This week Feedback shares praise, problems with podcasts, the real lives behind the stories, a couple of Dutch angels and a spring forward.

First, we received this lovely message from an old admirer, Max, who wrote:
“I was a listener of RNW short wave services in the past (1980's, and now I am glad to find it through the internet. Congratulations for the extremely perfect sound quality and very well produced programmes.”

Thanks Max, it is always interesting to hear from listeners from long ago that tune in now, they offer us important feedback on the changes and growth of the station and it's programmes. Of course we also appreciate knowing we got it right from our regulars that have grown and changed along with us, like Md. Ismail Hossain, who wrote [edited]:

“As a regular listener I enjoying your mind-blowing programs very much... In fact, your broadcast is an excellent store-house of knowledge, information, education and entertainment. We are very grateful for your hard work.”

Another listener is also appreciative of our hard work, in particular Radio Books, but has been missing a regular service that fell behind in the rush.

Nina wrote:
“I love RadioBooks. I mean I really love RadioBooks. The problem is that I used to receive the weekly instalment in a podcast that I could easily download. However, there haven't been any podcasts since the first of February. When are the podcast going to return? I've missed several weeks because it's inconvenient to remember to go to the Radio Netherlands site. I'd rather just be able to download the story and then listen to it at my leisure. Please bring the podcasts back!”

No need to fear Nina. With preparations for the new season, changes to the website and other developments, our internet department has been swamped the last couple of months. The RadioBooks podcasts are in the process of being updated now. In the meantime, we archive all editions of the program on our website. Just click on Radio Books in the On Demand box any time to listen to stories you might have missed.

Another fan of RadioBooks, Peter Copeman, was fascinated by the story behind the story. He wrote:
“Two nights ago I received the broadcast of RadioBooks via our CBC local station, CBUT 690khz. The book was written by an Iraqi who was seeking asylum in the Netherlands. Can you tell me whether the author was accepted by the Dutch government as a citizen or is he still an asylum seeker? I found the story most interesting.”

Producer of RadioBooks, David Swatling, responds:
“Thanks for listening to RadioBooks. Author Rodaan Al Galidi received asylum status and has resided in the Netherlands ever since. For more about him, as well as another RadioBooks story he wrote and info about a novel recently released in English, check out our website article:

http://www.rnw.nl/english/radioshow/two-stories-rodaan-al-galidi

Thanks again for your support - although I've heard CBC might be dropping RNW from its overnight service. Would be a pity since some of the best comments about RadioBooks come from Canadian listeners!”

Now for something a bit different. We get some good tips and ideas for articles and features from our listeners and readers, but it's not often they beat us to Dutch related news. Rod Bohne sent us the following article [Source: The Courier-Mail, edited for space]

The article was entitled: “Dutch angels chip in to help Charleville flood victims”
“... Selfless backpackers Eva De Vaan, 25 and Judith Noyen, 25 were supposed to be on
the bus to Brisbane last Wednesday when Charleville's first big cleanup began. With the town all but wrecked and another gully flood on its way, they headed into the disaster zone to get their hands dirty. They ditched thoughts of leaving after seeing thousands scrambling to salvage whatever they had left...

"The pair tirelessly sandbagged and cleaned retail shops before spending hours comforting the elderly at the evacuation centre... After helping again the next day they walked 3km through waist-high flood to lend more assistance to Gunnadoo's proud owner Warwick Percival. Despite all the pain caused by three gully floods in four days, Charleville's adopted angels gave some another reason to smile.”

Nice to know there is also room for some good news sometimes. While the subject of those dyng alone is not generally seen as good news, the documentary The Lonely Funeral, produced by Michele Ernsting, highlighted the work of a small group that ensured those dying alone are not forgotten, and are respected an remembered in death.

Listener and radio enthusiast Nick Morgan wrote:
“Yesterday (April 4), Radio Television Hong Kong's Radio 3 broadcast an excellent RNW documentary about a civil servant and a poet who organise funerals in Amsterdam for people who die alone in the city. It was an excellent documentary and I would like to hear it again - can you please advise if it is to be rebroadcast, or better yet, if it is available as a podcast?”

The program is part of our international exchange series Global Perspective (which is why Nick was able to hear it first on RTVHK). The theme this year is At the Edge and we will be broadcasting all eight programs in the series this summer. It will then also be available on our website and as a podcast. Just - not sure when yet. We hope Nick, and all those others looking forward to the programmes, can wait!