THE lunchtime speaker on day five of the Swindon Festival of Literature was former Controller of Radio 4 Mark Damazer.

Unlike most guests Mark was not there to promote a newly written book. Instead, he spoke of his belief in the importance of Radio 4 to the country as well as his worries on the future of serious journalism.

Mark, now Master of St Peters College, Oxford University, spent six years in charge of the radio station and oversaw an upturn in listening figures. With the advent of 24 hour news and the internet becoming a key source of information for people, many predicted the end of Radio 4.

However, as Mark said, he was of the belief that the station filled a large part in the hearts of listeners.

“Many people have an attachment to a television programme but not so much the channel. Radio is different. People get very passionate about the radio station they listen to and develop a sense of ownership.”

Mark spoke about the value of the entertainment shows, such as Desert Island Discs, but stated that journalism remains key to the station.

“I’ve always thought if a journalist can do a good job on the Today Programme then they have proved their worth.

“On radio a journalist has a lot longer to speak than they do on television so it is much easier to see if they are up to the job.”

Mark’s time at Radio 4 was not all plain sailing and he told of the furore surrounding his decision to drop the famous UK theme music in favour of a faster paced tune. Despite all the issues facing the country at the time, Tony Blair was forced to answer a question on the subject at Prime Minister’s Questions. Mark also faced protests at the station as well as death threats, though he joked they came with a level of politeness to be expected from Radio 4 listeners.

In the second half of the talk, Mark raised concerns about his belief that serious journalism was under threat from the internet.