BBC's white problem

We're not the only people who think the Beeb has a problem with the white working class: their own reporters do, too:

Sarah Mukherjee, the environment correspondent, who grew up on a predominantly white council estate in Essex, said that BBC2's White season risked reinforcing the stereotype of the white working class as violent and racist alcoholics who live on benefits.

The reporter, who is Asian, made the comments after Richard Klein, the BBC's commissioning editor for documentaries, said that the corporation had been "brave" to make a series of programmes about the "prejudices, alienation, fears and confusion" of the white working class.

He said in an interview with the BBC's in-house magazine Ariel that the season should be watched by anyone "who thinks the BBC no longer takes risks".

Miss Mukherjee said: "I think you'll find that firefighters, ambulance workers and soldiers are brave, rather than filmmakers. And am I the only one for whom this season leaves a nasty taste in the mouth?"