Britalian

A story on the BBC website says that a Bristol University study claims that across 1,200 hours of radio output, 73% of all comments made by presenters about drinking or getting drunk encouraged drinking.

I have long had a problem with this.

The same radio stations that carry stories about binge drinking will move immediately to a competition sponsored by a drinks company. Presenters will merrily boast about how they shouldn’t be at work because they had a skinful last night.

During the BBC coverage of the Olympics, barely a successful Brit could be interviewed without some reference to the fact that they would surely be celebrating by getting drunk.

Needless to say, the BBC deny that their presenters encourage drinking, but does boozing even need to be mentioned at a time when kids are being ferried to school in the backs of cars listening to their childish boasts?

That said, the worst culprit is TalkSport who can go barely a minute without mentioning their latest promotion or competition in association with a beer brand, or gleefully announcing that the current programme is sponsored by one.