The Today programme is, of course, a legend, but now we know it has never been more popular: the latest figures put its audience during the first three months of this year at 7.03 million, 600,000 more than last year and an absolute if slightly controversial record.It has its critics, of course, some vociferous. Staid, elitist, rarefied. Fewer resources are leading to more mistakes, some complain. Others regret the loss of tone and talent injected by Todays dedicated reporters; the reliance instead on correspondents obliged to serve a multitude of BBC outlets at the same time. The programmes structure is too inflexible, people argue; unable to pick up a story and run with it, like more fluid formats. And its presenters, of course, are variously impertinent and aggressive if not downright rude  Humphrys, use 10 words when two would do James Naughtie, cant construct an argument Sarah Montague, or are too lightweight Davis.

via Behind the scenes at Today, the most influential programme on British radio | Media | The Guardian.