# Talkback (radio programme)

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thumb|right|250px|David Dunseith, the host of the BBC's ''Talkback'' programme
'''''Talkback''''' is [BBC Radio Ulster](/source/BBC_Radio_Ulster)'s award-winning daily political and current-affairs phone-in programme, currently presented by [William Crawley](/source/William_Crawley). It was launched on 8 September 1986 and runs from Monday to Friday, from just after the midday news to 1:30{{nbsp}}pm (1{{nbsp}}pm on the [Radio Foyle](/source/Radio_Foyle) simulcast).

== Overview ==
The programme's first presenter was Barry Cowan, who died in 2004, aged 56.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/news-analysis/how-talkbacks-heady-mix-of-fun-and-fiery-debates-transformed-ulster-radio-35030136.html|title=How Talkback's heady mix of fun and fiery debates transformed Ulster radio|newspaper=Belfasttelegraph.co.uk |date=8 September 2016 |via=www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk}}</ref> ''Talkback'' took the Silver Award in the 2006 Sony [Radio Academy](/source/Radio_Academy) Awards for the News and Current Affairs programme of the year, and the programme marked its 20th anniversary on 7 September 2006.

Barry Cowan was replaced as presenter in 1989 by [David Dunseith](/source/David_Dunseith) — affectionately known by some Northern Ireland politicians as "the great interrupter".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/media/a327873/bbc-broadcaster-david-dunseith-dies-aged-78/|title=BBC broadcaster David Dunseith dies, aged 78|first=Andrew|last=Laughlin|date=1 July 2011|work=Digital Spy}}</ref> Until March 2009, just after Saturday's midday news headlines, he also presented the ''Best of Talkback'' which took a look back at the top stories covered by the ''Talkback'' team that previous week. The Saturday edition only lasted one hour.

''Talkback'' has been described by ''[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)'' as "an alternative peace process",<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.cpbf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/BBC_submission_informed.pdf | title=The BBC’s contribution to informed citizenship | publisher=[BBC](/source/BBC) | website=www.cpbf.org.uk}}</ref> and by [Stephen Coleman](/source/Stephen_Coleman), Director of Studies at The [Hansard Society](/source/Hansard_Society) for Parliamentary Government, as "a public sounding board which reaches a larger listening audience than any other European phone-in."

Following Dunseith's death in July 2011,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/calm-and-courtly-broadcaster-of-immense-charm-and-talent-1.596730|title=Calm and courtly broadcaster of immense charm and talent|newspaper=The Irish Times}}</ref> [Wendy Austin](/source/Wendy_Austin) presented the show until she announced her resignation on 23 September 2014.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/news/bbc-radio-ulster-signals-the-end-of-an-era-as-wendy-austin-moves-aside-30610281.html|title=BBC Radio Ulster signals the end of an era as Wendy Austin moves aside|newspaper=Belfasttelegraph.co.uk |date=24 September 2014 |via=www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk}}</ref>

Since 3 November 2014, as a shake up of Radio Ulster, William Crawley has presented the show.<ref>{{cite news |last=McMahon |first=Victoria |date=27 October 2014 |title=William Crawley excited to take over Talkback on Radio Ulster |url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/staying-in/william-crawley-excited-take-over-4519132 |access-date=12 April 2022 |website=Daily Mirror |language=en}}</ref> ''Talkback'' celebrated its 30th anniversary on 8 September 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/bbc-radio-ulsters-talkback-show-30-today-1203257|title=BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback show is 30 today|website=www.newsletter.co.uk}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007cpt4 Website]

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Category:Radio programmes in Northern Ireland

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Talkback (radio programme)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talkback_(radio_programme)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talkback_(radio_programme)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.