Ugh

[Samual]

Who comes up with the Surgery topics? Are you running out of ideas? They're getting very monotonous.

Personally i think a show about student finances would help people a lot more, considering the problems with the Student Loans Company than yet another show about herpes and the pill.

[postie]

finances was done a few weeks ago

[Samual]

I dont remember it. And even if it was, that's beside the point. It seems as though sexual health is covered every other week, why? There are a million and one things that could be talked about. Why always the same things, the same tedious 'debates'?

With all that is happening in the world why oh why were we subjected to an "are boys better than girls" debate? That was an hour ill never get back.

[postie]

its sunday surgery not newsnight lol , you know Chris Moyles has a famous saying and i stick to it "if ya don't like it then switch off"

[Samual]

I'm sure many people do when it comes to Chris Moyles, but i would like to listen to a Sunday Surgery, not a weekly segment on Sex Ed.

[Yudster]

I know where you're coming from Samual, the topics do seem to be centred in a very narrow frame of reference. But the "silly question" sections are the bits that get me. "are Boys Better Than Girls?" Has anybody actually ever thought of that as a question to ask, even in fun, to anyone over the age of 8?!

There are often "debate" questions which seem simply to be inviting an argument between people who have different experiences and beliefs, because very often they aren't proper questions at all, they are just examples of how different people have different lives, but they are always presented as a debate. The point about a debate is that at the end of it one side wins and the other side loses. You can't debate experiences and opinions based on experiences, its not a valid thing to do.

That said, I do think that Aled is a natural and excellent presenter of this show, and I have no doubt that it will grow, develop and go from strength to strength.

[Aled]

We spend a lot of time on the topics for The Surgery because we're all aware of the importance of the show and who it helps. The majority of listener feedback we take come from the Open Surgeries where we encourage any texts to come in. From them we look at what comes in and that gives us a good guide into what our listeners want from us. The Coming Out show for example came from the realisation that we get a regular stream of texts asking for help in coming out and dealing with sexuality. As we do about suicide, depression, bullying, self harming and body image.

We don't get that many about financial issues, but I agree it's very relevant, which is why, as Postie mentioned we did a show about money a few months ago. There will be another one, probably around Christmas as that's when most people get further into debt and need to face up to dealing with it.

[Aled]

I know where you're coming from Samual, the topics do seem to be centred in a very narrow frame of reference. But the "silly question" sections are the bits that get me. "are Boys Better Than Girls?" Has anybody actually ever thought of that as a question to ask, even in fun, to anyone over the age of 8?!

The debate shows are brand new to Radio 1. Something that's never been done before on the network and therefore means we're finding our way.

Switch zone is for 12 - 16 year olds, The Surgery also has a large audience over that age. The adults have access to many talk shows and stations from the BBC for the younger audience - we're it. So we're trying a range of light hearted (which every young listener will have an opinion with) and heavy subjects which will pull more passionate views out (but normally from an older audience).

The next debate show is going to be much meatier to see what effect that has with the younger audiences.

[Aled]

The point about a debate is that at the end of it one side wins and the other side loses. You can't debate experiences and opinions based on experiences, its not a valid thing to do.

I'm sorry, I disagree. The point of the Surgery debate is discuss differences between people - having the conversation and learning about how different people are. Understanding differences gets rid of prejudice. There will never be a right or wrong answer to any of our debates because that's not a debate it's an education.

The 'what's cheating' was my favourite as a lot of people have come to me afterwards and said it's really made them think about the lines. I couldn't ask for more from the debates.

Let me ask you then, what issues (as in to debate) bother a 13/14/15 year old?

[Samual]

I know where you're coming from Samual, the topics do seem to be centred in a very narrow frame of reference. But the "silly question" sections are the bits that get me. "are Boys Better Than Girls?" Has anybody actually ever thought of that as a question to ask, even in fun, to anyone over the age of 8?!

There are often "debate" questions which seem simply to be inviting an argument between people who have different experiences and beliefs, because very often they aren't proper questions at all, they are just examples of how different people have different lives, but they are always presented as a debate. The point about a debate is that at the end of it one side wins and the other side loses. You can't debate experiences and opinions based on experiences, its not a valid thing to do.

That said, I do think that Aled is a natural and excellent presenter of this show, and I have no doubt that it will grow, develop and go from strength to strength.

Yes exactly. I hope nobody thinks im attacking Aled or his performance as presenter, im not. I'm just bored of some of the topics discussed.

We spend a lot of time on the topics for The Surgery because we're all aware of the importance of the show and who it helps. The majority of listener feedback we take come from the Open Surgeries where we encourage any texts to come in. From them we look at what comes in and that gives us a good guide into what our listeners want from us. The Coming Out show for example came from the realisation that we get a regular stream of texts asking for help in coming out and dealing with sexuality. As we do about suicide, depression, bullying, self harming and body image.

We don't get that many about financial issues, but I agree it's very relevant, which is why, as Postie mentioned we did a show about money a few months ago. There will be another one, probably around Christmas as that's when most people get further into debt and need to face up to dealing with it.

Suicide, depression and bullying are all very relevant, so why are there so few shows about them? Mental health is just as big a problem as sexual health, so why does Sex Ed seem to dominate the surgery?

