WHYS is the name we’ve given to the conversation between all of us at BBC World Service News and all of you. It’s going on 24 hours a day, through this blog and all of our programmes.
IS WHYS ALSO A PROGRAMME?
Yes. It’s also the name of a news discussion programme on BBC World Service radio and BBC World News television.
The programme broadcasts at 1800GMT from October until April, then depending where you are in the world at 1700GMT or 1800GMT between April and October. It’s appears on BBC World News television on an ad hoc basis.
WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMME IS IT?
We aim to create a global conversation where the BBC provides the platform, but our contributors control the topics that we discuss and how those topics are discussed. We use all technology available to us to make the programme as open as possible. We receive phone calls, calls over the net, text messages, tweets, emails and comments on this blog.
IS THE PROGRAMME ALWAYS LIVE?
Yes. We may sometimes run pre-recorded discussions if it has proved impossible for them to take place during our hour on air. This doesn’t happen very often. If it does, there will always be time after we’ve played these discussions for you to comment.
HOW CAN I LISTEN?
Whether you want to hear WHYS or any other BBC World Service News programme, our website is a good place to find out how you can hear them. If you can’t receive the BBC on the radio, you can always listen online. Some television services also provide BBC World Service.
HOW DO THE PEOPLE WE HEAR ON WHYS GET ON AIR?
WHYS often gets mistaken for straight phone-in where we go on air, mention a topic and people call in. It’s a bit more complicated than that. There are lots of ways people end up on the programme. Here are all the ones we can think of.
1. They phone the show while we’re on air.
2. They text or email the show while we’re on air, and we reply asking if they’d like to speak to us.
3. They text or email the show while we’re on air and give their phone number and we ring them back.
4. They post on a debate on bbcnews.com and leave their phone number. One of the WHYS team gives them a ring and invites them on to the show.
5. The same as No.4, but they get in touch through our blog.
6. Subscribers to the WHYS Daily Email often reply saying they want to take part and give their phone number.
7. We get in touch with people who have taken part in discussions related to that day’s subject if we think they would like contribute.
8. We get in touch with people with experiences that may give them a view or insight into that day’s subject and invite them on.
HOW DO STORIES AND ISSUES GET ON WHYS?
The whole WHYS team sits down at around 1100GMT (if you’d like to join us on the phone let us know). We talk through story suggestions we’ve received from listeners, we make suggestions ourselves, and we monitor the stories which are being discussed the most online.
We also check which stories on bbcnews.com are being read the most and commented on the most. We then discuss which stories and issues warrant a place in the programmes running order. No story will make the show unless the person suggesting it (whether listener or WHYS staff) can prove it is of global interest.
HOW DO I PITCH A STORY TO WHYS?
This page explains all.
HOW OFTEN DOES WHYS GO ON THE ROAD?
A lot, but there’s no hard and fast rule. This page has a list of every trip we’ve made.
HOW DO YOU CHOOSE WHERE WHYS TRAVELS TO?
There are a few different reasons why we leave the studio in London.
1. The most common is that there’s an editorial reason to visit somewhere. For instance when we broadcast from the South Africa Zimbabwe border, or when we went to Amsterdam to discuss a proposed ban on the burqa.
2. The BBC is increasingly seeking to reach new audiences with the help of re-broadcast partners. For instance, in Oregon people can hear us on OPB. Sometimes we want to visit partner stations either to continue an on-going relationship or to start one.
3. We get invited to take the show somewhere. For instance, IN June 2009 we were asked to take the show to a major radio conference in the States. It’s important to us to discuss our work with fellow radio professionals around the world, so we said yes. Doing a show in front of them gives us a fantastic opportunity to get some constructive criticism from people who know plenty about making great radio programmes. It also helps us tell them about what we’re doing.
WHO PRESENTS WHYS?
At the moment, it’s Ros Atkins, Madeleine Morris and Rachel Harvey.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK ON WHYS?
We have an editor (Mark Sandell), a presenter and five producers. You can find out more about the team here.
WHERE IS THE WHYS STUDIO?
It’s in the south-east wing of Bush House, which is just by Covent Garden in the West End of London.
HOW LONG HAS WHYS BEEN AROUND?
Our first show was on October 31 2005.
ARE YOU RELATED TO OTHER HAVE YOUR SAY PROGRAMMES?
Yes we are. The BBC wants to provide a number of platforms for what it calls ‘the global conversation’. Part of this is WHYS, the Have Your Say section of bbcnews.com and Africa Have Your Say. There are also Have Your Say programmes produced by the BBC World Service’s language services, including BBC Persian and BBC Arabic.
All that said, the editorial agenda of all the different programmes are not intertwined. We often go our own way.
WHY ARE THE PHONE LINES SO BAD?
Well we’d like to think they aren’t most of the time, but we do sometimes have problems especially when speaking to those of you in Africa.
Sometimes we have to abandon a call because of the quality of the line. Sometimes though we will persevere if we are hearing from someone in a place where we have trouble speaking to people.
So if we get a call from Afghanistan we’re more likely to tolerate a poor quality phone line than we would if it was a call from the States.
YOUR QUESTIONS
In February 2008, some of you sent us questions about the show which we did our best to answer. You read them all here.
