their project of schools broadcasts in the spring, even before
they had appointed somebody to direct them. It is true that AR wanted to wipe the eye of the BBC, which is starting schools TV programmes in the autumn: but what harm in that? The BBC has been too slow a starter in this race. Owing to its status as a public corpora-, tion, it felt it must have endless consultations with all the interested parties—and there are many. To my way of thinking, AR's is the better idea : to produce the programmes first and let the sorting-out follow. They have collected as their head of schools programmes Mr. Boris Ford, whose approach to the subject seems very sound. He is not going to allow his programmes to be attached to school curricula, or to be divided into academic subjects; there will be no lessons, in the ordinary sense, the aim being to interest the child coming to school-leaving age in the world he is about to enter, rather than in examinations. My only query concerns advertis- ing. AR's notion that advertising 'before' or 'after' the programme is all right is a• quibble. But that is the Independent Authority's business; and I trust the Authority will not allow them- selves to be led by the nose as easily as in the past. Even if it means paying for the programme them- selves out of the Government grant.
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