BBC to Its Broadcasters: No More Grammar Flubs!
Language purists are campaigning to enforce stricter adherence to grammar rules for BBC’s broadcasters.
Ian Bruton-Simmonds, a member of the Queen’s English Society, appeared on BBC’s Today show to explain the group’s proposal: a Language Adviser, or a sort of backstage watchdog who would assist on-air reporters in times of need. (How exactly this would work is unclear — if the reporter is on-air, I’m not sure how he/she could stop to seek advice. “Pst! Larry! Is it Who or Whom?”)
Bruton-Simmonds was one of the many signatories of a letter sent recently to the chairman of the BBC Trust that explained the channel’s need for a language watchdog; a spokesman for the Trust responded by saying:
“On matters relating to editorial standards and how these are ensured, the Trust’s approach is to create a framework which strikes the right balance between clear requirements reflecting the public’s high expectations, and an understanding of the pressures of live broadcasting and the need for creative freedom and some flexibility.”