RSS feed
BBC World Have Your Say 
Hi Guys,
Just wanted to congratulate you on a great program. I have only just discovered your show (shame on me!) and until recently listened in on Medium Wave. However, having battled with three other radio stations interfering with the frequency, I treated myself to a DAB radio last week. A real joy to hear you in digital stereo!
I prefer to just listen rather than contribute to the show. However, it is very interesting listening to differences of opinion from around the world on the same subject. It’s funny how we are all human, yet interpret an issue in a different way.
Many thanks; keep up the good work.
Jason.
PS. The new website is very good. Much easier to navigate than the earlier version!
Dear BBC folks-Funny, as an avid SWL and radio amaterur, BBC has been in my life for almost half a century. The end of 49 meter English language programing to our part of the world was a sad day for my family. Of course, thankfully you’re all over PBS FM today. And now the Beeb may be one more(hugely important) part of our lives-as yet another world outlet for our JACTESS proposal! But as much as we’d appreciate the coverage, please check with the suits there, as JACTESS is so different from all else, we’d rather not cause more harm than good for the BBC. Also, love to be on the WHYS distribution. JACTESS website up and running soon. Thanks, Rob, call sign AA1VK.
i have never listened to world have your say….but i read the whys daily email….
I didnt realize Copenhagen was burning! I have visited Sweden and Denmark many times between 1999 to 2000 and I could see that one day an explosion would occur betweeen the Danes(and Swedes) and the immigrants. I am black and I was treated well…as exotic. I didnt like it but I prefered that to how the USA treats blacks(I was invisible).
I know the Scandinavians are liberal and well-meaning but they do not understand the Muslims. I am highly-educated and I understand the concept”freedom of speech” but most Muslims just dont understand that concept.
Sorry, Scandinavians…. you meant well when you took these people in but they and you are miles apart.
Sorry Muslims…. the Danes dont mean to offend you… No way to bridge the cultural divide! In fact, one day we are going to have a World War over religion and cultural differences! This is just the tip of the iceberg.
Issues such as democracy vs theocracy, male-female relationships, sex, which religion is right, art….. plus oil, water, food….
I could not agree more with your analysis Thelma,its a pity such clarity of thought is not more common to those of dogmatic thinking(esp. religious peoples) The fact is that “multiculturalism” shows itself to be a corrupt ideology that merely divides people and leads to the elimination of distinct,seperate cultures and races.We are to become one homogenous consumerist mass with no difference,no variety,an all inclusive global society of shoppers with no politics really,just a desire to be entertained/distracted by vacuous non-entity “celebrities” When will we wake up and smell what the powers “behind the throne” are shovelling. When wil we say “wait a minute” What is this Brave New World Order? Indigenous people all over the world are beng “assimilated” into this hideous nightmare of Orwellian oligarchy Globalism sucks! Investigate the soon to be “North Amrerican Union” ,when the borders of Canada and Mexico dissappear and the “Amero” becomes their currency.Likewise the european,african and asia unions are being prepared for the same eventuality.
Hi guys!
I have been listening the BBC for a long time now. A long time, eh.I’m only 20. More recently I learnt of WHYS in the radio and when I started listening It was hard to miss. I was compelled to stay awake till 9.30pm East African time shortly after listening your Somali service. I acquinated with myself with WHYS team especially Ros Atkins as they engage listeners across the globe in constructive debate. As for Ros, he has was asking me where I listen after including me in his Daily Email list. I normally tune in from my home town Mandera in Norh-Eastern Province of Kenya, but don’t be amazed if you find me listening in the capital, Nairobi or perhaps across the border in Baidoa, Somalia.
I prefer taking part in the show through email or the blog. I am a quiet and shy person only when I write do I express my true feelings. I fought with stage fright in high school journalism and dramatic clubs which interestingly, I founded. This doesn’t mean I wont make direct phone contacts. To tickle much I want to be a BBC correspondent. Thank you WHYS team and the rest in London for setting the pace in this age of open news.
hi ros, i will like to be a blogger taking part in most of yuor programmes when i’m available, how can i become blogger? then i will also like to take part in the live programme through the phone line, my telephone nuumber is (00232-76-619-943) i will realy appreciate it if you can get me on the air, also i will want you to submit to me the topics of discussions today. thanks
royston.
hi ros, in the area of the increase in price of food and other essential commodities like petroleum products, i will advice the west,i.e. ( the developed indusrial economies) to continue to increase subsidies to their farmers, because when the west have more than enough for their people, they are generous and compassionate to help we the under priviledge who dont understand what is happening in the global stage, because at the moment, the increase demand for bio-fuels is one of the factors of the major increase of food price, and the neglect african government and even the indegines are giving agriculture and the agro-industry are also a major components,because look for example in my country Sierra Leone, you see able bodied people who can plant and produce food for themselves and families, live their villages or towns come to major cities parading the streets of these major cities with business in their hands worth less than three(3) U.S. dollars. some of these people need to be sensitized about the importance of agriculture, not only as a self sufficient means, but a tool of poverty alleviation to improved standard of living for their very selves.
