Beeb’s £7m rebranding shows it’s out of touch - EXPRESS COMMENT

A left-wing bias that it simply cannot understand is there pervades every aspect of the organisation, allied to a dim-witted and hopeless pursuit of the youth audience, despite the clear evidence younger viewers and listeners now turn to streaming services rather than dear old Aunty. 

And now we have yet more proof that the Beeb simply does not understand majority concerns: at the same time as it is forcing over-75s to pay the licence fee, it has wasted more than £7million on a rebranding exercise.

Is there no one in the corporation’s senior ranks who can understand how this looks? In its day the BBC was the finest broadcaster in the world.

But that day is long gone. It is only a sentimental attachment to the past that has allowed it to continue to function as it does today, but it is quite clear that it is no longer fit for purpose. This additional waste of money is proof of that.

Rather than fretting about branding, why not make programmes that people actually want to see and hear? And remember, this £7million comes out of the licence fee, just like the grossly over-inflated salaries of its indulged favourites.

The day of the licence fee is over and the BBC should realise that it needs to review not only its funding model but its reason for existing. A news service and Radios 3 and 4 could be justified. Nothing more

Welcome boost in sales

The doom-mongers might want to stay their hand: despite fears that they would stay away, the public appears to be flocking to the shops for the Boxing Day sales.

And quite understandably, too. It has, to put it mildly, been a challenging year, and a visit to the shops is a very obvious way to try to cheer oneself up.

It is also a welcome and much-needed show of confidence in the economy. The shortest day is over, there are hints, such as the possibility of falling energy prices, that the economic prospects might also be brightening.

And everyone deserves a treat of some sort. So let’s hear it for going to the shops.

Cars must be in good nick

The police get a good deal of unmerited criticism for doing a very difficult job.

Now we learn some forces still have vehicles that date back to the 1980s.

Every time there is a problem with the police we are very quick to criticise, and yet we still expect them to put their lives on the line.

They at least deserve reliable, modern equipment to do their jobs – not cars that are older than some officers.