JOHN BIRT, the Director-General of the BBC, conceded yesterday that 'morale is low' inside the corporation. He said a survey into staff attitudes towards recent changes, due to be published today, would reveal 'a deep level of concern'.

THE BBC is determined to go ahead with its proposed all-news radio network, Mr Birt said yesterday. In his speech in Birmingham, he reaffirmed his strong commitment to the service, although it is now accepted that it may not occupy Radio 4's long-wave frequency as originally planned, writes Michael Leapman.

The ELDORADO (7pm BBC1) feeding frenzy has finished; the media sharks will now have to swim off and find a new prey thrashing around invitingly in the ratings shallows. Rarely has a television programme been given such a sustained and vicious savaging. In its fleeting 158-episode life, it has provided enough material to keep stand-ups in gags for years to come. Despite - or maybe because of - this, the Costa del Soap has inspired a doughty 'Save Eldorado' campaign, matched in vociferousness only by the 'Bring Back Dr Who' brigade. Gwen Lamb, one of its leading lights, daily bombards BBC1 controller Alan Yentob with calls, and stoutly defends the programme's oft-derided sense of drama. 'It transports you for half an hour into a dream world of romance and skulduggery,' she told this newspaper last month. Tonight's final episode, written by Tony McHale and featuring the fate of Marcus (Jesse Birdsall), certainly has the air of a dream world, with the sort of revelations and twists a vintage episode of Dallas would have been proud of. What's the betting Eldorado turns up within six months labelled a 'classic' on the UK Gold channel?

IN ITS latest bid to improve flagging ratings, the BBC disclosed yesterday that Jim Moir, Head of Television Light Entertainment since 1987, was being switched to a job not directly connected with programming. The announcement came two days after the disclosure that BBC1's long-running That's Life is to be axed next year.

LONG-RUNNING television programmes, it has always seemed to me, are rather like long-running politicians. There are almost no examples of one giving up the limelight voluntarily.

'IT'S LUDICROUS,' yells Gwen Lamb, hoarse with shouting her point of view at anyone who will listen and many who won't. 'Scandalous. A massive mistake. I've told him he has two choices: relent or resign. I want his head on a plate. And I'm telling you, I'll get it.'

THE BBC is to undertake the biggest consultation exercise in its history - sending questionnaires to two million homes a year and holding weekly meetings throughout the country - to be more in touch with the public.

A PARTY of guests was being shown the workings of BBC Television Centre last week. Their hosts decided it would be interesting for them to sit in while a programme was being made. Unfortunately, not only was no light entertainment programme being made, no other sort of programme was being made there.

A NUMBER of readers have commented on the Tales of Rock 'n' Roll series currently showing in the Arena slot on BBC 2. They have noticed that two of the programmes have borne a striking similarity to features in the Rock Holidays series which we ran three years ago.

The summer term begins today at The King's School Ely. The Annual Gathering will take place on Saturday 1 May. The 'Insight into Industry' Conference will be held on Monday and Tuesday 5 and 6 July. Term will end on Friday 9 July after the Service and Prizegiving, at which the guest of honour will be Mr Alan Yentob OE.

ONLY one BBC megastar remains in captivity. And after last week's defection of the kiddies' heart-throb Phillip Schofield for pounds 1.5m to ITV, the BBC clearly intends it should remain that way. During my interview with Noel Edmonds, the telephone rang twice: on both occasions it was the newly appointed head of BBC 1, Alan Yentob, urgently trying to set up a meeting with him.

The controller of BBC 1, Alan Yentob, expressed his 'regret' at the timing of a Rough Justice programme questioning the conviction of a Belfast man for the murder of two soldiers, broadcast soon after a news item on the funeral of the Warrington IRA bomb victim Tim Parry. The BBC received dozens of complaints.

Michael Jackson, 35, has been appointed Controller of BBC 2, in succession to Alan Yentob, now Controller of BBC 1. Mr Jackson is currently the head of music and arts at BBC Television.

Eldorado (right) is back in the BBC1 Top 30. Two weeks ago, the soap entered the Top 30 for the first time since July on the back of a story-line that peaked with the death of the character Javier. Its re-entry at number 29 comes with no such peak. Egg on the face of Alan Yentob, the BBC1 controller, who pulled the plug on the show? 'I'll be pleased to see the programme go out in style,' he says.