Royston Roberts
Hello WHYS,
To put it mildly, I am a BBC addict and Have Your Say listener resident in Bamenda, the English-speaking North West Province of Cameroon. I eloped with the BBC after graduating from the Anglo-Saxon University of Buea in November 2004 and when I had this professional stint with a Medical Supplier firm in Bamenda, my brazen quest for news and information led me to the BBC. God willing a partnership accord was signed between your broadcasting service and our Ministry of Communications which led to the establishment of an FM relay station in our metropolis.
I obtained membership into the Have Your Say contributor’s list in November 2005 and since then I have not relented in making my views known on issues which capture my interest. At home when my radio set is not tuned to the BBC then it must be off. At the job site my cell phone battery constantly run down because I listen to the BBC all the time.
The BBC means so much to me as it enlightens and gives me that sense of magnaminity to view the world as one global village. I read Business Mangement in the University but my appetite for news tells me I choose the wrong career path. I feel the field of journalism is my preserve.
However, I do not rule out the possibility of strutting my stuff with a microphone and recorder someday.
Freemasonry within the NHS is a concern to me as a health care provider.
I have seen 1st hand patient harm investigations covered up.
Anaesthetic records with factual details omitted that should have been documented.
All anaesthetics should have computerized print outs so ommisions of effects of the drugs administered can not be left out …especially when the effects cause harm such as cerebral bleeding.
I have witnessed repeat offenders go on and cause the same problems time and time again ….the public would have no legal recourse because of the ommisions in a court of law.
As an update to the section , “Are you related to the other ‘Have Your Say’ programmes?” Have Your Say (which broadcasts on TV and radio) is no longer on the air.
I hope it will come back soon.
I find it interesting to get your wide news coverage. I would like to continue to receive worldwide news as they help me to pray here in our monastery. Continue to inform us of your news
Simeon
hi WHYS
i live in the coastal part of kenya and i always listen to ur show and it is realy intrestig i congratulate you guys your the best
Hi Ros and Partners (as we usually say in Kampala),
I love your show, I said i love your show. And if loving your show is wrong, i don’t wanna be right! I have been listening to it for over a year and it’s a powerful example of what voice (over)media can be. Two thumbs up guys!
i live in kenya and i was listening ur programe for the last 3 months and i love it. i just wanna say, u guys are the bomb! and sometimes talk bout somali and please show them how important is to live peacefully and if u can invite those who are so called leaders and let the world see how selfish they are. thnx keep it up bbc team
Hey my name is on the above i 21yrs live in Somalia and very hapy to share idea in the world, just near one yrs listening ur’s and very interesing ur news.
so I want to tell u that Somalia needs to become peiceful countery and u WHYS is to help Somali youths becouse if the old geys become ignorent you have to take idea the young generations and built their morel and send their adies around the world so the and the Somalians it self recognise to share idea the teanagers. so if you invite our leaders let us to share and ask them what we need and what they need us.
Thanks alot WHYS.
Hey guys,
It is so amazing to share with you the WHYs BBCWorld have your say which i came to know as of today. I am a regular bbc world service listener living in south sudan and let me says iam really excitted having found this programme today.
may be one more question, can you tell me where moarine ankhamode sorry,there should be missed spellings) who was a bbc focus on africa news presenter because i could not hear voice nowadays. if you could first tell me where she is before i interact with guys in this programme.
kindest regards!
Deng francis is south sudanese in upper nile state, Malakal.
Hello!
I have wondered for quite a time why the BBC bothers to keep contacts the world over – it must be very time consuming and distracting from the regular engagements and duties of the broadcaster.
I seem to have got an idea while reading your blog. Still it is an immense undertaking to have the world have its say. It is even awe-inspiring. Thank you.
although i disagree with the on-air editing process, which usually cuts what i write so that the context is lost, the program is very interesting. at least the blog allows me to present my whole opinion. i would recommend any new contributor to mark their words very carefully, lest the on-air editors present them in a misconstrued manner.
that said, ros and the rest of the on air moderators do a very good job of keeping the discussions even handed and balanced.
Hi ros
I’m back from Zimbabwe a month now but landed in hospital for a week,thank God I got out of Zim fast enough,as it was difficult to get medication in ZIM
Anyway well now and while in bed here in Malawi,I never missed listening to BBC have your say,even at work Im tuned in .My follow workmates are all Malawain,
who couldnt understand why I like BBC because it is very informative,educational and has very interesting subjects. Specailly the Zimbabwe issues, comments etc.
So keep up the good work of informing us of whats going on around us.Here in Malawi I find it very still
, under informed and learning nothing, because the radio is all local issues.
Anyway I don’t mind you calling on me at times on some of your live shows. Lastly Mugabe must go he has a good innnings.
Why is it that the Europeans are so distracted by Zimbawe and Mugabe that they cannot see what is happening in Italy with Belasconi? Italy is now a Fascist State and Belasconi is the new Duce. He has ordered the Roma (Gypsies) to be fingerprinted and so-called illegal immigrants to be given an automatic 5 year jail sentence. He owns all the media so that freedom of the press is in the distant past. He is in the midst of dismantling the court system so that it will more closely resemble Hitler’s People’s Court where justice was a sham. He is so corrupt until even George Bush’s Secret Service says he is a crook and the entire Italian governance reflects the Mofia.
