The problem is that the BBC can’t recognise that it is being ‘woke’
sir – Lord Hall of Birkenhead, who is stepping down as director general, when asked whether the BBC is now a “woke” organisation (News Review, August 29) responded: “That is not a description I recognise at all.” That, of course, continues to be the problem.
Let’s hope that his successor does something about it, rather than merely pontificate as he leaves the post.
Christopher Timbrell
Kington Langley, Wiltshire
sir – Reading Mick Brown’s interview with Lord Hall, I was struck by the similarities between Ed Davey, the newly elected Lib Dem leader, and the outgoing director general of the BBC.
Both are unaware of how out-oftouch their organisations are. Both pander to a liberal elite who like to virtue signal. Both men lead organisations that need to die in order to allow society to move forward.
Tailored, streamed television is the norm in this age. Ironically, I would be willing to bet that if the BBC went to a paid streaming contract instead of the licence fee, its viewership would increase as people realise they value it more. With the Beeb being directly responsible to its subscribers, the content would also improve.
Roland Johnson
Stowe, Buckinghamshire
sir – Lord Hall takes up the column inches telling us what the BBC must do in the future to improve. Since he had so much time at the helm, why did he not make those changes himself?
If, as he said, the new incumbent agreed with “the creative changes” for the Proms this year, the future is not very bright for us licence payers.
Time to defund the BBC.
Peter Thompson
Sutton, Surrey
sir – What a relief that Lord Hall is leaving the BBC. His idea that it should move to the regions would be costly and achieve nothing good.
The BBC needs to re-establish itself as a body which can be admired the world over. It does not need to relocate to the regions, but to deliver, in eloquent, grammatically correct English, programmes to inspire, so that we may all learn and connect at the highest level, not the lowest.
Alex Turner
Basingstoke, Hampshire
sir – “It’s when people take no notice of what you’re doing that you’ve got a problem.” Thus Lord Hall suggests that an uncomplaining audience must be an uninterested audience.
Significant interference in muchloved staples such as the Last Night of
the Proms will then occur if most of its audience, not needing to make contact to question something they trustingly expect to remain largely unchanged, are deemed to lack interest, rather than just be quietly satisfied.
Stefan Badham
Portsmouth, Hampshire