A B.B.C. Inquiry The meeting at the House of Commons
on Monday between Sir John Reith and 150 Members of Parliament seems to have resolved itself into a testimonial to the merits of the Director-General of the B.B.C. Sir John appears to have had answers ready to all questions put to him. But it is one thing to give the Director a well-deserved certificate of good conduct, and another thing to assure the public that all the methods employed at the B.B.C. are the best devisable. Indeed, they arc obviously not, since in the light of recent criticism certain changes arc about to be made. Many- of the criticisms recently expressed have been unfair and bad-tempered, and it is right to point out that in spite of that the B.B.C. invites and welcomes criticism. But if criticism, why not also a careful and enlightened inquiry, not in a spirit of hostility but with the object of assisting the B.B.C. in its very difficult task ? The fact that the Charter still has another three years to run is a reason, not for deferring inquiry, but for expediting it, in order that the B.B.C. may have the fullest opportunity of making use of a report before the time comes for the Whole question of its constitu- tion to be reviewed.
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