Meanwhile the EU is concerned with Mugabe. It is good to be concerned about him, but it is more important to be concerned about the Fascism that is now in Italy and spreading into Scandinavia. The last time you neglected to nip Fascism in Europe over 100 million people died and Germany and most of Eastern Europe was left in rubble.
Mugabe is only effective in one country and if the African Union does not want to deal with him, then they must settle for the consequences. They will remain in the violent backwardness of the Third World throughout the balance of the 21st century. They can get the investment that is needed because of the corruption that African governments are noted for and for the Presidents for Life such as Mugabe who think that their country’s wealth is their own personal wealth.
I think you are doing a good job..,while you are consulting world’s opinion on many important subjects you are giving us all tat you are reaching the freedom of speech!
Catalin Pompilui Hustea from Romania
I am fascinated by your program. How can I work with you or at least do similar work?
These blogs make good reading, but the tho’t occurs to me
that none of them have ever run a business. So everyone should
just be “given” jobs ? What about starting their own businesses, putting up
everything they own to take out a loan, then hire people and be responsible
for them as long as they work for you, scramble when they are off on sick
days, and then pay for their retirement afterwards. Oh, and increase their
salaries everytime they complain and go on strike.
As one yob said, “I don’t want to work, I just want a job”. Yeah, well….
welcome to the real world. Start your own business and suffer your own
headaches, then you won’t think the world owes you a living.
BBC AND THE 090
ALLO
I WONDER WHY EVERY TIME I DO A BLOG ON THE ABOVE [MUST BE 4 NOW ]
THEY END UP IN THE BIN,
IF YOU READ ANY OF THEM YOU WOULD REALISE JUST HOW MUCH THIS
AFFECTED PEOPLE, A LOT OF PEOPLE,DID THEY ALSO WRITE UP ON THIS ,
STILL IF THEY ENDED UP IN THE BIN ,PROBLEM SORTED,
I BELIEVE ONE OF MINE WAS [ TRUST AND THE BBC ]
PETER MOSE
FULLY TRACABLE
I have read these blogs for the first time today.It is a good opportunity for the world
to express opinions in a constructive way,
If people have the need to express thoughts using harder words, that in the sense, if I shout I will be heard then ‘ a talk show’ is a perfect solution.
Is there ANY WAY that I could work with you guys?
I am thrilled by your programm and bored @ my current job :|. You’re doing a GREAT job! (Well you must be, becuz I was never a news person ’til I stumbled on the station one day @ work-104.4.)
Regards
Dev
I sit up till midnight evernight just to listen to BBC news you give a much broader and unbias scope of the world.In a country that has a billof rights that guarentees freedom of press it is amazing how little real news we get.The news stations would rather give soft news about a puppy trapped in a well than tell the amarican people about what is really happening.Keep up the great work and I’ll keep listening.
As you obviously appreciate it’s pretty difficult to control “smart” people(people with ALL relevant information)so US policy demands a “dumbing down ” of the population,control of the press (or aquiesence of the press),is needed for endemic corruption to survive.The UK govmt is no different.
It is the first time I heard about WHYS.
It is very interesting to have a place (space) where people can express opinions about happening things in diferents places in the world and to discussion them with others.
It is a good oportunity to live in the world.
From Brazil (Sao Paulo)
when truth is buried underground it grows it chokes and it gathers such an explosive force that on the day it bursts out it blows up everything with it a matter of research on my life what was the truth that was buried.
TIME FOR CHINA
By Tsoltim N. Shakabpa
It’s time for China to stop the genocide
To end all torture and imprisonment
It’s time for China to renounce her human rights violations
To choose freedom to hear and learn
It’s time for China to respect free speech
To recognize freedom of religion
It’s time for China to accommodate different cultures
To abandon communism
It’s time for China to cease causing terrorism in Darfur
To lay off encouraging the brutal dictatorship in Burma
It’s time for China to join the ranks of free and responsible nations
To halt selling nuclear intelligence to the axis of evil
It’s time for China to realize democracy
To quit Tibet and establish friendly relations
It’s time for China to acknowledge her faults
To repent rather than be sorry
If China does not do
What time tells her to do
And discard her life of crime
And erase all her filthy grime
Time will tell a tale
That will make China pale
Time will tell a sad story
That will make China sorry
There will be no time out
Nor any other route out
For time waits for no man
Bitter sorrow bring it can
To all of China’s innocent people
And make them feeble and cripple
And China’s great wall
Will crumble and fall
Copyright: Tsoltim N. Shakabpa – 2008
* Footnote: The poet’s nickname is “T.N.”, which he says stands for his initials as well as “Tibetan National”.
Tibetan pacifism resulted in Chinese hegemony,when will we learn?
Hi! Just a note to say I’m a faithful listener to WHYS, out of contact with the English speaking world as I am here in Ukraine. I just happened to tune in one evening a couple of years ago on an inauspicious occasion – the blasphemy challenge. Nevertheless I checked the program out again the next night and have become hooked ever since. Thanks for the interesting topics and I hope to think of others to suggest in future.
the lhc long hydrogen collider has failed helium gas has leaked and will take months to put again liquified gas to make temperature -275 degrees celsius there after the experiment of proton collision is it worth just to know the origin of universe
Science allows me to type this.Religion only invented more ways to control people.
