Letters - January 25, 2018

I write regarding the wholesale changes in Radio 2 programming which were announced a few days ago because they have local interest due to their having a direct effect on Lytham organist Nigel Ogden.

Far from being something new and renewing in terms of female presenters, as the BBC seems to have spun it, they represent and constitute yet another in the series of deliberate changes by the Radio 2 management to remove nearly all vestiges of any music that does not fall within any of the variants of pop/rock.

Every so often, a new controller comes along and decides to cull yet further the availability of music of earlier, gentler, melodic music, often (as in these latest instances of ‘The Organist Entertains’ and ‘Listen to the Band’) of a specialist nature and with a long and honourable history. There are too many instances of this over the years to list here.

The stated intention that these specialist shows will be replaced by “an upbeat playlist” and “interviews and celebrities” says everything. As if that is not what Radio 2 provides for practically all its broadcast time as it is!

The comments by the head of Radio 2 are self-justificatory and do not stand analysis. The responses by both the presenters, Mr Ogden and Frank Renton, to the statement that the programmes “are resting” make it clear that they are not under the impression that they will be returning.

Particularly nonsensical is the suggestion that what is being done has the aim of “broaden(ing) our offering”. How can removing the only programmes which offer these types of music be anything other than a narrowing of the range of music that is on offer?

BBC radio has an obligation to provide music programming that covers the whole range of musical taste and interest other than classical music. It has been apparent for the past 10 years that there has been a policy which had detracted from its compliance with this obligation.

It has now reached the stage where those responsible at the BBC must realise and ought to be instructed if they do not do so, that Radio 2 no longer complies with this obligation and that steps need to be taken to remedy this deficiency.

David Haley

Addressed supplied

FRACKING

Is Cuadrilla hiding anything from us?

Third Energy and Cuadrilla are both preparing to hydraulically fracture their wells and it has been interesting to compare their approaches to informing the public.

Third Energy in Yorkshire held a roadshow and a set of their comprehensive information boards are available online. Cuadrilla, at Preston New Road, has set up some short online sessions: useful pre-recorded videos of the process, interspersed with live questions from the viewers.

Now a roadshow has the benefit of allowing local residents to learn about the process by asking questions till they fully understand, whereas Cuadrilla’s online sessions share the answers that time permits, so if the video clips are not clear, there is no opportunity to pursue the question in detail.

Some of the remaining questions are answered later, offline, but it seems that Cuadrilla are being less than 100 per cent open about their operations, as we have realised that some pertinent questions have not been addressed.

An auditor once commented that when a question is avoided, it usually means the person has something to hide, and hence it is worth probing further.

So what might Cuadrilla be hiding and why?

T Froud

Lytham

FRACKING

‘No limit?’to 
greed of frackers?

Is there no limit to the greed of the fracking industry? Not content with having licences to frack from the Lancashire coast to the Yorkshire coast and from North Yorkshire to the Midlands, it now considers it essential to drill horizontally under the, until now, protected North York Moors.

It is further evidence of their “couldn’t care less” attitude to the environment, our beautiful countryside and its inhabitants.

A N Burlak

via email

POVERTY

The haves and 
the have nots

While shopping at Booths on Saturday, the stark divide between the ‘haves and have nots’ was brought home to me.

A group of Labour supporters were leafleting about the effects of Conservative austerity, while also collecting food for local people, who are sadly increasingly in need of such support.

It was both interesting and depressing to observe Tory councillors, who were sat passively drinking coffee while others are having to literally mop up the disastrous effects of their policies and associated austerity measures.

Why is this having to happen in a country as rich as the UK? The collection drew attention to the fact that many of the growing numbers of people who need the support of local charities are often working people trying to survive on highly precarious zero hours contracts or those who experience late payments of their benefits, often as a supplement to meagre wages.

Rather than sit drinking coffee on a Saturday morning, the said councillors might be better employed pro-actively addressing the poverty and associated food hunger that is causing such misery and despair to far too many individuals and children today.

Ms Jane Pilkington

Address supplied