaplin's global celebrity status and remarkable influence on world culture -- from the modernists and Dadaists to the Russian avant-garde (listen)

Writers' Rooms :: Series 2 for The Book Show on ABC Radio National
Ian Rankin (download audio)
AL Kennedy (download audio)
Meaghan Delahunt (download audio)
Richard Holloway (download audio)

Searching For Sappho :: Exploring the legacy of the famous ancient Greek poet Sappho whose influence still resonates today, 2000 years after her death (listen)

Writers' Rooms :: Series 1 for The Book Show on ABC Radio National
Peter Goldsworthy (download audio)
Kirsty Brooks (download audio)
Mem Fox (download audio)
Philip Jones (download audio)

The Role Of Music In Novels :: The Book Show on ABC Radio National (listen)

The Life Of Henri Mancini :: Conductor and composer Carl Davis presents Radio 4's Archive Hour, gaining rare and unprecedented access to the private archive of one of America's most remarkable and best loved composers, where the beautiful intricate music mix is evocative of Mancini’s magical scores
© BBC MM11

Smile - The Genius Of Charlie Chaplin :: Robert Downey Jr, aided by archive recordings and expert contributors, tells the story of the man whom Downey himself played on-screen
© BBC MMV

Between The Ears - No Ball Games :: An experimental documentary series for BBC Radio 3. Collaboration in search of the modernist revival between Canadian author Douglas Coupland, Scottish visual artist Martin Boyce and the Burt Raymond MacDonald Quartet
© BBC MM1V

Silverscreen Beats :: Documentary series for BBC Radio Scotland focussing on the role and stories from behind the scenes of music in film
© BBC MM11

The Jack and Jill :: 50 Years Of The Pill. Norwich Union Healthcare Medical Journalism Award winner. Presented by Dr Richard Wilson whose mother was instrumental in introducing the pill to Northern Britain
© BBC MM1V

Tanzania Maladies :: A powerful documentary on health issues in Tanzania partly told through the diary and letters emailed back home from a Scottish doctor working to overcome almost impossible odds in the battle against disease, edited alongside on-location recordings of his medical field trips
© BBC MM111

Thank You For The Music :: This series for BBC Radio Scotland was recorded in front of an audience with a presenter and musicians, revealing the art of songwriting
© BBC MMV11

A Little Time Together :: Poetry documentary for BBC Radio 4 exploring the often neglected, womens' poetry of the Second World War
© BBC MMV