Dear BBC reporters,
Iam very gladfully to get a clear email address to day from BBC news.I would to be your listen in Southern also.
Thanks
William Mawien in Southern Sudan
My comment on resignation of South African cabinets is that ,why 14 ministers resigned at once when they see new president is on going to come the power that resignation there is a problem behind
Thanks
William Mawien Awiel Southern Sudan
What happened to the guy in the BBC bus going cross country? Am I on the wrong page or did they get beat up in a truckstop in Snake Navel, Missouri and the rest of the trip is cancelled?
dr.d.n.ghalla leads youth to stop aids a promise for world aids day 1st december 2008 theme leadership
I’m not saying that the BBC can’t be slanted and aren’t sometimes myopic. But, according to US media, they are quite objective.
Agree, Michael Breen!
truth has 7 fold view 1]god is fhere 2]god is not there 3]god may be there 4]god may not be there 6may be god is there 6]may be god is not there 7]it is a matter of research inner reality to be experienced within.
with terror attacks in mumbai i believe non-violence is the best form of religion and best secret agency is KGB[KOMITET GOSUDARSTVENNOI BEZOPASNOSTI] for the russians have alredy informed that there are al-qaeeda links in in mumbai .
The pacifist says to his attacker,”If you attack me I wont defend myself.”Is that really how you want to be?Seems you cant differentiate between reality and the propagandist tools of your enemies(every state has enemies,so,we all have enemies whether we like it or not) Maybe you need to think this through a bit more?Politics is a very dirty game,played for keeps,in other words,dont just let life happen TO you,try to make it happen FOR you and dont trust those who would have you BELIEVE,belief is a rotten tool for understanding,knowledge is far better.
Hi to all. I really love this show and listening to it gives me the impression that I don’t live in a little cacoon that is my life in Mozambique: I am in touch with the entire world and with what they have to say. I have also developed a serious crush on Ros, along side millions of other girls I am sure 😉
I’m in two minds about whether the world should be saved from homosexuals. On the one hand, the world certainly needs to be saved – from lots of things. On the other hand, I wonder if the present pope has really taken the time to met a homosexual person – man or woman. That might make a big difference to his view.
eustacea vye
Do what you like,consensually,behind closed doors but I’ll say this,No biological future in homosexual relationships.No biological future=No future at all.Why this elevation of what was always considered perverse to a state of equality with heterosexuality?The two are definitely not equal in either in acceptability or by result.
US media on conroversial topics such as Isreal is useless,due to heavy pressure from the Isreal Lobby .BBc is a lifeline to understanding the facts presented by literate people not mindless noisemakers so prevelant in US media who deliver a mix of pap and propaganda .Until Americans take moral responsibility for their international actions they will continue to be treated as children ,best left in the dark.,by their government and special interest groups.BBC is a glimmer of hope.
You have to be real careful what you say about Israel on WHYS or your comments will just be deleted.My comments the other day about the economic ties between Israel and the US were not posted up,there was no swearing,rascism,incitement or commercialism yet my truthfull comments were removed.Whether this was because of the sheer volume of posts I dont know but I suspect there are certain things that they’d prefer left unsaid,the Israel lobby is certainly VERY powerful.
U guys are doing great work,kp it up.Ros,thumb up to u and ur crew.I luv the way u address issues,simply FANTASTIC.
BBC signal,clean and clear.
U guys are doing great work over there.Ros,i luv the way u handle issues,simply FANTASTIC! BBC signal here in NIGERIA is clean and clear.Thumb up to u guys.
cheers
Hi,
I have recently come to know about your site, though I listen to BBC World everyday and have seen it stated that one can have your say on this site, I have not done so.
I would like to know if I can listen to the WHYs on the TV or on my Laptop.
Philip.
Hello! I´m a long-long term fan of the BBC. For decades on shortwave radio and now through Internet (no fussing with timetables,24 hs service…wonderful!) Now, to begin with, please be kind to pin me up in your list (NOT your BLACKlist, not for now) Second: Around a week ago I was browsing around while listening to the news and I happen to find “haveyoursay”. The subject was about the homophobic sayings of the pope. I left it for later on and could never find it back. In case you still keep it in your files, would you help me to get in contact with said material? Thanks, best wishes & looooooots of kisses
Thank you BBC for trying to give us true and unbias information regarding events in Gaza. I’ve spend some time in Israel and got familiar with the mentality and ideology of Israeis. Regarding recent events:
Israel openly demonstrates contempt to whole International Community, disregards accusations in atrocities against Gaza civilian population and continuing offense. I wonder what real measures can be taken against Israel, besides just moral condemnation. Don’t mean necessarily military intervention; but rather serious political pressure and rapture of those economic and cultural ties what can impact life of Israelis. It will be also good to make Israel pay for reconstruction of Gaza after ceasefire. The question is: can it be done so? Or Israel and Jewish Diasporas in other countries became so powerful that people around the world should just watch helplessly to Israel’s actions today and may be even its worse moves tomorrow.
i love all BBC programmes on the World Servics, but i must say that WHYS is probably the only one that give the world a voice, LOVE IT!
take note, happy that no fee here
What is wrong with my last entry In- Are we expecting too much from..
