Brilliant

Hats off to the pointy heads of 'boutique' media consultancy Oliver & Olhbaum and economic analysis firm Oxera. They say if you shackle the BBC, commercial rivals will increase their audiences and make more money. This searing insight is delivered to glutinous paymaster John Whittingdale over 243 pages.

The authors find it difficult to define the changes that would deliver this windfall, put at between £58.2m and £86.2m (don't you love rough estimates ?). They talk of altering BBC1's 'relatively conservative schedule renewal and schedule mix'.  I think they should be made to stand up in a very big room in front of all licence payers and explain the vast economic benefits of cancelling long-running successful shows like Countryfile, Strictly, Call The Midwife, Silent Witness, Dr Who, Sherlock, etc etc.  They expect a hobbled BBC1 to be, simply put,  less attractive to audiences, down to below a 20% share of viewing.

The consultants, having interviewed the BBC and five of its commercial rivals, produce similar daft calculations of derisory cash benefits from constraining Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 5 Live and BBC Online. It would be extraordinary if the Culture Secretary weighed this report more than his wider public consultation, which says clearly and loudly, leave the BBC alone.