the additional TV channel for Gaelic speaking Scots (about 60,000 in all, although they claim – we don’t quite know why - up to 600,000 watched it initially) is seeing a rapid fall in viewing figures.    Now the BBC, having spent millions on this channel, plan to spend another £4 million to try & reverse the fall in viewing figures!   Talk about adding salt to the wounds, when Dorset, a mainland English County, is so badly “underserved” as stated often by the BBC!    Surely Dorset’s 800,000 plus populations is now a more deserving priority?   In fact, with holiday makers, visitors and tourists etc., we imagine the figure must go to between 1 and 1.5 million!

 

The BBC Trust is now inviting feedback via a consultation – see http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/news/press_releases/october/alba_review.shtml.   However, it is clearly designed to be answered by Scots, so we don’t think it is worth filling it in, although people can, of course.    What would be very constructive, is if those who feel strongly about Dorset continuing to be "underserved", would write formally pushing the case for Dorset, and to encourage others also) to:

 

Sir Michael Lyons

Chairman of the BBC Trust

BBC

35 Marylebone High Street

London

W1U 4AA

 

With a copy to:

 

Mark Thompson

Director General

BBC Broadcasting House

London

W1A 1AA

 

We very much hope they are inundated with letters!