Radio news too graphic when children can hear

You're right about the antennae Ariadne.

I had my GC staying in the days after Xmas - we went to Peter Jones' toy department where the next day there was a terrible incident, a young man fell/jumped from the 5th floor into the atrium.

I usually have Radio 4 on in the background in the kitchen but I'm sure this didn't make national radio news.

Two days later GD (aged 5) solemnly said "someone died in Peter Jones".

I can only think that she overheard a phone conversation or maybe I had BBC London on the radio. I would never knowingly let her be aware of what happened.

We should not have to switch off the radio to avoid unsuitable content during the daytime. It should not be there. The BEEB needs to use discretion about what it broadcasts during the day on the assumption that small children might be able to hear it - just as with the TV watershed.

Short of leaping to the radio on the hour every hour just in case something inappropriate is being broadcast, the only answer is not to listen at all if children are likely to be around. Shooting themselves in the foot really, the BEEB.

I disagree Mishap

Radio 4 and other speech channels are aimed at adults - we are not children and can't be shielded from reality until the 9pm watershed.

But children do hear of atrocities at school - in history lessons. The Tudors for example - tortures, beheadings, and the like. Horrid Histories is a popular TV and story series. Just because it was a long time ago doesn't mean it's any the less ghastly. What is awful is that it is still happening and no doubt such atrocities will continue to be perpetrated on our fellow men long after we've gone. What about the man in Wolf Hall last night - he was racked and then burnt; did you switch off?

Of course I didn't switch off, goldengirl I'm a grown up and it was after the watershed.

We had to turn off the news when DS was from about 7-10 when something horrible was on, as he understood a lot and had nightmares about it. There didn't seem to be any point, really, in making him miserable (and waking us up) just to broaden his education. He is still a bit of a worrier, but at his age, he can watch the news or not, as he chooses.

I find the news about the Jordanian pilot, poor soul, too much for me, and so I don't want to watch it. Doesn't mean that I don't feel heart sorry for his poor family.