Brand, Ross, Generation and Race

We are told that there is a "generational" split over Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross. But what "generation" would that be? Brand is well into his thirties. And Ross is nearer 50 than 40, the archetypal middle-aged uncle embarrassing everyone with his Travolta impersonations at a wedding reception.

They were on Radio Two, not Radio One, to which no one listens anymore, anyway. Radio One is now purely and simply the duplication of the commercial sector, except not as attractive to the target audience. Which doesn't even pay for it.

And we are told that this will drive what Middle England allegedly considers black music off the BBC. Those who are saying this, have you ever met any Africans or Afro-Caribbeans? I mean outside the wholly atypical music industry?

Old Labour family-centred churchgoers and ardent monarchists with tough views on crime. Like the white working class is or (increasingly, alas) used to be, except more observant even beyond the Catholic Church, which accounts for most regular churchgoers in the white working class, although that class certainly does not account for most practising Catholics (very far from it, in fact).

Indeed, even many of the Africans and Afro-Caribbeans inside the music industry could also be so described: Old Labour family-centred churchgoers and ardent monarchists with tough views on crime.

Let the BBC become a subscription service, to which anyone may listen or which anyone may watch, but which is controlled by those who pay for it. By no means only one person at each address, but as many as were prepared to write out the cheque or fill out the direct debit.