Such lashings in the press over the past several months. Facing Ofcom investigation after a string of unfair competitions, whereby the public had no chance of winning despite being given the impression that they did. In recent weeks the 'Ross and Brand scandal', and today we read that Jeremy Clarkson's comments on Top Gear about truck drivers and prostitute murder provoked a barrage of viewer complaints.

It is seemingly becoming ever more difficult to be a national broadcasting service. In one hand they need to provide the best in entertainment across the board on a fraction of the budget most other television channels have to throw at their productions. They must be cutting edge and current across the spectrum of tastes and special interests, breaking boundaries in documentaries, dramas and genre-shows.

In the other hand they must not offend, will not be seen to waste the trusts money and generally be the goody-two-shoes of international broadcasting. This has always been a struggle to some degree, the nature of a public service broadcasting corporation that ticks all the right boxes, is certain to have to some big red crosses in some other boxes; Albeit not many wrong in the big scheme of things.

Remembering back to the days of Going Live and Live & Kicking, both filmed live on Saturday mornings, there were many moments of amusement from what were then stricter guidelines in ensuring the BBC did not advertise or show bias to any product that appeared on screen. In many of their live shows, and to unintentional comic effect (to me anyway), the production team put insulating tape over any brand named item that could be seen on camera. I always felt like calling up and saying 'That's a nice Sony TV, I hope I win the Nintendo 64', knowing that people would be in trouble as they had to be seen as non-biased to any commercial brand, nor influenced any individual or company either. Truth of the matter is, and as things seemed to have been relaxed a bit since then, it is impossible to make live television or radio where there is the 'human' factor involved. With this there was worrying continually that someone might mention a brand name or another TV channel!

Radio 1 japed about the competition scam shortly after the Ofcom investigation was completed this year. They had to read out terms and conditions before allowing anyone to phone in or enter any such 'giveaways', as they had to be called. Is this what it will amount to? A disclaimer before every broadcast that may contain something with a slight element of risk in breaching the stringent code, or worse still offending the viewer or listener?

A shame it would be, but I foresee that the BBC really has to knuckle down and not allow these shortfalls, especially when they are so in the public eye. But for this to happen the likes of Jonathon Ross, Russel Brand, even David Walliams and Matt Lucas would unlikely have given us some blisteringly fresh entertainment in recent years. I'm not going to discuss salaries of aforementioned television stars that's for a whole article of its own.

The BBC continually breaks new boundaries in its world respected documentary films. It updated and made a success of a true British science fiction series, and for it to receive unbeatable ratings and a string of awards for the cast and crew involved. It's reality dancing and music shows regularly capture audiences in their millions and provide constant interest in the media. It's multitude of radio stations continually surpass expectations and again cater to such a massive varied audience year in and out.

How has Auntie failed us, really? I do not accept that the BBC should be free from criticism, but as the press would have it, is so easy to forget the enormous amount of fantastic, high quality and in many cases unbeaten standards in entertainment. I would happily pay the license fee till the day I die should they continue to do what they have in my eyes achieved time and time again, provide a service that no other broadcaster can match in sheer vastness and variety.