It is difficult to understate the massive influence the BBC has on the boundaries of what is politically acceptable and not acceptable thinking in the UK. Unfortunately anyone brought up in the UK, at least in the last 30 years (including myself), has been conditioned by the television media into thinking liberal minded is open minded, when absolutely nothing could be further from the truth. I think attitudes relating to crime, race, immigration, religion, social issues and foreign affairs are heavily influenced by the messages communicated by the BBC. I have lived and worked in several foreign countries (including the US and Netherlands), and can tell you that the UK is the ONLY country where you cannot freely discuss certain aspects of the above topics without open derision. Living outside the Matrix makes it painfully obvious. I must say that even with our recent economic improvements, I do not think the UK is a country I would like to bring up my children.

Matthew Stanton, The Hague, Netherlands

Thrue balance will be achieved only after the BBC and Fox exchange their top and middle management to level things out.

Jeremy, London,

As one of the two BBC Radio 4 producers responsible for The Crime of the Lives series Antony Jay has rounded on, I'd just like to set the record straight for readers who haven't heard it. There was no 'ritual demonisation of Margaret Thatcher', nor would I concur that it was particularly 'liberal, progressive or reformist'. It was a fair account of what was happening in the UK with issues and events to do with law and order during the 1980s with experts from all sides of the debate. Some readers may have heard the entire series and understood that is was a serious look over the past 60 years as to why the UK has one of the highest rates of crime in Western Europe, very ably presented by the BBC Home Editor, Mark Easton. Also, at no point during the production process did any of us wear sandals or eat macrobiotic food.

Sarah Taylor, Chesham,

Wow. It's amazing how liberals can calmly rationalize bringing down the civilization they were born into. However, Anthony Jay provides priceless new insights into 'media liberalism.' When Anthony wrote 'We belonged instead to a dispersed metropolitan media arts graduate tribe.' My mind focussed on the word 'dispersed'. I suddenly have a strong urge to see charts of liberal arts graduates' statistics. I'm interested in seeing which industries consume the most liberal arts graduates. Also, it'd be interesting to see a list from best to worst with regards to top 100 corporations compensation for liberal arts graduates. The corporations that continue to consume and cared for this tribe - are at best fearsome. They have mastered the power of distracting the masses. I think checkmate was a couple moves ago.

James Whitener, Atlanta, GA

I spot relativism ("no 'right' point of view") and evolutionary psychologising ("genetic predisposition to form tribal groups"). You may have left a long time ago, but these are both attitudes that I strongly associate with the BBC. They are both means of denying responsibility for one's own ideas.

I think actually it's the commitment to impartiality which screwed up the BBC. It's not an attainable goal, but they have to pay lip-service to it, and belief in their own spiel causes terrible epistemology problems and dishonesty. Better to give up, and just be upfront about having biases, as we all do. (That would probably mean giving up on the TV tax, too. Such is life.)

Felix, Nottingham,

I view the metropolitan media liberal with a mixture of incredulity and contempt. London may be the headquarters of the media liberal, but we unfortunately have them in abundance in Scotland as well. As in England and Wales, they’re very much in the minority, however they exert a disproportionate influence in areas where their ideas will have most effect.

The media liberal loudly preaches the need for "diversity", but try putting a few right-of-centre programmes on the BBC and these ‘tolerant’ liberals will get very angry indeed. And for all this championing of difference, a look at the CVs of the BBC’s journalists will show you how diverse a group they are.

You'll be hard-pushed to find anyone who didn't attend a private or grammar school and Oxbridge or another prestigious university. The BBC will argue this is because it selects only the best candidates, but an organisation which is so patently full of middle class liberals suggest there's a very different criteria in use.

Stephen, Glasgow,

This is a great article. It describes Academia, the American MSM liberal-progressive nexus, the intellectual heart of the American Democratic Party, and, much besides..... including the BBC.

