INTERESTING tale from Julian Cole ('Got the no news blues', May 26).

The BBC going on strike for a day or two probably gave some people a rest from the endless repeating of the same news stories, but with newspapers and all the other channels plus radio, it hardly rates as giving anyone the blues; more a case of having a rest.

Julian mentions the 4,000 job cuts and a 20 per cent fall in staff locally at Radio York, plus paying out £500,000 for a presenter. From this I expect the BBC must now employ about 20,000 people and I would imagine 16,000 people could provide good news coverage and other programmes.

One national newspaper reported earlier this year how the BBC squandered licence fee money by paying £4,500 to a burglar for an interview. I shall provide an interview for free on many topics to save them some money: save 100 lives a year with a lower drink drive limit, replace the TV licence fee and save thousands from prosecutions, evidence for cycle helmets doing more harm than good etc.

The whole topic of the Beeb needs a full debate and sorting out, and the Government is right to act.

Colin Clarke,

The Crescent,

Stamford Bridge.

Updated: 09:39 Tuesday, May 31, 2005