Popular orchestras vanish from the airwaves

SIR – As well as plans to “retire” several traditional television programmes (Letters, March 8), the BBC recently axed some long-standing radio music programmes aimed at older listeners.

There is now not a single BBC radio programme, day or night, where you will be able to hear any music from James Last, Ray Conniff or Herb Alpert, to name a few of the popular orchestras from the past 50 years. All have sold millions of records and CDS over that time, and continue to do so.

Those of us from the generation which enjoys that type of music are being ignored by the BBC in its desperate quest to appeal to a younger audience. Chris Courtenay Williams

Penymynydd, Flinstshire