Sagredo, Williamsburg, Virginia

Liberal bias begins in the university where ideas that are so bizarre that only an intellectual can believe them are taught as fact to the naive. Soon ignorance combined with arrogance, along with several degrees, combine to allow the indivdual to gain entrance into the cadres of the elites. Once inducted into the group the ideas of the group take on the sense of being part of a religion whose tenets must be defended uncritically to the death. The disbeliever must be destroyed, if the religion of the left is to survive. If it doesn't, liberals lose the only coherent part of their lives.

Steve Heitner5, Port Jefferson Station, Suffolf?N.Y.

Good piece, good read and a great confession.
What is missing is that many people, especially during the fifties had started to detest the parochial attitude of the patrician class personified my "Super Mac" and later Hume, pronounced home, (how twittishy silly).

The perception of politicians, judges and generals as unskilled twits with too much learning grew steadily without assistance from The BBC, I belive the advenures in Korea and Suez kickstarted the process.
The Tonight show was a major event in many households, bring back Slim Hewitt !

Francis., London,

Mr. Jay's splendid dissection of the BBC's path to corruption is what many of us have long suspected but could not prove or articulate. The story had to come from an insider. Also you can add forced public financing to the list of corrupting factors that have made the BBC the social destabilizing force that it is today. Incidentally, I believe his analysis applies to public broadcasting everywhere.

John, Edmonton, Canada

The BBC is becoming almost daily terrible to watch, the bias is unprecedented and the aggression against anyone right of centre is appalling.

Just today we had Hutton on Sunday 24 being interviewed by Peter Sissons; Hutton was making wild comments about Cameron and the Tory party lurching to the right, due to some very good work by John Redman on cutting red tape on businesses.

Hutton slipped up and said they were following on a promise Nu Labour had made in their manifesto, now Sissons should have immediately asked the smug Hutton, why in that case they were not giving the people of this country a referendum on the EU as promised in the manifesto.

Very slack and soft interview of Hutton and almost aggressive dislike for John Redwood

As the BBC bring on screen people from the peaceful religion to defend Islam at every opportunity, I want to know why the BNP an official political party with a strong following is not given airtime.

Purps, Chelmsofrd, England

Thank you Mr. Jay for saying what so many of us have been thinking for decades.
I too went through that period post war, and laughed at the David Frost program " That Was The Week That Was" not realising the corrosive effect that continuous spoofing of the educated class in Britiain would have.
You mention the changes around 1963, yes, the Rock-n-Roll era that took off and never stopped. The BBC seemed to pander to that element in society from then on. The Africanisation of the BBC Mind.

Stan Pierce, Brisbane, Australia

Wow. It's amazing how liberals can calmly rationalize bringing down the civilization they were born into. However, Anthony Jay provides priceless new insights into 'media liberalism.' When Anthony wrote 'We belonged instead to a dispersed metropolitan media arts graduate tribe.' My mind focussed on the word 'dispersed'. I suddenly have a strong urge to see charts of liberal arts graduates' statistics. I'm interested in seeing which industries consume the most liberal arts graduates. Also, it'd be interesting to see a list from best to worst with regards to top 100 corporations compensation for liberal arts graduates. The corporations that continue to consume and cared for this tribe - are at best fearsome. They have mastered the power of distracting the masses. I think checkmate was a couple moves ago.

James Whitener, A,

I'm one of thse who has always considered the BBC biased in a Left wing /Liberal sense. In fact, on many occasions its so biased its laughable.

The oft seen sucking up to the EU is a strong case in point.

I am astonished we are still burdened with this ludicrous license fee......It is way overdue for abolition.

N Wilson, Bourne, Lincs

2 points:-
1) Is it true that the BBC only advertised for staff members in The Guardian? That would explain much. I read The Manchester Guardian/Guardian for 11 years when young; then I grew up.
2) One of the best accounts of how we have reached the state we are in today is Christopher Booker's book "The Neophiliacs" - written nearly 40 years ago in 1969. We are still, indeed increasingly, suffering the consequences of those years - the late1950's-1960's.

