12 OCTOBER 1951, Page 15

Third Programme Listeners

SIR,—I should like to take exception to Mr. Bruce Belfrage'a article in the Spectator of October 5th. I feel that economic considerations , should not be paramount in assessing the future of the Third Pro- gramme, nor yet how many persons listen. Even 36,000 or less—how much less ?—is quite a number of people. They are as entitled to their entertainment as ten million to a variety show.

I do not feel that the " not particularly erudite" should be asked to listen to the Third Programme any more than Third Programme followers should be asked to listen to a non-stop medley of dance tunes. Which is of better value ; to provide a programme for the one per cent. of listeners who seriously attend to the programme or to provide a programme for, say. 65 per cent.—" the large majority" of , whom " use their sets simply to provide background noises " ? The choice, I feel, is not as easy as Mr. Belfrage would have us believe.-'

I am, Sir, yours faithfully, J. W. PEARSON. Osier House Club, 43 Woodstock Road, Oxford.