A good wishes entry for Obahma and his family, a remark about dont expect to much at once, And it has gone.
I am not happy to say the least. We have no rights i know, but there was nothing in my entry that was obusive or otherwise. No bad Language, even the remark concerning Mugabe was not out of place.
I think we are all busy and have a full day, and sometimes night. so time taken to write is not because thumbs are being twiddled, but because there is interest,
Sad old World
John in Germany.
Like most thinking, intelligent people, I left my Northern Irish background and moved to Scotland 10 years ago having, frankly, given up on the future there. Interestingly, everyone I’ve met from NI since, all the ex-pats, say the same thing.
There is nothing specifically wrong with the idea of giving £12,000 to the families of every victim and the notion that there should be no hierarchy of tears is absolutely right.
That said, the families of police and army officers are already well paid for their losses (which doesn’t make them right of course).
My suggestion is that only the families of those who have died in civilian situations should be thus compensated.
A man’s voice is his freeedom and the right to express himself is the power that drives his soul.
If we can all be like WHYS then maybe a tolerant, free, peaceful global community might evolve and we will finally be rid of this tit for tat, self righteous society.
No one should be racist. The words used by the president is totally about being racist. The situation seems to be caused by white people only because they handle it. If the blacks are instead of the whites then also the situation would have been same. So color have nothing to do with financial downturn. This is the recession of the whole world so it should be solved by whites and the blacks and all the countries of the world. So it is not acceptable to be racist to white people.
This “recession” is really a readjustment of the economic expectations of people worldwide,by the federal reserve,a private “bank” which masquerades as the central state bank of America.In reality it is no such thing,the controlling shareholders are the Rothschild family,the richest family in the world with fortunes in the trillions.Americans should know that nowhere in the constitution does the phraze Income Tax ever raise its ugly head.The majority of american income tax pays some of the interest on the loans the us govmt are granted by the”federal” reserve.So a manufactored “recession” is just to keep us all in our place,driving wages down,prices up and making sure we kmow who’s boss.If the us govmt borrows 10 billion dollars from the FR,it then owes interest on that loan,but the FR is the only institution printing dollars so Americans are permanently in debt to a private finance corporation.War for profit ,anyone?
American leaders are making a mistake attempting to sustain the present economy. Rather they should opt for a contracted one to implement correcting options to reduce consumer dependence on employment for necessities. Expecting consumers to pay monthly fees for services they do not receive is fallacy created in affluent times by institutional demands for financing. Such fees can only be justified in a robust, have-it-all economy that benefits from lucrative inflows of exploitable resources and wide distribution of profit incentives. Ultimately, the contracted economy must shift away from dependence on huge resource inflows acquired by wealth, and toward broadly distributed sources of sustenance and necessity.
In the corrected economy, small farms perhaps with hydroponics, and the right small, labor intensive manufacturing endeavors will become viable with only modest investment. Returns can be small yet satisfying to owners that provide goods and services to meet new demands for things that decrease dependence on employment.
The target economy must be contracted from one that supported excesses of ownership and insurable interests of financing as if access to credit is essential to breathing the air. Many successful entrepreneurs can make it without credit. The target economy must reward people for having full ownership of possessions punishing acts of arson and property damage with deterring severity. Deferring responsibility of ownership to insurable risk is a scheme of evil, conspired to extort money from wealthy property owners.
Hard times are here to stay. Dirth to insurers.
Cheers to BBC!
Thelma, what does this mean;
“I am black and I was treated well…as exotic. I didnt like it but I prefered that to how the USA treats blacks(I was invisible).”
Sam
i’m not black AND white but i donot like the discrimination between the white and black.
Southern Sudan/ Juba
I will never say Someone is white or Im black, becouse we are all humen beings and we have white and red blood no one has i ever heard with blue or green blood.
(This is a duplicate, because I forgot to put a check mark in the “notify me” box.)
I live in Kokomo, Indiana, from where you broadcast yesterday. In fact, my husband works at the Kokomo Rescue Mission, the location from where you interviewed the people of Kokomo.
I just wanted to say that I am very impressed with your unbiased reporting. I just listened to the whole podcast and was amazed at how it was actually what I heard “live” yesterday. You did not interject bias but allowed the people to speak for themselves. You did not cut and edit to make it say “something else”. Thank you for such honest reporting.
As a result, I am very interested in following your future broadcasts.
Hard Talk , watched: Morning 5th May 2009
Place: The Congo.
Theme: Women suffer more from the everlasting war than other civilians.
The interviewer: Top as usual . I do not know his name .
The two main partners were outstanding.
The African lady for the understanding and knowledge of the events. Also as interpreter to interview the pathetic victims.
The German lady for her psychological analysis and devotion.
The people who organized the program in such realistic way.
I remember the African lady expressing her appreciation of the fact that the tv show would be seen worldwide.