Dave, Wrexham,

I've been waiting for this article for years!! This 'media liberalism' is spread across all media and has played a massive part in undermining the institutions, history, culture and morality of the nation. I accept that a balance should be struck in the accountability of the institutions that did not exist in the post war era but the media liberalism of today has gone too far. Most media organisations are institutionalised with a set of low moral standards to manipulate information so they can attack a person or organisation that publically slips up. The BBC and others media organisations shouldn't limit their self analysis to the misuse of phone in's, they should be more aware of how film/video edits can often misrepresent the truth. This issue should get a real public debate - not a manipulated debate in the way that Antony Jay describes on the 'Tonight' programme.

Richard , Cumbria, UK

A great piece! The parallels with American academic culture are absolutely uncanny.

Archangel, Ames, IA USA

A very interesting article, full of notes of history. But I do not understand how or why the BBC should be treated any differently than any other media organisation. Yes it is public funded and impartiality should be paramount, but if the BBC is too liberal then what about fox who on the other side of the coin circumnavigate the globe with their right wing views.

the media in the last twenty years has so drastically changed that the BBC has struggled to keep up, with the advent of 24 hours news now even the banal is deemed news worthy. A fine article but maybe also the media as a whole should look closely at its self as it is responsible as Margaret Thatcher for the "decline of the West".

Christian , London ,

And the biggest crime in this, is just about every House in the Country has to pay a BBC tax, to support their political views.

Alan Walton, Leicester, England

"we knew very few of our neighbours and took not the slightest interest in local government. In fact we looked down on it. Councillors were self-important nobodies and mayors were a pompous joke. "

This is one of the reasons that local democracy is atrophied in Britain. If the media hold the government in general and the PM specifically responsible for what happens at a local level then the government will aquire the power over local issues.

Paul, London, UK

3 points:-
1) Is it true that the BBC for many years advertised for staff members only in The Guardian? If true that would explain much. When young, I read The Manchester Guardian/The Guardian for 12 years. Then I grew up.
2) One of the most illuminating accounts of how we got into our current state (which dates from the late 1950's-1960's, and is still worsening) is a book written nearly 40 years ago, in 1969. It is "The Neophiliacs" by Christopher Booker.
3) Unlike some correspondents, however, I do not think the climate/environmental/ecological crisis is unreal. Energy & many other resources are running out; climate change is real and could devastate food production. A finite earth cannot support 7 billion people at the GNP levels currently demanded by people in the West. Listen to the great majority of scientists.

Dave, Wrexham,

A great piece, on one of my favourite subjects. There is a solution. Scrap the license fee. Let the BBC stand or fall by itself. Watch the change.

Oh, and remove the word "British" from its title. Because to be British (or more accuratly English) is a bad thing.

RJA, Nottingham, England, UK.

He is right. But, the BBC staff are not alone this righteous view of themselves and their sneering towards all traditional authority figures. Somehow this attitude has endemic in youth culture worldwide and in the marketing of products to this group. It is the corporate companiesa who package up and market the endless array of arrogant, anti-authority, I'm-so-defiant young singers, models and artists like 50 Cent, all of whom end up stinking rich from the System they purport to be so angry at.

Phil Williams , Auckland , NZ

There's no doubt that the BBC has its biases but it also still has its virtues.

Type "Jena six" into news dot google

and the BBC is the only mainstream new organization that shows. Why hasn't the Times covered this story?

Why hasn't mainstream American media covered it?

Mark Joshi, Melbourne, Australia

Why wheel someone out who was last at the BBC 40 years ago? I agree it is interesting to know what the attitude was then but what about now, unless you're happy to make assumptions? A lot can chage in that time, but I'm sure a lot of people who comment on these things have already made up their mind and were frothing before they even logged on.

Ben, London,

This is lke a game of "Calvin Ball" the only rule is that you can't use the same rule twice. Corperate governance is a category full of liberalism that the elite reserve unto themselves.

Kirby Knoy, Prescott, USA, AZ

I agree with much of this, but the huge cloud gathering over the BBC today is the coverage of what is now termed "climate change". The BBC may not be as embarrassingly alarmist as the appalling Independent, but the David Shukman et al arrogance in exaggerating every modern ill and linking it to climate change is going to come back to haunt the corporation in years to come.

