More considered view of UK TV is needed
I THINK Mr Morris (“Why UK television is simply a lost cause”, Opinion, September 7) needs to be reminded to resist employing his standard “knee-jerk reaction” as he did in his letter calling for UK TV to become subscription-only.
Mr Morris provided no examples of “alternative politics and biased news” and if the two incidents cited are the only ones he can identify as causing him offence within many thousands of hours of broadcasting by the BBC and Channel 4 it is flimsy evidence, at best, in support of his contention that all TV should become subscription.
In criticising East Midlands Today for its item on the Thaiburma Railway (which I didn’t see) I sympathise with Mr Morris in wanting to respond because of an emotional attachment to his grandfather and the appalling suffering endured by him and others.
But did any other broadcasters do any better? Did they cover or even mention the “Death Railway”? If he were to take time for reflection he might perhaps give some credit to East Midlands Today for at least providing some coverage in comparison to other broadcasters who possibly provided none?
Mr Morris ought to take a wider view of UK broadcasting. Currently we have public service broadcasters in the form of BBC, Channel 4 and ITV, funded respectively by licence fee and different forms of advertising. The BBC is far and away the prime broadcaster with news content which is “free, fair and impartial” – as explained by a BBC correspondent to the 45th US President at a White House press conference in response to an irrational attack on the organisation.
What does Mr Morris think of the sinister methods being employed by the current Government to control and shape news and current affairs coverage and broadcasting regulation such that broadcasters become beholden to Government diktat (sound familiar?).
It is systematically squeezing the BBC funding because it doesn’t like its freedom (uniquely protected by charter). It wants to “privatise” Channel 4 so that shareholders will apply pressure to muzzle C4’s challenging of Government policy. It wants to appoint a known sworn enemy of the BBC (a former Daily Mail editor) to be the head of the broadcasting regulator – to date noone has agreed to be on the rigged interview panel which the Government needs as a fig leaf for its nepotism.
Another strand of attack comes in the form of legislation being pushed through Parliament enabling ministers to direct the broadcasting regulator in its day-to-day activities and control the powers previously delegated to it by Parliament.
Is Mr Morris happy with these antics? Does he really believe subscription TV will arrest the declining quality of British broadcasting? It assuredly will not. It will precipitate a race to the bottom! Does he really want more Piers Morgan irrational rants on breakfast TV?
Richard Chamberlain
Carlton