IN response to the letters by Mike Usherwood and Alfred Redpath (May 18 and 21), Radio York is a prime example of why I supported the recent BBC strike.

Radio York has already ruined their schedules with the removal of the Hurley Burley Show, daily and now Sunday phone-in and the moving of the Anna Wallace show from Sunday to Saturday - and that was all decided before the cuts were announced by the BBC.

I hate to think what may happen to Radio York if more cuts are required. Radio presenters such as Mike Hurley and Jonathan Cowap have been edged out for other presenters who are just not as professional. It seems Radio York is more bothered about the cost of the programmes rather than their quality. It is no longer a radio station that allows listeners to air opinions on local issue in a dedicated phone-in.

I appreciate they needed to make changes, but they seem to have changed all the wrong things. I hope the BBC in general can continue making quality programmes even with the cuts.

People are quick to criticise the corporation about the cost of the licence fee and the quality of programmes but, if it had to be funded by advertising, quality would go down because the revenue from advertising would not stretch to many more channels.

Philip Lickley,

Wheatlands Grove, York.

Updated: 09:39 Tuesday, May 31, 2005