I'm sorry, I disagree. The point of the Surgery debate is discuss differences between people - having the conversation and learning about how different people are. Understanding differences gets rid of prejudice. There will never be a right or wrong answer to any of our debates because that's not a debate it's an education.

The 'what's cheating' was my favourite as a lot of people have come to me afterwards and said it's really made them think about the lines. I couldn't ask for more from the debates.

Let me ask you then, what issues (as in to debate) bother a 13/14/15 year old?

You think debating what sex is better will get rid of prejudice? It will only enforce it. If you wanted to tackle sexism why didn't you just have that as a topic.

Are there any statistics available that can shed some light on the age range of Surgery listeners? I wouldn't have thought that 13-16 year olds would be in the majority considering the time the show is aired. Off the top of my head i can only think of a few things that id be interested in discussing.

- Faith Schools, should they be banned or brought under government control?

- Is language teaching in primary schools a good or bad idea?

- Does television paint an accurate depiction of teenage life?

Also, topics on things like the Monarchy, Mickey Mouse Degrees and Scottish Independence would be welcome once in awhile.

[Yudster]

I'm sorry, I disagree. The point of the Surgery debate is discuss differences between people - having the conversation and learning about how different people are. Understanding differences gets rid of prejudice. There will never be a right or wrong answer to any of our debates because that's not a debate it's an education.

The 'what's cheating' was my favourite as a lot of people have come to me afterwards and said it's really made them think about the lines. I couldn't ask for more from the debates.

Let me ask you then, what issues (as in to debate) bother a 13/14/15 year old?

Aled, I think we might be arguing around semantics here - you are using the word "debate", which has an empirical definition, instead of the word "discussion". They aren't the same thing. A debate is a specific type of forum which is used to determine which one of (usually) two possible answers to a question is correct - ie a debate ultimately has to result in a single answer. A discussion about people's differences which basically just tells people what they knew anyway, ie that different people have different opinions, isn't a debate.

I like the discussion topics and I can see that they would be very popular with the Surgery audience, but some are better than others and "are girls better than boys" is pretty inexcusable! I agree, the "what constitutes cheating" one could be very thought provoking, but then again what on earth are 13/14 year olds doing worrying about stuff like that? For goodness sake, their relationships last thirty seconds and sometimes only consist of a few text messages and a snog in the playground, where does cheating come into it?!

As far as my kids were concerned at 13/14 etc. most of their problems and worries were based around school, both the academic challenges and the social challenges - NOT sexual relationships, just general getting on with their peers and the problems that causes. Also in the area where we were a significant number of my kids' friends were troubled by issues with their parents' behaviour - again not sexual problems, just general selfishness in the way their parents lived which impacted on them - stuff like allowing their relationships to dominate their lives to the extent that the kids suffered, or lifestyle things like drugs and drink. Having an addict for a parent is a big problem around here.

I really do think The Surgery is great Al, but "are girls better than boys" really let you down!

[Console]

Aled, I think we might be arguing around semantics here - you are using the word "debate", which has an empirical definition, instead of the word "discussion". They aren't the same thing. A debate is a specific type of forum which is used to determine which one of (usually) two possible answers to a question is correct - ie a debate ultimately has to result in a single answer.

As far as I'm aware, no such definition exists for the word 'debate', a debate is people with opposing viewpoints on a given subject arguing their case, with some degree of formality - there is no need for anyone to reach a final determination, although it is fair to assume that some people may be swayed by one of the sides.

[Yudster]

"As far as I'm aware" being a very significant phrase.

[Console]

Significant, but not necessarily pertinent. However, there are numerous (http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/debate?view=uk) sources (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/debate) which (http://www.answers.com/debate) backup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debate) my (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/debate) 'awareness', only one of which even mentions actually reaching a decision and it's quite clear from the wording that it isn't mandatory.

[sinister]

I think sexual health needs to be hammered home to the younger generation. The message doesn't seem to be getting through to a country with the highest teenage pregnancy stats in Europe.

But on the flip side, I always thought chlamydia was natures way of stemming the 'breed for housing & benefit' types. :unsure:

[Yudster]

High teenage pregnancy rates won't be changed by concentrating on sexual health education. Nor will sexual health come to that. At least, not the way we do it.

[Aled]

High teenage pregnancy rates won't be changed by concentrating on sexual health education. Nor will sexual health come to that. At least, not the way we do it.

What will change them then?

[Yudster]

I wish I knew. What I DO know however is that the available "education" at the moment (and I can speak from experience, being the mother of a nearly 18 year old girl) is more likely to encourage very young kids to have sex than to follow their instincs, which are very often (not always of course, but often) to wait. There is an expectation in many ways these days that all young teenagers are having sex, and as we all know, that is going to be a big influence because youngsters will always think that if everyone else is doing it but they aren't, there MUST be something wrong with them.....

Of course education about staying as safe as possible if you are going to be sexually active is crucial (although there's no such thing as safe sex - if you get away with it physically, you will still have to deal with the emotional consequences and that's hard enough when you're thirty five, let alone 15), but I can't help feeling that the balance of HOW its being taught, if not the content itself, is a little off right now.

This is one of the ways a show like yours could be so increibly useful Al.