| Other names | Night Waves (1992–2014) |
|---|---|
| Running time | 60 minutes (9:00 pm – 10:00 pm) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Language(s) | English |
| Home station | BBC Radio 4 |
| Hosted by | Various |
| Original release | 15 September 1992 (1992-09-15)[1] – present |
| Audio format | Stereophonic sound |
| Website | Official website |
Free Thinking is aradio programme broadcast onBBC Radio 4 weekly from Friday 5 April 2024.
It was previously broadcast on Radio 3 as part of its "After Dark" late night programming. The programme is a rebranded version ofNight Waves, "Radio 3's flagship arts and ideas programme".[2]Night Waves was broadcast every Monday to Thursday evening, except duringthe Proms season. Radio 3 rebrandedNight Waves asFree 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. 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.
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 includeMatthew Sweet,Philip Dodd,Rana Mitter,Shahidha Bari andAnne McElvoy.
The Guardian said in May 2010: "...the king of radio arts programmes is undoubtedlyNight 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."[3]
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