BBC must evolve

Stephen Low’s letter (26 March) on BBC job cuts proves that the dinosaur is alive and well and inhabiting the corridors of Queen Margaret Drive. To suggest that "programme quality cannot be maintained" and the efficiencies will "impact directly on the democratic process" is baloney.

By The Newsroom

Published 29th Mar 2005, 01:00 BST

Anyone who has ever witnessed the dozens of BBC journalists who turn up at the same press conference to do the same story, or who has taken calls from 20 BBC Scotland journalists within an hour all asking the same question will know there is plenty scope for efficiency. BBC Scotland needs to catch up with the working practices of the rest of the industry.

Further evidence of Beeb blinkers was the fact that story of its own 176 job cuts was the lead on Reporting Scotland last Monday. On the same day, Babcock at Rosyth announced 320 job losses and this didn’t merit a mention. Is this the kind of quality journalism that Mr Low seeks to maintain?

CHARLES MACGREGOR

Moat Street

Edinburgh