Sounding Off
A scandal is going unnoticed in broadcast studios across the country. The lack of media coverage of this story is both astonishing and abhorrent. For too long has the British public remained silent, not willing to take a stand in defence of the basic human rights of some of the most vulnerable members of our society.
As the generation of baby-boomers ages, our pensions crisis grows and the average age of the population moves closer to the retirement age, workers are being forced to stay in employment for far longer than the EU convention on human rights recommends. Nowhere is this more prevalent than on television and radio.
It is well known that fewer and fewer young graduates are looking to go into the media, and that it is experience that really counts in such an area This is why The Archers, for instance, has been desperate to keep hold of its older cast members. This policy had tragic consequences last week when 81 year-old Mary Wimbush passed away soon after recording Monday’s edition of the long-running radio soap.
Wimbush had been a faithful stalwart of the show, playing three different roles, and working in BBC radio broadcasting for over 60 years. However, the BBC’s fears over the lack of young talent coming in to replace her meant that her services were retained until the last minute. Literally.
It is fears such as this that have also led to Channel Four looking to Des Lynam to replace Richard Whiteley (another victim, of the ‘work until you die’ policy) as the presenter of student favourite Countdown. Faced with a dearth of vibrant young talent, Channel Four have turned to the housewives’ favourite to ensure that ratings stay high. So far, the policy has worked, with an unprecedented 1.8 million viewers tuning into his first show.
How long will it be, however, until Des suffers the same fate as his predecessor and as Mary Wimbush? Already there are signs that his famous laconic attitude may be masking a more serious slow-down in mental capacity. They say that if the man was more laid back, he’d be dead. How tragically true these words may yet prove to be. Meanwhile, back over on the BBC, the corporation continues to rely on the dependable character of Bruce Forsyth to front Strictly Come Dancing.
A steady hand, you might think (or perhaps not, depending on whether his arthritis happens to be playing up that day), but how long before viewers are shocked out of their comfortable Saturday evening stupor by the vision of Brucey pulling one of his famous ‘superman’ poses, freezing stock still, and keeling gently over, the dull thud of his body hitting the ground drowned out by the collective cry of, ‘… to see you nice!’ Soon the airwaves will be dominated by the sights and sounds of
ur great national treasures dropping one-by-one, overcome by exhaustion. No more Dame Judi Dench, no more Sir Ian McKellen, no more Sir Trevor McDonald, each one of their lives cut short by the exacting demands of their chosen profession. When will we let these giants of broadcasting enjoy the rest they have so well earned? People of such an age belong by a fire, slippers on feet and pipe in mouth, not using up every last breath in their desperate quest to keep us entertained.
When will the British Government stop pandering to the unreasonable demands of the corporate world and introduce the mandatory retirement age which is so clearly needed to protect the livelihoods of our over-worked, under-represented older workers? Until they do, ruthless, faceless corporations such as the Beeb will exploit their workers to the full, and do this, as we have seen this week, to devastating effect.
3rd Nov 2005