They - the BBC - had a staff 'climate day' with guest of honour Al Gore. I'm trying to chose my words very carefully here - but that, and the reportage of this issue will contribute to a seismic change in the years ahead in how we perceive our trust in the BBC.

Full disclosure: I work for the BBC, but strongly believe that the currently fashionable theory of anthropogenic global warming is going to come under greater scrutiny in the coming year, and will be totally discredited within the next five years. This implosion will take with it a lot of reputations - the BBC and the horrendous Independent among them.

Gooner, Belfast,

I await with interest when the kidnapped (and mysteriously freed) Alan Johnson emerges from purdha.
The BBC Middle East reporting has been to accept at face value any "Arab" version of events, but to scrutinise in immense detail any non Arab version.
As for the BBC questioning of returned Islamic "practitioners" and their supporters it can only be described as servile.
If only they really were neutral.

Peter Bolt, Redditch, UK

An excellent fair-balanced article which hits at the roots of today's "media liberalism". Now if only those groupthink-addicts would read and accept this truth we might be able to make progress before the evils in the world overwhelm us using our own cherished freedoms against us.

PhilB, New Jersey, USA

Sir, Ever since the Iraq war & reporting on Dr Kelly, the British 51st Staters have attempted to convert the BBC into a tame Fox News government mouthpiece. It looks as though the US backed strategy is working.

SC, London, United Kingdom

I was a college teacher in California for 35 years and the BBC experience was not too dissimilar from mine. I was then a devoted liberal. A colleague of mine whose family had lost everything when Castro took over in Cuba and who lived in exile, had to endure my telling her what a great man I considered Castro to be. She was too refined and gentle to tell me what I needed to hear-that I was a young and ignorant fool. I have shed many other erroneous beliefs, too numerous to detail here. I am no longer a liberal.

mhr, Burbank, USA

I quit listening to the BBC Worldservice after the advent of the Internet gave me a set of less biased, alternative choices. I suspect the proposed $100 notebooks will give those poor Africans and Middle Easterns the same choices in the future. Who will the Worldservice ingratiate itself to after that?

David Kleykamp, Taipei, Taiwan

Whilst it's good to finally see such sentiments expressed in print, as both a member of the public and a BBC licence payer I feel I must take issue with the first two sentences. The BBC has, for the ten years I've had occasional professional contact with it, shown itself to be little more than an outrageously pampered, smug and nepotistic gravy-train for the children of baby-boom narcissists. In our block of flats we all pay £120 a year for local policing and £110 for our BBC licence fees - irrespective of whether pensioners or single mums. In all that time I've felt that the very occasional program of quality (Yes Minister included) falls VERY far short from what is effectively a forced tax that keeps the offspring of the 'new aristocracy' in mortgage payments.

I really don't mind if you keep the Queen - I've grown to quite like her as the years go by.
Just get rid of the BBC.

Dirk S, Staines,

"That our species has evolved a genetic predisposition to form tribal groups is generally accepted as an evolutionary fact." This fact statement does not appear to contain any information. Are you saying that you had no control over this group mentality? (Your final sentence seems to imply that that is indeed what you are saying.) But who in your "tribe" was the first to come up with the mentality? Or did the mentality also "evolve"? If it did, why does your conscience seem to be troubled now? Elsewhere in today's paper, Shiraz Maher describes how he "escaped" from the "tribe" of Hizb ut-Tahrir. Obviously, this "genetic predisposition" seems to be surmountable. But how surmountable can it be before it ceases to be a predisposition? At what point can we say, "Enough pseudo-science - take responsibility for your own decisions"? Responsibility should be, to use your later words, "a matter of individual choice based on a logical comparison of [alternatives]".

Kevin, London,

after fleeing the slavery of the south to work in the factories of detroit, most blacks people here have two choices. they can either join the one party system and be controlled by liberal whites along with black pols that will de-black you if you dare question any part of their system. the result? only 22% of students can graduate from the school system, higher than 70% unemployment for minorities, and absolutely nothing to offer to the world since the mass produced automobile. and we cant even break half of our own auto market anymore as the japanese and koreans make cars that are more popular than our own because we are taught to even hate ourselves so much we wont even buy our own cars.
while the media debate themselves, we are heading for civil war, systematic slavery in politics and way of life and more death and destruction of the "working class" so many claim to defend. but who wants to debate a Michael Moore?!! who wants to be seen opposing a hillary? yes, there is evil.

thad lucken, detroit, michigan

Thoughtful and cogent analysis.

