I don’t agree with your correspondent Mr T J Ryder (Letters October 11) who concludes that in paying the BBC licence fee, he is making a contribution to the left wing of the Labour party.

Our venerable 100-year-old broadcaster, not perfect but often excellent, is surely a UK plus and something to celebrate....even with the repeats.

It could be better - ie more to my individual taste and wavelength - but it is better than the alternatives. Just compare and contrast it with the ‘state media’ of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.

Some of our national newspapers show more political bias - in a different direction.

Derek Reed, Middlethorpe Drive, York

 

Ban Russians from our TV screens

The BBC’s decision to broadcast Monday evening’s edition of University Challenge was, in my opinion, wrong due to the fact that a Russian contestant was on the Cambridge team.

I don’t know just when this edition was actually recorded. It may be that it was recorded before the war in Ukraine. Again though, in my opinion this should not have been broadcast, because of the Russian involvement. All Russian participants should be barred from any and every program of this type.

Mick Horsman, Moorland Road, York