Free Thinking

{{Short description|British radio programme}} {{Italic title}} {{Use British English|date=April 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox radio show | show_name = Free Thinking | other_names = ''Night Waves'' (1992–2014) | format = | runtime = 60 minutes | country = United Kingdom | language = English | home_station = BBC Radio 3 (1992–2024)<br />BBC Radio 4 (2024–present) | presenter = Various | record_location = | first_aired = {{start date|1992|09|15|df=y}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b8b24fd449724691a5b9ae2edecb93cf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220112174001/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b8b24fd449724691a5b9ae2edecb93cf|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 January 2022|title=BBC Programme Index|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|date=15 September 1992 }}</ref> | last_aired = present | audio_format = Stereophonic sound | website = {{URL|https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0144txn}} }} {{Listen|filename=Martin Amis BBC Radio 3 Night Waves 2 April 2010 b00qc0fg.flac|title={{center|Excerpt from an episode}}|type=speech|description={{center|Voice of Martin Amis, recorded April 2010}}}}

'''''Free Thinking''''' is a British radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 every Friday night. It was previously broadcast on Radio 3 as part of its "After Dark" late night programming.

The programme is a rebranded version of '''''Night Waves''''', "Radio 3's flagship arts and ideas programme" that had been broadcast since 1992.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006tp43|title=BBC Radio 3 - Night Waves|website=BBC}}</ref> ''Night Waves'' was broadcast every Monday to Thursday evening, except during the Proms season. Radio 3 rebranded ''Night Waves'' as ''Free Thinking'' from 7 January 2014, and reduced the number of first-time broadcasts per week from four to three (plus one repeat). It had a 45 minute running time on Radio 3 (from 10pm-10:45pm). In April 2024, the show was moved to Radio 4 where it is transmitted just once a week, but with a 60 minute running time (from 9pm-10pm).

==Format== Programmes usually included a mix of interviews, reviews, previews, discussions, commissioned writing and reports. Some episodes included a single interview with a prominent figure in the worlds of arts or ideas. The programme's presenters include Matthew Sweet, Philip Dodd, Rana Mitter, Shahidha Bari and Anne McElvoy.

==Reception== ''The Guardian'' said in May 2010: "...the king of radio arts programmes is undoubtedly ''Night Waves'', a programme so clever that it regularly makes me stand still and listen, usually halfway to the dishwasher with a plate in my hand...It's the desire to untangle arguments, to lift up their corners and see what lurks there. There's a gleeful range of references too...and a relish for intelligent debate."<ref>Elisabeth Mahoney [https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2010/may/19/night-waves "Radio head: Night Waves"], ''The Guardian'' (blog entry), 19 May 2010</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} *{{BBC programme|id=b0144txn}} *{{Twitter|BBCFreeThinking|BBCFreeThinking}}

Category:BBC Radio 3 programmes Category:BBC Radio 4 programmes Category:1992 radio programme debuts