Jacque Voegeli, Nashville, TN, USA, TN.

The disease has affected just about every multinational organisation: the United Nations, the European Union bureacracy, the World Bank, the World Council of Churches, etc., so it's hard to see the causes being the four mentioned.

It seems to start with academia which seems to tilt to the extreme left the world over. From there, the self-anointed choose careers which give them power with no accountability and no risk that they ever have to admit they're wrong: journalism, academia, international quangos, the administration of foundations and the civil service. And there's a network that helps them do it.

John Pugmire, New York, NY, USA

That even Mr. Jay can recognize a small measure of the immaturity and intellectual poverty of the BBC is perhaps the most damning indictment of that corrupt agency of ignorance this American has heard.

Jerry Pulley, Ballston Spa, NY

Intensive dislike of progressive liberalism's intellectually dishonest and controlling editoriallizing of all issues is a spoke in the wheel of intelligent discourse, and therefore anti-social. In the US we are also victims, witness the controlled, dishonest debate on global warming, totally politicized by Gore's dishonest presentation, blatantly intended to silence any and all honest, factual, contrarian discussion, which is struggling to be heard, and will be, in spite of the MSM here, packaged exactly like the BBC. Even if it turns out Gore is right, his tactics contaminated the process and created distrust, and anger. Sadly, progressives and liberals don't seem to care that a majority despise their tactics, and will never trust them, about anything.

Ron Johns, Hebron, USA, NH

Perhaps the real issue about the BBC is not the liberal bias, nor its elitism, Marxist leanings, economic ignorance, and naiveté referred to by Antony Jay but one of relevance. In the modern world, the attributes mentioned above are not guarded or sustained by constrained communication technologies. The world is full of very bright, astute and erudite people, many of which do not work for publicly financed, media conglomerates. The rise of the internet has given a global voice and access to the intelligence of these people. What is of particular value is that these voices can be from people with deep expertise and experience in the topic at hand, far exceeding a journalist’s or producer’s insight. It is in this brave new world that the BBC competes for relevance and the attention of readers and viewers. Fortunately for them, they still have the tax revenues supporting the enterprise and the world view Antony Jay describes. How long will that last?

Brad Lena, Pittsburgh, USA

This perception of a dispersed "metropolitan media arts graduate" trice could have been accelerated at the very least had the author read Christopher Lasch's "Revolt of the Elites" from 1996. Maybe he has but is only now voicing similar concern. The danger of such an institution was quite well detailed by Mr. Lasch.

Eric Anondson, Saint Louis Park, USA / Minnesota

In response to John Redwood's new policy idea's,the BBC prefaced it''s report on NEWS24 today(11am) by showing him trying to join in the singing of the Welsh anthem at a conference.This was coverage from years back.
That sums up the BBC for me.
A joke.

Edwina Rigby, Blackburn, England

It's the same with major American media.

KenB, San Antonio,

It is a shame.Over the pond In Canada,our gov't station,cbc,is even worse.They seem to have an unwritten policy to promote any item that is positive to the liberals or derogatory to the conservatives. If an item is positive to the conservatives or derogatory to the liberals it will be buried or not mentioned at all. One fine example: the liberal leadership convention was broadcast live for approx.16 hours a day over 3 days. In the months leading up to the convention,the cbc news put a liberal-friendly item in the top 5 leads virtually every broadcast. The conservative leadership convention was covered by occasional updates from one reporter and the race was rarely mentioned in the previous weeks. Luckily we have an ombudsman at the cbc who listens to complaints about bias and then dismisses them under the umbrella of "editorial freedom'. Pity. BBC or CBC,the only difference is one letter and even then the letters are right next to each other.

