It has been over twenty years since we had the launch of a new terrestrial TV channel. I think we are long overdue for a new one. Channel Five was launched in 1997 when our entertainment landscape was totally different. This was three years before Big Brother was first broadcast. The year 2000 was a turning point for British television. Big Brother was an innovation. Ordinary people living together in one house, with cameras and microphones recording everything they said and did. It was a massive hit for Channel 4.

Today, our schedules are awash with reality TV shows like Love Island, The only way is Essex and Goggle box. Let us not forget the American imports like The Kardashians, Real Housewives and Vanderpump Rules. All trash TV designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Sensationalism and drama.

In those 25 years, British television has declined in quality. We still produce great historical costume dramas like Downton Abbey and Cranford. We can still make entertaining crime thrillers such Poirot, Midsummer Murders and Foyle’s War. There is also the odd prestige drama series that are must see like Line of Duty or Bodyguard.

However, there has been steady race to the bottom as more and more inane lifestyle programmes have produced. Nothing too challenging or demanding. A programme that focuses on advances in science and technology? We can’t have that. It will look like elitism. Both ITV and the BBC are guilty of his mentality. Some call it dumbing down. Gone are the days when you would have a studio discussion with historians arguing about an event or a round table talk about current affairs.

It is about time, we had some highbrow television again. Highbrow is now regarded as a pejorative term which means too clever for the masses. That is the wrong way of looking at it. What is wrong with having a programme that discusses books? Is reading considered highbrow? The BBC does not have a single regular arts programme on TV. Which is a disgrace. Compare that with how many cooking and baking programmes that are broadcast.

Religion seems to be a dirty word. Yet in a global pandemic, people will rely on their faith to help them get through a crisis. Yet there is never any religious or philosophical discussion on television. The major dates on the Christian calendar are ignored. Over the Easter weekend, you are lucky if you see any religious broadcasting on the BBC.

The BBC had a golden opportunity during this pandemic to up its game. During the lockdown, we were all stuck at home .It could have ditched the low brow television and opted for quality. Instead, it continued with the same poor-quality product. Many people question the long-term validity of the license fee when you access to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon based on subscription. I hardly watch television anymore and I consider myself a TV addict.

I believe that we should have more terrestrial channels that provide more choice to the viewer. We don’t all want to watch programmes about baking, gardening, cooking or house renovations. Reality TV is just the height of laziness. The audience deserves so much better. A new channel that broadcasts programmes that assumes that its audience are intelligent is what’s needed. At the moment, just we are just not getting it. Time for more choice.