It is ironic that Doug Clark (Letters, February 16) should play down the BBC just when it is regularly reporting live from Moscow, Tehran, Kyiv and some of the other most dangerous places on our planet.
This news reporting and its worldwide respect and the general quality of the BBC programmes and, most especially, the absence of advertising, makes the BBC one of the British achievements most worthy of our pride, respect and protection, especially against those who would compare it with an entertainment channel such as Netflix.
One of the most valuable aspects of the BBC is the financial model which avoids banal advertising, steers clear of the tax system which would incur political influence, provides a relatively cheap service in a structure which can be, and is, tapered for affordability for certain consumer customers and, unlike Netflix, by virtue of its exposure of scandals and uncomfortable truths, contributes to the quality of our lives whether we are watching the BBC or not.
Most importantly, the licence fee provides a financial stability which enables the BBC, for example, to treat the development of artificial intelligence as a potential threat to human survival rather than as an opportunity for immediate commercial advantage in the world of competitive programming. It enables the BBC also to protect high-quality cultural material which would be much less likely to survive in the bare-knuckle fight for survival in the competitive arena. How often does Netflix broadcast in Scots Gaelic?
Outdated? Regressive? Netflix? The BBC is none of these things but is rather the high ground of human civilisation, created in Britain where it should be cherished and enabled and certainly not surrendered to the vagaries of political interference or commercial competition.
Michael Sheridan, Glasgow.
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• I can't have been the only Herald reader who said out loud "And about time too!" on seeing Gaby McKay's article about Culture Secretary Angus Robertson finally stepping in to ask questions about the Radio Scotland crisis ("Culture Secretary writes to BBC over Radio Scotland shake-up concerns", The Herald, February 13). After all, it's only taken him four months.
Other MSPs, who do not have the words "culture" or "secretary" in their job description, were much swifter to act.
And if those MSPs got answers that were more corporate baloney than fact, then that is another matter for the Culture Secretary to quiz the BBC about.
When I saw figures noting that plays of new Scottish independent music had dropped by 67% in the late-night slots previously hosted by Iain Anderson and Billy Sloan, I had thought the Culture Secretary's team might have been doing some research on this important topic.
No. It turns out those figures came from musicians, who are actually doing the Cabinet Secretary's job for him.
It is time for Angus Robertson to get into gear and reverse this unfolding catastrophe.
He must ask why the BBC ignored the open letter from the Scottish music industry. He must demand answers on why a petition signed by more than 16,000 listeners was also ignored. And why the voices of cultural figures like Ian Rankin and Val McDermid proposing a consultation were also roundly ignored.
He also must ask what the process was by which Anderson and Sloan's late-night slots were given to Roddy Hart. Were Sloan and Anderson given a chance to interview for these shows? What about other great radio jocks such as Gerry Duffy or George Paterson, both from the excellent Cumbernauld FM? Did they get a chance to put their hats in the ring?
Something at Pacific Quay appears to have gone badly wrong. It is up to Angus Robertson now to tackle these difficult questions and to accept no corporate bluster, just real answers.
Sharon Campbell, Cumbernauld.
Mobile phones bad for babies
With the ongoing debate about the use of mobile phones by under-16s, I wonder whether mobile phone use by persons over 16 with childcare responsibilities should be banned. I observed a person with a pram and a crying baby, yakking away on a mobile phone. Is this not detrimental to the best interests of the child?
Scott Simpson, Bearsden.
SFA must curb goal celebrations
I would suggest to the SFA that it should consider the need to take action to curb goal celebrations before something serious happens.
The intensity of the celebrations after scoring a goal have been increasing recently to the point where on Sunday the Celtic player who scored the winner at the last minute was buried in the crowd for a few minutes before returning to the field of play and several supporters spilled onto the pitch. There was a time when fans invading the pitch would be arrested or ejected but nowadays stewards seem at times to completely lose control of these situations, which often occur at smaller grounds.
Until now nothing serious has happened, however if matters continue that might not always be the case.
I also think that in such situations a red card as opposed to a yellow is more appropriate, as the goal scorer invariably laughs as he returns to the pitch knowing that only the lesser penalty is going to follow.
W MacIntyre, East Kilbride.
Duval's starring role in the Radisson
When the Radisson SAS chief executive came over from Brussels to Glasgow, to okay the design of the Radisson SAS, he was highly sceptical about the city's cultural, design and international status and wanted a more conventional design for his hotel, typical of their "world" style.
After a very difficult morning we went for lunch. Sitting inside the restaurant were Robert Duvall, Michael Keaton and Harvey Keitel. Mr Duvall had been making A Shot at Glory, a largely forgotten film on Scottish football, with Ally McCoist.
Of course, the Radisson SAS chief did not know this, and I acted as if this happens all the time and such big stars always could be seen in hotels and cafes in the city.
The chief got an autograph from Mr Duvall and returned to Brussels convinced Glasgow truly was an international city, worthy of a new "radical" design, and the Radisson SAS got final approval.
Thank you Mr Duvall, you will be missed ("Star of The Godfather Duvall dies aged 95", The Herald, February 17).
Professor Alan Dunlop, Glasgow.
Football's holy Crail?
You report that STV's managing director of audience, Richard Williams, was delighted at the viewing figures for last Saturday's Calcutta Cup match ("700,000 viewers tune in to watch Six Nations match", The Herald, February 17). He further enthuses at the prospect of STV covering "the small matter" of Scotland "at the Fife World Cup in 2026".
I look forward to the televised coverage of Andy Robertson lifting the trophy at Stark’s Park. But has the rest of the world been told?
David Bruce, Troon.
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