All debate is good. But some is limited on the BBC. But that is because it is British Broadcasting , run by the government. I am not privy to how much control the government has over the BBC (Being a Yank). But I do know it is on a leash, and has policies it runs by (another form of censorship?) But in the US the right to express oneself ends at the tip of ones nose. Freedom of speech also mean responsibility. It doesn’t allow you to yell Fire in a crowded theater.
But distasteful, coarse, and blatent words just allow you to see the true spots of a particular leopard. (Unless you are in a mob to incite a riot, alot different than expressing a thought.)
Lastly people of both everyday, and public figures can insert ones foot in mouth on any given day. Like Brasil’s presidents racist remarks, and Robert Reich’s (Obama admin) remark about white construction workers not being part of the stimulus package. Or Jesse Jackson’s racist remarks about Jewish people. So all are guilty, every group, ethnic, racial, and all inclusive in issuing remarks considered bad. But censorship is the worst offense of them all. Is Larry Flynt banned in the UK, or Hustler? Had to throw that in for laugh, and deep thought.
Hi to ALL.
I like all BBC programmes specially on the World have Your Say, but I must say that WHYS is probably avails the undergratuate students.
Regards,
Mohamed Abdi OSman
Why do you not translate ‘have your say’ on bbcworld tv channel? In the past you did it on Sundays – I was a great fan of this program.
I am just listening to the women that is “Selling her virginity” though working so haven’t caught the entire conversation! BUT (1) it’s her choice!! and (2) a practical young lady! Considering how most “loose” theirs these days! OR beyond THAT sell it for watered down bar drinks..etc .(after the fact)
i caught the LAST comment of isn’t this prostitution? don’t MOST women ‘give it away’ for something? dinner, drinks.. a new dress..jewels??? WHY does the $$ factor always turn it into something sleazy and immoral?
If you’re not going to “save yourself for marriage”… then at least be practical!
years ago i had a friend that it was obvious she enjoyed “those physical things” but after the fact she would beat herself to death emotionally, often asking if i thought she was a slut! my response was NO, just pretty dumb! she seemed to like what she was doing and from what i was hearing did it VERY well… I told her i thought she should be a MUCH wealtheir woman!
Everybody should have right to have abortion.
It is a woman’s right to choose what she does with her body, and it should not be altered or influenced by anyone else. A fetus is not yet a baby. It does not posses the criteria derived from our understanding of living human beings.
The murder of Dr Tiller is grave sign of cowardice and illiteracy coming out from the illiterate, immoral, wicked and mad people, who use to live in the veneer of religious faith and belief.
Ive just seen your discussion program, but i may really like to contribute to this program by getting me involved through phoning me on my cell no.232-33-732-738.
hoping to get and hear from you guys, with cheers Fuad.
Hello again
And hello WHYS. There was mention some time ago of a new branch of WHYS called Sports World Have Your Say. Since then I have not seen hide nor hair of it. Has it been dropped?
Jim
Hi Armelle,
Thanks for your post. I’m afraid its just a little bit long to be read out. Could you possibly shorten it a little bit and resend it.
Thanks very much for taking the time to get in touch.
Jeremy and the World Have Your Say team.
Just wanted to say I love listening to your show. I have stopped watching the news here in St. Louis unless it’s local…I don’t believe you actually get any “news”….just what THEY want you to hear. I love hearing what else is going on in the world and you guys deliver it perfectly….so as I deliver the daily newspaper…I listen to World Have Your Say……..keep up the great work.
Thanks
Dan
Hi,
What happened to the blog you suggested should be written when submitting suggestions for WHYS?
Last time I saw it, it had a red band at the bottom of it saying that it was awaiting the attention of the moderator. Didn’t he like it?
BTW Black on that blood-red band doesn’t contrast too well if you are visually impaired. I had to ask someone to read it to me.
TTFN
Peter
Sent 0925 EDT to worldhaveyoursay re BBC interview with Alan Greenspan
Would that Mr. Greenspan had paid attention to Adam Smith’s observation that the greatest threat to a free market was incorporation – giving otherwise unconnected investors to license by limiting liability for corporate sins to strive to oligopolize markets. For profit limitation of liability unleashes excesses of power Mr. Greenspan now discovers the principle of human nature that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Hal Pepinsky, Worthington, Ohio USA
Great that you’ve come up with this kind of program. It brings total awareness on global happenings. Congratulations.
Hello,
I am trying to construe this concept of WordPress. In the gaming spirit we got contacts with the BBC but off hours the lands we come from do not possibly match up to the humanity in developed world. So just to listen will suffice us to understand the new concepts of nationhood on air and being English by being able to listen or to heed the BBC, an establishment well sorted out to make sense by a transmission system that makes citizens by the ears!
i love this concept.you are free to contact me any time
This is the most utterly tiresome show on the airwaves. Please put the resources to another use. Just because the drivel involves people from multiple countries doesn’t mean it isn’t drivel!
