Trouble at the BBC

WAS anyone really surprised that a top BBC journalist went on holiday with a senior Labour politician to her home in Majorca? I would have been surprised if it had been Conservative leader Michael Howard or Liberal Democrat Charles Kennedy but not a Labour politician, especially one who belongs to New Labour. The Conservative Party have been fighting a rather unsuccessful campaign against the BBC's alleged political bias for many years. Unfortunately it has just been portrayed as sour grapes by a party battling to get publicity for their ill-fated policies. For the BBC this incident could not have come at a worse time. It is fighting for survival and while some believe the Hutton Report was a white-wash it did underline some of the failings of the corporation. My personal thoughts on the New Year holiday in Alaro are that both parties should have known better especially as we are in an election year in which the BBC's Newsnight programme will play a key role. The time has come for the BBC to start facing the future. Broadcasting is changing and there are so many channels which are now available free of charge which really puts the licence fee in the spotlight. Also, when it comes to BBC TV I don't think that their present programme line-up should be backed by tax-payer's money. It is simply awful. There is literally nothing to watch. If the BBC wants to continue to be subsidised my the tax-payer then it should start investing in some decent programme. Come Dancing was a major success with middle of the road audiences who want entertainment and not a daily update on what is happening in Albert Square. The BBC has a wealth of talent who could be used to produce decent programmes which would appeal to all. What happened in Alaro and all the fall-out was just an unfortunate incident which just adds to the broadcaster's long list of woes.