20-04-2025
The BBC's output is no longer of a standard that justifies the licence fee
SIR – I agree with much of what Simon Heffer says about the present output of the BBC (Hinterland, April 19).
With a few notable exceptions, such as the documentaries of David Attenborough and Simon Schama, it offers little that interests or instructs, and spends too much time attempting to appeal to younger viewers.
The BBC also shoots itself in the foot when it shows older programmes, reminding us what the standards used to be. It was such a joy to watch reruns of Yes Minister, say, or Porridge, which assumed an intelligence in their audience.
Meanwhile, the daily news bulletins, although essential viewing, do not always concentrate on the most important matters, and occasionally display bias in favour of one side or the other, rather than the impartiality that we expect from our national broadcaster.
What is the solution, now that the corporation has to compete against ever more dominant streaming services with deeper pockets? I wish I knew.
Alan Reeve
Taunton, Somerset
SIR – Simon Heffer's suggestion that there has been no good content on the BBC this century is laughable. Line of Duty? Happy Valley? The Office? Fleabag? All of them woke to the hilt, as I recall.
There's an argument for getting rid of the licence fee, but it has to be made in the context of secure funding and editorial independence. 'Parliamentary scrutiny' is a Trojan horse for state censorship, from whichever party is in power at the time. Conservatives should beware of what they wish for.
Daniel Karlin
Bristol
SIR – One way for the BBC to improve its intellectual and cultural standards would be to revive The Brains Trust. This has been tried before, with little success, but another attempt is definitely in order.
The BBC has an obligation, under its 'inform, educate and entertain' remit, to allow younger generations – along with their parents and grandparents – to hear the most fertile minds and articulate speakers debate the issues of our time, just as we were able to listen to Bertrand Russell, Isaiah Berlin, Jenny Lee, Jacob Bronowski and many others in the 1950s.
John Birkett
St Andrews, Fife
SIR – Simon Playle (Letters, April 19) rightly notes the increasing number of popular pieces by Ravel, Debussy and Handel being heard on Radio 3. I don't object to this in the case of Handel – he is my favourite composer – but I do wish we could hear more from his numerous operas, especially the less well-known ones, in which Radio 3 seems to have curiously little interest.