You are free to critiscize of course but if you think it’s drivel then you are exposing your own inability to engage in debate.Also if it’s “tiresome” then why do you bother?I think you just had nothing relevant to add to this and so just critiscized regardless.What do you offer as an alternative thats so much better?I thought so…
In spite of trying very hard to just be an ‘everyday person’, as I have come to describe my attempts to be socially acceptable, I’ve never actually managed to consistently conform to the ‘normal’ way of life. It’s not that I despise normality, often, I would prefer it. It just seems to ellude me. Done all the usual stuff, education, degree, offspring, good jobs, failed relationships, worked and tried hard, though not always smart or successfully, to make these succeed; just not in the usual order, or, in the usual way. Now, in my middle age, true to the pattern in my life, of “not in the usual way”, I am in a relationship with a wonderful women in her mid twenties. Although we had known each other for a little while, she suddenly announced her deep feelings for me, at a coffee shop, where I thought we were just ‘catching up’, as you do occassionally with people you know. I, immediately, true to form, thought of and shared with her, all the reasons not to proceed. She persisted, and I was certainly flattered, and frankly, altough unsure, agreed to try. We have mutual respect, love and care for each other. Great, except that she is increasingly coming under pressure to dump me in favour of a ‘normal aged’ relationship not just from her (highly dysfunctional and split) family, but , initially, surprisingly to me, her college peers. I have always said that the relationship must be positive for both of us, and this is causing immense anguish. So, society will have it’s levelling at any price, as individuals we just have to summon the wherewithall to be different, but I cannot agree to her being made to suffer on my account, and wonder if I should find a way to let her go.
I do recall a WHYS debate along the lines of “Does government honesty matter”
I tried to post a comment earlier and returned to see if there were more comments but that particular “have your say”
has mysteriously vanished.
Just wondering if the BBC are again censoring when they don’t like what they hear.
It’s pretty frustrating when you try to come up with a reasonably good comment and the moderator comes along and tries to manufacture public opinion by denying you your say.
It shouldn´t be the role of the moderator to manufacture public opinion. Whenever this is happening I think it is ok to complain.
Congratulation and thak you for your great progamme
It is preety good programme which can defference in thinking of individiual.So i think every listners should not regret to give their important time to listen such a woundrful programme
ego and expectations are the root cause of human misery holy indifference to craving aversion and ignorance.
haiti is one of the poorest countries in this universe why do does human beings who are poor are destined to die it is said the kingdom of god is within us why such discrepancy in the god of this universe.
Hello!
I’m a delegate from Bangladesh at the first One Young World. I would like to contribute by writing about my experience atBBC World Have Your Say.
Where and whom should i contact?
Re the trial of the 9/11 “plotter” who has “reportedly” admitted being behind the attack. Dont make me laugh,the US justice dept is taking the mick surely,after all it should be obvious even to non-professionals that the towers came down as a perfect demolition.The basement explosions were not gas-lines,there were no gas lines as it was considered unsafe to include them in the buildings at time of planning.The structures were also built to withstand multiple hits from aircraft,aviation fuel does not burn hot enough to melt the steel cores,only thermite could have done the job.The base parts of the cores that were left at ground level had been cut on a diagonal,just as they do for demolition.This was Americas Reichstag fire,a perfect excuse to go to war(for oil and for arms sales profits)What does it take for US citizens to wake up to the realities of life.Ask the families of rendition victims what they think of US policy on “homeland security”And do some real investigative journalism for a change,instead of just saying what you’re told to by the state dept,who is this guy,what’s his history,who did he work with,or are the US saying that he is a lone “super-terrorist”Get real and stop treating us like we are stupid ok?
I’ve just sent my rendition on the number one real world issue. ‘Human Population control’, to World have your say.
When I have written about it, anywhere, in the recent past, it has been carefully ‘Tanked’. It is as though it is perfectly right for us to cull wild herds of anything, when they become too large and overburden their environements, but humans should not be permitted to control their own numbers in any way.
Luckily, we still tend to go to war, which seems our eternal way to get some measure of population control done.
Anyhow, I’m an old man, and don’t want to see any new wars. But I just wish we could discuss human population control in such a way it would not rouse the wrathes of diverse cleric, and bank and business managers.
A finite Earth cannot go on exploding with transport, concrete, and wall to wall humans.
well,i love all the programmes of BBC….esp i love documentries and UK top chart (every saturday)
ishwor kafle
Kathmandu,Nepal(Mount everest)
Hear hear, Colin L Beadon, on human overpopulation.
I’ve recently suggested this important topic for WHYS.
As Colin says, it’s the number one real world issue, yet never seems to get mentioned, let alone discussed, anywhere. Why?
I just heard the WHYS on the Vatican’s cover-up of the sexual abuse problem, which has now reached world wide proportions. I am not Catholic, but most of my family is, and I attended Catholic mass frequently in the past as a child. I know that the Church, over its 2000 year existance has had this problem of not confronting what can be seen by most non-members as crimes. 200 deaf children crying out and years of reports to church officials, and even to Bishop Ratzinger, whose task it was to handle such reports, and NOTHING is done. They act like if they ignore it, it will go away. Murphy, the abuser in this case, is dead. It seems like the Vatican officials just pray that such pedaphiles will die before theyre discovered by the non-Church community. Murphy is just the tip of the iceberg. It is a systematic, criminal tool within the Church structure, and if it is to survive (I do not personally care whether it does or not), it needs to act swiftly upon anything that sounds like child abuse. This is how the Catholic Church appears to the world at large, as condoning abuse through inaction.