Soaps and sports are public service TV, say viewers

The "opinion formers", those that control our media or those with vested interests elsewhere have long told us what is public service broadcasting.

The arts. Pompous political shows. Heavyweight documentaries. Anything that no advertiser in their right mind would want to pay for.

And that is it. Public service is little else they say. We know best, they say.

Is that what the public thinks? Well for once, someone has actually asked them and the results show that the great unwashed, don't agree. Sports, soaps and more are considered by the viewers to be an important part of public service viewing.

Will the powers that "decide" for the nation, agree? Somehow I doubt it. The calls for "art councils of the air" and focusing the license fee on news and arts will no doubt continue because those people have a vested interest in making that the case.

But maybe, just maybe, with the public thinking in another way, our nations broadcasting has a hope of being saved...