LAUNDERING can be carried out easily these days, or, rather, washing dirty linen in public can. Turn on the television and you are bombarded with an array of seedy, unfaithful, shifty or downright crooked people being interviewed or goaded by chat show hosts.

Kilroy, Vanessa, Montel, Trisha, Rolanda - the list seems endless. Sometimes you can change channels and still see these character wheeled out.

Fisticuffs and foul language are commonplace on the Jerry Springer show. Surely the average person would seek the advice of a counsellor, not air their shortcomings in front of millions of viewers. They must be getting well paid.

It is hardly intelligent viewing. Only one good thing - you can turn off the set.

K SOWERBUTTS (Mr), Southwood Drive, Baxenden.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.