LETTER: Let BBC have adverts at last
What a disgrace – the BBC, in particular Sir David Clementi, has decided that people over the age of 75 will have to pay for the pleasure of watching BBC TV to help save radio and TV programmes from being axed, these include BBC2, BBC4, the News Channel, Radio 5Live and several radio stations.
TV and radio bring a lot of comfort and enjoyment to millions of pensioners, some of which live in total isolation and their only contact with the outside world is through the media. Now the few mega-rich people who run the BBC want to penalise the poorest in our society.
The board of the BBC should look at cutting the amount of cash spent on hospitality, which runs into millions, along with outside broadcasting. Why do we have reporters standing outside the Houses of Parliament, hospital buildings, schools etc, in the late evening – sometimes in the rain – when they have the technology to report from inside a safe and dry environment (studio) at a much lower cost to the BBC purse?
The Conservative Government assured us that everyone over 75 would be entitled to a free licence, so stand up now and be counted. All MPs, no matter what party they belong to, should put pressure on the BBC board to rescind their decision.
If the BBC is in such a financial hole, they should, along with the Government, consider changing their constitution to allow the corporation to advertise. Then, at least we could do away with licences completely.
Keith V Joyce
Wednesbury
