Not my king.

Dear The Guardian,

The BBC has been criticised for serving “a shrinking minority of people” in their coverage of the upcoming Coronation. The BBC responded in the only way they know how; by dredging up their commitment to “due impartiality” and that their coverage “seeks to reflect a range of viewpoints”. The BBC would have you believe that their struggle toward impartiality was the product of their Rethian mission to Inform, Educate, and Entertain. At the heart of John Reith’s rallying call was the idea that the British Broadcasting Corporation was for everybody, regardless of background or politics. Nowadays, it’s easy to feel as though the BBC exists primarily for ageing licence fee payers. As someone under the age of thirty, and a layperson in this ongoing dispute, I can see that the BBC exists as a source of comfort for those who are still recipients of triple-locked pensions. One casual flick through live TV on a Friday night should be enough to convince anybody of this - it’s an endless parade of Gardeners' World, travel shows about the canals of Staffordshire, and documentaries hosted by Greg Wallace. Hardly inspirational fodder for the movers and shakers of tomorrow. There are those who believe that the BBC’s bias toward royalty is the result of right-wing interference from government officials. Don’t get me wrong, there’s been plenty of that lately. However, the broadcasting schedule in the period leading up to the Coronation is more likely the result of the increasing apathy of the young regarding the corporation, and the concept of the monarchy, as a whole. Our views of the monarchy change as generations pass; in much the same way, the role the BBC has in public life will change as the current cohort of twentysomethings grow up and have more bargaining power. Written by Rebecca Clayton in response to Caroline Davies' article: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/apr/17/bbc-accused-of-lacking-impartiality-in-royal-coverage