Letter: News takes a holiday

Sir: If the news, as the BBC clearly believes, is so important, as witness its proposal for a 24-hour news programme on Radio 4 long wave, why does it put out only half the normal length of television news programmes on a bank holiday Monday (BBC 1, 10.15-10.30pm on 3 May)?

This is the normal attitude with respect to weekends, which is just as odd. Do the Bosnian Serb forces all go home to their families for a quiet time mowing the grass and cleaning the car? Does the IRA retire for a peaceful pint of stout down the local? Alas not. Is it not possible in TV scheduling to set a regular time and period for the news, weekends and bank holidays included?

Yours faithfully,

PEREGRINE BRYANT

London, SW15