Letter: Radio 1 should be sold to the record industry

IT WAS clearly an error 25 years ago to give free airtime to the multinational record companies to advertise their products ('One-Der Boys', Sunday Review, 27 September). They have been happily riding the gravy train ever since.

It is a waste of money for the BBC to sponsor a wholly commercial and highly profitable industry. Before Radio 1 starts squealing about how many independent record companies it supports, a close examination usually shows that many of these so- called 'independents' are funded by one or other of the four or five major companies that monopolise the industry.

Twenty-five years ago the pirate stations should have been legalised, which is happening now, somewhat belatedly. Radio 1 should also be privatised so the majors can buy their pet and pay for its upkeep. The BBC could arrive at a price by calculating how many sales, and therefore profits, have been generated for the majors in the last 25 years.

Martin Kennedy

Mach One Music

London W4