Sir, - Brian Boyd's picture of "irony, kitsch and camp" TV being the "talisman to ward off the evil spirits of falling ratings" (Weekend, July 26th) is a sad prediction. Modern communication methods with all their marvellous potential are all set to regale us with even more "hilarious" programmes of "booze 'n' birds".
In order to make money the communications moguls feel obliged to invite us all to wallow in groovy, post-modern mud.
There are people - whom Brian Boyd, with ageist prejudice, dismisses as "middle-aged television types" - who are sick of the freaky, vulgar, garish, peeping Tom programmes that RTE seems to believe we shall all subscribe to. We older people make up a significant percentage of potential viewers and listeners. We shall turn off the TV and radio more often if the authorities do not recognise that there are those of us who are disgusted by the taste of mud.
What about the novelty of some refinement? Do we always have to be a pimple drawing our pus from the face of the worst international TV? - Yours, etc., Angela McNamara, Greystones, Co Wicklow.