The document discusses Woman's Hour and Late Night Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4. It defines sex and gender, noting that gender is socially constructed. It asks whether Woman's Hour is still needed in today's society and questions the term "woman". The document also provides background on when Woman's Hour was originally broadcast and its move to Radio 4. It asks how Woman's Hour and Late Night Woman's Hour fit Radio 4's remit of intelligent, informative and entertaining programming. Finally, it poses several questions about Late Night Woman's Hour's target audience, presenter, broadcast time, and other listening options.

1. RADIO 4
AND
WOMAN’S
HOUR

2. SEX AND GENDER
• Sex – the biological difference that makes us male
or female
• Gender – the socially constructed attributes that
make us masculine or feminine. We are taught to
behave in a certain way according to our sex.
• Gender is socially and historically relative.

3. KEY HISTORICAL INFO
• Read the article from The Guardian about Woman’s Hour.
• What does it tell us about the institutional values of the BBC?
• What does it tell us about how Woman’s Hour was originally
received?

4. SO, THE BIG QUESTION IS…
Do we still need Woman’s Hour? Why?
In this age of gender fluidity, isn’t the term ‘woman’ problematic
anyway?
Is it patronising to have a programme only for women? Does it
imply that all other radio programmes are male dominated and
therefore not for women?
Look at the articles on the VLE to help you with this discussion

5. JANE GARVEY TALK ABOUT
THE GENDER PAY GAP…
• What does this suggest about the relevance of Woman’s Hour?
• https://radiotoday.co.uk/2017/07/podcast-jane-garvey-on-the-
bbc-gender-pay-gap/

6. RADIO 4
• Woman’s Hour was originally broadcast on the BBC’s ‘light
programme’ (this would become radio 2)
• It is now broadcast on Radio 4
• “The remit of Radio 4 is to be a mixed speech service, offering in-
depth news and current affairs and a wide range of other speech
output including drama, readings, comedy, factual and magazine
programmes. The service should appeal to listeners seeking
intelligent programmes in many genres which inform, educate and
entertain.”
• Where does Woman’s Hour and Late Night Woman’s Hour fit
this remit?

7. LATE NIGHT
WOMAN’S
HOUR
1. Who is the target audience for
Woman’s Hour?
– Look at the Woman’s Hour
archive to help you
2. When was Late Night
Woman’s Hour created?
3. Who is the target audience for
Late Night Woman’s Hour?
– Look at the list of episodes to
help you
4. Who is the presenter?
– What else has she done?
– What is her persona?
5. When is it scheduled for
broadcast?
– How might this benefit the
programme?
– How might this pose problems
for the programme?
6. How else can you listen to
LNWH?
– How will this benefit the
programme?