By Peter Preston

Once again Ofcom is taking things too far, by requiring the BBC to make a fortnightly complaints report.

Viewers (or readers) have two broad areas of complaint. One is when something’s wrong and needs correction. The other is simple dislike of subject matter, language or style. Ofcom, with the BBC’s new top board, have an obvious interest in seeing wrongs righted. But to disclose dislikes, mere beefs over 100 protests strong, every fortnight, accompanied by a corporation running commentary? Ofcom, as is depressingly usual these days, goes too far.

A few dozen gripes about a programme watched by millions can be relatively insignificant – especially in an era of mass tweeting and trolling. Edgy drama or comedy that is pushing the boundaries is bound to offend as well as entertain.

Why does Ofcom get involved in providing more easy headline fodder for the corporation’s foes? Transparency is the accustomed cry of an over-zealous regulator – but this, transparently, is just meddling for the sake of it.

Snooze? Or power nap?
Twenty-four hour news coverage is there to deal with a big story – say another terrorist bomb – when it happens. Maybe at 2am. And that’s when the somnolent souls the Sun caught dozing in the BBC newsroom last week – “Here is the Snooze” – would wake up and get weaving. It isn’t obviously overmanning on the nation’s biggest news resource – more contingency planning for when all hell breaks loose.