Sir, There is a curious illusion that' commercial TV costs
nothing to watch while one has to buy a licence to watch BBC TV. Your correspondent! Audrey Wheeler even refers to the BBC existing on "a compulsory levy on all owners of TV sets" and sees no! reason why the BBC should " compete for numbers."
She is, of course, quite right about the compulsory levy in connection with the BBC and TV, but apparently unable to see that there is also a compulsory levy — and probably a much bigger one — in connection with ITV. This is built into the price of all goods that are advertised on TV — and it is quite inescapable.
I also dislike the idea of the BBC having to compete for numbers; but it is the existence of ITV that has brought this about. If the BBC did not so compete, it would soon be charged with being an elitist extravagance. By all means let charges be made; but let us be careful to level them at the right bodies.
Royston Millmore Fox Brow, Clayton, Bradford
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