Green Guide letters: Missives from TV and radio land

Rowan Forster, Surrey Hills.

Bannister deserves better

This morning (March 3) on ABC 774 Breakfast prior to the 7.45am news, the sports reporter informed the co-hosts and we the listeners of the overnight death of Sir Roger Bannister with a brief synopsis of his life and career, to which the female co-host commented, "He was a really chilled dude." I don't think so, but what I do know is that 774 Breakfast is approaching being unlistenable for its loyal listeners who hanker for something better.

Vaughan Millar, Fairfield

Sense and sensibility

Thank goodness Lee Lin Chin has not been asked to, or has refused to, walk across a semi-darkened studio before standing in front of a desk to read the news. She is sensibly sitting in her chair ready to read the news as all news readers should be.

Charles Scott, Harcourt North

Wardrobe doesn't impress

Did SBS pay $50 an episode for Great Continental Railway Journeys? We must be up to the 100th episode, and I'm heartily sick of Michael Portillo poncing around in his pink jacket and sky blue pants. Give us a break, please!

Jeremy Wheeler Templestowe

Catalyst disappoints

Yet again, Catalyst looks and sounds as though it belongs on a commercial channel. Radio National did some short episodes on sleep which were more interesting. Catalyst in the revamped hour-long format has failed this previously avid viewer too many times. ABC, you aren't keeping your loyal viewers/listeners.

Elaine O'Shannessy, Wandin North

Interview technique in poor taste

How could Leigh Sales pry so much and be so disingenuous in asking such questions of Blanche d'Alpuget, who, remarkably, did not blanch at the intrusions into the relationship between her and Bob Hawke? Commercial channel journalism with an ABC demeanour.

Ruth Hilton, Mount Martha

Dateline series proves compelling

Episode two of Dateline's From Manus Island to Missouri was compelling viewing. It was wonderful to see two refugees, Mina From Iran and Tirab from Sudan, finally free after four and a half horrific years in offshore detention. They are there under the refugee swap deal, Tirab placed in Missouri where other Sudanese have chillingly told him to be wary of police as they will see him as a black man; Mina in Houston, Texas, where she is very lonely but at least she feels safe. It was an absorbing but sad story about two lovely genuine refugees who have been treated inhumanely by two successive Australian Governments.

Susan Munday, Bentleigh East

Still seeing Red

I agree with Lawrie Bradly (Letters, March 1), the ABC have made a huge blue. Like Lawrie, I enjoyed Red Symons and stayed on by default to listen to AM and Jon Faine. Despite many attempts, I was unable to endure the inane drivel of Red's replacements and went elsewhere for the entire morning listening.

Laurie Warfe, Mount Eliza

Another shot at life

Radio National's been on life support for years. With all the browned-off 774 listeners bemoaning Redmond's departure and now decamping to RN, they just may inadvertently save that station from its much-anticipated demise.

Jonathan Emes, Ballarat Central

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