Similar to Channel 4's red dot, the BBC are starting to place a "PRESS RED" icon on an increasing number of programmes, and while the Channel 4 dot can be temporarily removed by quickly pressing red then 'backup' - at least it works until you change channels - the BBC version cannot.

"But surely since the BBC doesn't have adverts so it won't come back?", some will cry. You'd think so. Channels with adverts make sure the red dots come back after each advert break by refreshing it, but now the BBC are refreshing theirs every few minutes.

This time, though, when you try to press red then 'backup', BBCi immediately launches, so you cannot get rid of it in the same way.

That said, I don't know about you, but I hardly watch live television anymore. I record everything I want to watch on my TiVo and play that back at a time and day to suit myself. This is a device which allows you to watch your programmes when you want to and not when the schedulers decide and more information can be found about it in my review here.

Why does this have an impact? Because if the drones at the BBC want me to 'press red' to access their interactive services then they're sorely mistaken because pressing red during a pre-recorded programme will achieve absolutely nothing. All it will do is screw up any other recordings taking place.

The interactive icons are bad enough on standard or widescreen televisions, but the prices of Plasma screens are coming down and it's on those that the icons will have a much quicker effect on killing the screen. The icons have already claimed the lives of the BBC's own televisions in their reception.

At present a 32" Plasma can be bought for around £2,499. Give it another 12-18 months and a 42" Plasma will be as affordable as a large widescreen TV is now.

Since Comic Relief Does Fame Academy began, the "PRESS RED" is taking the effect as described above. You just cannot get rid of it for any more than a few minutes. It's intensely annoying and it WILL damage your TV. After all, why do you think PC monitors have screensavers? It's time to complain.

You can also use this complaint method to email your feelings about their lengthy voice trailer dropped in during last night's 24 (March 9th 2003) about the subsequent "Pure 24" programme, telling you how you could send your comments into the show. Is the BBC completely staffed by dullards, or is that just the bods in control?

Addition: March 18th, 2003 - Schindler's List.:

Go on, have a big guess. Yes, the "technical error", according to Stuart Murphy, controller of BBC3, that caused a long voice announcement to go out during 24 on Sunday 9th March at around 10.55pm, surfaced its ugly head yet again when, at approximately 1.18am, one was introduced into the BBC1 late-night broadcast of Steven Spielberg's 1993 drama, Schindler's List, making mention of the following week's Oscars broadcast.

Addition: June 9th, 2003 - BBC TWO Scotland.:

If you feel the same, then click the following link which will forward your email to BBC's reception, their Points of View address, the BBC Director General Greg Dyke, BBC1 Controller Lorraine Heggessey, BBC3 Controller Stuart Murphy and the latter's boss, Jana Bennett and BBC2 controller Jane Root. A copy of the email will also go to Logo Free TV, who are keeping a record of all the protests made against the BBC.

If you include further text with your email, please keep the replies polite and to the point.

CLICK HERE TO COMPLAIN

News page content input by Dominic Robinson, 2003.

DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier.

PC games reviewed by the editor are on: