I READ with a feeling of despair your correspondents’ attack on the BBC and the withdrawal of free TV licence fees for the over-75s.

If ever there was a need for a relatively impartial news service, it is surely now.

The Conservative government placed the onus of funding the free over-75 licence firmly on the shoulders of the BBC after withdrawing government funding thus placing the blame firmly on the shoulders of our national broadcaster.

Of course some of the salaries appear ridiculous to most people but they are no different to salaries paid by other broadcasters.

There are still some national crown jewels in this country to be proud of but if your correspondent wishes us to have a partisan Fox News type media then they will surely not be disappointed.

I am sorry that it will cost you more, “over-75s”, but to ignore the government’s hand in this is just another example of why we need the BBC and why we need our elders to demonstrate some wisdom and concern for our children’s future so that all their knowledge does not come from dubious, unreliable sources.

JULIAN SPURR

Fairfield, Christchurch