walter mckane, calgary, canada

'Liberal intelligentsia is not a very apt description for these people, they are neither. Their views rarely stem from personal experience or unbiased study. Instead they formed opinions because they wanted to be seen as educated people who support the underdog, who care. They really want to be popular among their peers. Working for an institution like the BBC they are insulated from the real world, from alternative views. The sense of their own righteousness comes dangerously close to fanaticism. They do not allow alternative views to be expressed fairly. They do not think for themselves, if they did, they might realise that idealism unchecked has caused untold human suffering. Perhaps once in a while they should uncritically read something other than the guardian, perhaps they should listen, really listen, to other viewpoints. Then like me they would not 'follow' any political 'tribe' .Perhaps they'll even allow the public to form their own opinions. Refund my licence fee.

Jack, Chelmsford,

to Robert of Luton: the licence fee is not a tax. A threat to injure you (put you in prison) if you don't pay up for something you may not require or want is a Protection Racket. The mafia would be proud of such a method of raising money

John Ledbury, Kings Lynn, England

Confession is the first step in repentance................good article.

Bradley, Brunswick, GA USA

Coming from a News Corp. owned newspaper, this is rich. The BBC may have a disproportionate amount of 'liberal' journalist, but nobody gets fired working there because of their views, whether liberal or not. Try being anti-Israel and work for News Corp or any other American company for that matter.
As far as the American commentators are concerned, I can't think of any Western country with less freedom of speech. The US is the only Western country (together with Canada) where criticizing Israel, a foreign nation, is more perilous for one's career than it is to criticize the US. Given how Americans feel about their own country, that's particularly rich.

John, Montreal, Canada

To be fair, while NPR and PBS here in the USA also have a decidedly liberal bias, they are far less slanted than the BBC (I also must agree with the reader above who comments that the BBC radio news is less biased than the BBC TV news). After all, even an extreme conservative like William F. Buckley was on PBS for many years with his own TV show--someone with his views would, I suspect, never have been allowed to air his views on the BBC, much less to have his own programme. In addition, I seldom if ever have heard a PBS or NPR journalist use the snide, overtly hostile tone many of their BBC peers use when interviewing public figures whose views they oppose.

Danielle McKane, San Jose, CA, USA

Aside from the abuse of the term "liberal" (which isn't Athony Jay's fault, admittedly) this article is spot on.

MDC, Bristol, United Kingdom

A very helpful and brave piece of journalism. I despair that the BBC will ever reflect the traditional values held by the majority of the population.

Keith, Bishop's Stortford,

Thanks for a great article and for the comments. It was very encouraging to a lonely liberty loving individualist.

Although, I fail to see how too much freedom and variety can be a bad thing for society.

Lynn Repko, Carnation, WA, USA

This is a delightfully written inside look into the historical development and problems of groupthink within the British media elite. It’s inspiring to read such insight, reflection, honesty, reasoned opinion, and balance from a former insider. And there’s no blame, whining, or attacks! Well done. I wish more members of other elite groups would have the insight, gumption and skill to do the same. Can anyone do a better job than this? Please, please try.

While ideological groupism does help maintain cohesion, it can be quite debilitating if it closes off all but the weakest dissent. A walled fortress can become dangerously oppressive and monomaniacal without doors through which outsiders can freely enter, and windows that let in fresh air. I hope this article serves as a lesson, not just for the BBC, but for all elite groups from every political view. Thanks.

Alan, Boston, USA

The BBC is iredeemably biased and it doesn't care. There is not even a pretence of impartiality on a whole range of issues. It is The Guardian/Independent of the airwaves, but we have no choice whether to buy it or not. I detest its snobby, patronising left/liberal diet especially on Radio 4 and it's alarmist coverage of the great global warming hoax is an unforgiveable outrage.

Joe, Northampton,

The media arts tribe that Anthony Jay describes seems to consist of people with no purpose in life. Why are we forced to fund their exsistence?

Bob, Faversham, UK

The only problem with the BBC, ABC, PBS and CBC is that they are tax supported. Liberal or socialist opinions are as popular or unpopular as any others. It's time to cut them loose from the government teat.

