The BBC at last starts talking some sense about the 50-plus

Now whether these words will translate into action is far from clear but at least the BBC seems to be dumping its ageist, youth-centric policies


The BBC has its youngest ever Controller and by the sound of things somebody with a few more brain cells than his predecessors. Well let's be honest that wouldn't be difficult.


Danny Cohen (the new controller) has suggested that BBC1 had neglected its core audience, who are typically around 50 years old, in pursuit of younger viewers.


The BBC has been famous for sacking its older staff in its continual and not very successful quest to attract a "younger audience". 


It has been strange to watch how the BBC has become embarrassed by the composition of its audience. Too old, too English, too middle class. Maybe that is about to change?


Speaking at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, he said that: ‘the average audience age of BBC1’s audience is around 50, it would be good to reflect that back to people’ and then went on to say ‘New talent doesn’t have to mean young. Talent can be all sorts of ages.'