It’s time we all took a view on this: for too long the government simply steps in, or the courts do, and takes action against our freedom to watch what many want to and as many turn shy of. One day it is music videos, the next surrogate ads, the third adult shows, the fourth smoking¿ None of this is wrong, in fact most of it is the right step taken in the wrong way. Appoint an independent broadcast authority, empower them to decide on the dos and the don’ts and let them get on with the job. We have been waiting for this elusive but very simple regulatory mechanism ever since and, though the government of the day talks of it forever, nothing ever happens. Meanwhile, watch what you can on TV, never know when it will go off the air.