BBC Four disappears
SIR – The BBC has announced that it is to stop broadcasting on BBC Four (report, May 27).
The corporation began 100 years ago as a public broadcaster to inform and educate. In more recent years it has forgotten this mission and focused on creating mediocre entertainment and reality shows. BBC Four is the only one of its channels that even pretends to educate and now that is to perish.
The irony is that if the BBC were to become a subscription channel, the only areas worthy of purchase are information and education.
John Hanson
Canterbury, Kent
SIR – How does the BBC justify making BBC Four online only when, just four months ago, it reinstated the unwatchable BBC Three from online only to conventional broadcast?
Max Ingram
Emneth, Norfolk
SIR – In 2019 the BBC announced that free licences for over-75s would be scrapped and that, from 2020, the standard £159 for a licence would apply.
Since then it has brought back BBC Three, a channel aimed at a younger demographic it has already lost and has little chance of regaining.
In May, it announced an average pay rise of 5.2 per cent. This week we heard that BBC Four – a channel likely to be watched by older viewers – will no longer be on Freeview and will be available online only. Ever get the feeling you’re being cheated?
Jon Salt
Egham, Surrey