Isn’t freedom of speech an absolute marvel? We in the United (at least for now) Kingdom flaunt our delight in it at every opportunity, and our press barons make great play of allowing readers to have their say. One of our quality broadsheets, The Sunday Times, regularly invites culture vultures onto the pages of one of its supplements, Culture. There, in the column entitled You Say, they are offered an opportunity to vent their spleen, or otherwise, about our TV fare. And so, in this week’s edition, we stumbled on the following, rather indignant, pronouncement.
Whatever has happened to BBC Breakfast? Its decline in standards and quality is dropping like an express elevator. Whatever happened to high-quality professional journalists/ broadcasters?
The thing is, whenever one exercises one’s right to this cherished freedom it might be an idea to engage one’s cerebral cortex first. If something is dropping – albeit metaphorically – it diminishes, of course. So the viewers of BBC Breakfast can, in fact, rejoice: the decline is slowing down. Alas, the incensed reader said the exact opposite of what he was attempting to say, which was this.
Its standards and quality are dropping like an express elevator (rather than their decline).
Or this.
Its decline in standards and quality is accelerating like an express elevator.
And whatever happened to newspaper sub-editors?
Flaming English by Anna Nolan 
Hello Anna,
Lovely to hear from you again,
in response to you mini rant, maybe the person who promoted the initial pronouncement, is an ardent follower of BBC Breakfast which is probably the cause of his decline in the use of the english language,
love and best wishes
David
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Wonderful to hear from you, David; that MUST be it – ha, ha, ha!
Warm wishes,
Anna
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Good morning Anna,
This post made smile, especially your line about engaging one’s cerebral cortex first! It seems that many of the minds commenting on press articles haven’t done that and just want the opportunity to say something. Everyone has an opinion, but not everyone reads your blog to improve their English before giving it.
Hope all is good in Keswick, I’m just hoping that the weather makes up it’s mind what it wants to do – rain or shine. It’s trying to do both at the same time here near Workington.
Mark.
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Very many thanks, Mark; lovely to hear from you. I hope your writing is going swimmingly. I’m pleased my little rant amused you; I’m quite attuned to similar illogicalities, of which I have amassed quite a collection.
Yes, our weather is back to its fickle self, but we did have a lovely spell, so let’s be grateful for that.
Wishing you every success with your books,
Anna
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Ah, dear Anna! Back in your inimitable style! Love this!
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Millions of thanks, Torrie; lovely to hear from you! I hope you are well. I think I will now return to shorter, light-hearted pieces. Warm wishes, Anna
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