John Anthony, Bowen Island, Canada

The depressing thing is that the very people who should be thinking for themselves, examining arguments critically, and not following the herd (even their own herd) are the very ones who are guilty of doing the opposite. If it's bad at the BBC, it's worse in academia. There one is (literally) ostracised if one dares question (in the sense of submitting them to rational analysis) statements like "George W. Bush is a red-necked illiterate simpleton" or "the fact that the majoirty of students are white shows that universities are havens of institutional racism ". I have never been so depressed as when I heard the late Andrea Dworkin give a lecture at my university. She shouted to her audience her familiar mantra "all men are rapists", and she was cheered! When I said to a colleague as we left that the occasion had felt to me uncomfortably like a Nuremberg rally he replied that he had found the talk interesting and enlightening. To me, that was 'treason of the clerks' (J. Benda) indeed.

J.Fletcher, Canterbury, UK

Liberal ? Non-payment of the BBC's tax (television license) is a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment.

Robert, Luton,

Dear Sirs: I have been listening to the BBC on shortwave for thirty-eight years now, mainly to the world news before I go to sleep. Since I retired in 2001, I have watched BBC World in addition to listening on the radio. Here are my observations about BBC bias...which is real: 1. It has increased during the last five years, but basically ever since George W. Bush entered the White House. 2. News on BBC radio appears to me more objective than that on its TV programs. 3. The news on BBC World (TV) is decidedly biased now in more or less the same way CNN is biased. BBC's credibility with this listener/viewer has certainly been compromised over the last five or so years. I wish BBC would return to their former practice of having news readers report the events of the day or week objectively, and let us the public make up our minds. News anchors that subjectively insert their views, particularly in interviews with persons in the news, are particularly unappreciated.

AC Falk, Stans, Switzerland

...and even now Mr Jay can't seem to shake off the habit of describing the critics of the od establishment as 'plausible' and its defenders as 'bigoted'.

Mike Farish, London,

We have the same problem in the US with PBS and NPR. Once producers and writers have no need to survive in a commercial context, they can give their warped prejudices full rein.

I have no doubt that in today's diverse tv environment, any exceptional programming that a government financed network would program will find an outlet elsewhere.

The solution is to do entirely away with any kind of state-financed broadcasting. Let the loopy libs find a commercial audience for their tripe as everyone else does for theirs. But they aren't likely to be successful. In the US, Air America can't get out of its own way.

But since libs are so superior to the rest of us and oh-so well-meaning, they think that commercial success is not a proper gauge of the value of their views.

Spare me.

Krumhorn, Bonita Springs, Florida

Easy solution is to privatize the BBC

CLIFF, belgium,

Scrap it and let those who want it pay for it via subscription and then the problems are solved for MILLIONS (the majority) of people

John, Salford, England

For decades I have assumed that the BBC, actors, political commentators etc tailor their public opinions so that they will still be asked to dinner by their group. It is a peculiar form of peer pressure. Neither objectivity nor intellectual rigour is required.

David Nixon, Los Altos,

Mr. Jay, my compliments on a very frank and thoughtful article. Much of what you recall and record is true in my country too, albeit in slightly different ways and degrees. Your conclusion, with which I sadly concur touches on one of my favorite terms for those folks you call 'media liberals' - most are merely cases of arrested development.

John Kovarik, Parkersburg, USA, West Virginia

You are perhaps too close to the institution to see it clearly. The thing that doesn't occur to you is that the BBC staff have the attitudes you describe because of who they work for.

The BBC is a nationalised service industry, compulsorily funded by the 'license fee'. What the BBC is about is defending and increasing this source of funding and denying anyone else access to it. This is at the core of its values. All the beliefs you describe are corollaries of this.

To find this justifiable you have to believe that making subscription to the State media service compulsory is a good thing to do. You have to believe that the State is better at running things than the private sector. You have to believe it results in fairer and more honest organisations than any other way. Of course you end up with a classical left-authoritarian view of how society should be run.

You want to change bias in the BBC? Make subscription to it voluntary. It will change overnight.

Frederick DesLauriers, London, England