Baroness Joan Bakewell

FOCUSING on one group at the expense of another is not an astute approach for broadcasters to pursue, for many ­reasons.

There are obvious and immediate ones – in the case of the BBC, that as a public broadcaster, it has both a duty and remit to cast a wide net and produce quality programming which is not about chasing the lowest common denominator for viewing figures.

But it also enjoys the scope of having an everyman approach.

The Corporation has the right mix of range and breadth of resources and talents to ensure it is representative of those it serves.

I have previously raised the issue of older broadcasters being moved aside or asked to retire because of the infatuation with younger anchors on news programmes, for example.

I have rather lost touch with the day-to-day policies of the BBC but it would not surprise me to hear people are still being asked to retire earlier than they would want.

Broadcasters are obsessed with a young audience, and appear to be much less interested in the older audience – an audience who are good and loyal listeners, devoted to things like Radio Four.

But their audience is ageing and that is making them anxious. We need to consider why.

There will be more older people as our society ages and this means todays listeners have another, larger generation following.

This is the case in the theatre right now, too – another sector that worries about who is taking a seat.

One director I know was looking at the audience and said to me – look at all this white hair, why is everyone here old?

It was said in a tone that suggested this was a real fear, an unacceptable situation that spelt great danger to the health of the dramatic arts. T

his ignores the simple fact of the old moving on and another generation taking their place. And there are older people living well.

Consider this: there are a large number of retired people with moderate means, who live in a comfortable home with heating and food on the table and with a tolerable life.

One can only hope the next generation will continue to benefit from advances in care and will be able to grow into that cohort and enjoy older age.

That’s why, when the director looks at the grey heads in the stalls, he need not worry. I sold my big Victorian house five years ago and bought a small studio flat. It was just in time – there is a crisis in housing, right across the board. You need to plan where you want to live in the last years of your life.

It could be problematic if you don’t plan, but I found it actually quite fun, if challenging – where do you want to be? Is it a cottage in the country, a villa by the seaside?

You may not have many options but it is an interesting challenge.

Such moves to suit changing needs should be recognised and help guide legislation.

We need to look at how we build new facilities for an ageing population.

Today, private businesses run retirement homes and they are in it for profit. Retirement villages were originally founded by philanthropists – such as the Alms Houses movements. We could do with this today. Not big developments but smaller, manageable ones suited to the requirements of those who live there.

This issue is partly shaped by the planning system and who decides what goes where: the answer is developers. Councils tend to be very indulgent towards them.

I served on an Environmental select committee – and it was bombarded by Tory voters who did not want any developments near them.

It struck me how much of planning system seems to have collapsed, with the wrong projects in the wrong places, and a failure for the planning system to really guide to suit society’s changing needs.

There is a need for greater political will to build what we really need. And this issue is not something that the over-65s should solely be concerned by.

Middle-aged people need to recognise this. One day, you will be old and not so able.

Baroness Joan Bakewell is a broadcaster, writer and Labour peer in the House of Lords