Biased reporting and the BBC

From Mr Graham Don

Sir: The squabble between Tory ministers and the BBC is missing the point. As an avid listener of Radio 4, I get frustrated by both the interviewer and the interviewee failing to discuss any issue in a constructive manner.

The adversarial style of interviewing forces politicians to the extremes of the argument. Education, the National Health Service and the European Union are issues that are complex and should be treated as such. The interviewer has a responsibility to ensure that the listener is given the opportunity to hear the various shades of grey within a discussion. This is not going to happen by concentrating on personalities and by encouraging a climate of conflict.

I would be interested to know how John Humphrys judges whether he has had a good day - by the number of politicians made to squirm, or knowing he has contributed to better understanding of a complicated issue?

Yours faithfully,

GRAHAM DON

Market Overton,

Rutland

28 March