AFTER eleven long years in the waiting, Sunderland can now be a proud city hosting live music at the fantastically equipped Stadium of Light.

For years the people of Sunderland have had to feel inferior travelling to Newcastle or further afield to see the world's finest music acts. It is about time we had some recognition as a major city.

I would like to congratulate Niall Quinn and his colleagues for enabling people from all generations to witness huge acts such as Oasis and Take that, perform almost on their doorstep.

It was no suprise to see an extra date added for Take That. It shows how long Mackems have waited for music gigs like this.

One must feel deeply sorry for those who queued in lightning and hail though, when the second date was announced tickets were available from every website!

What a year 2009 shall be. Let's keep our fingers crossed that we shall have more events in the foreseeable future. Nice one Sunderland!
David Mitchell,
Bexley Street,
Sunderland

Rudest TV show
"DRAWING a line underneath it' has been taken to a new dimension following the statement made by Sir Michael Lyons while being interviewed on national television about the Andrew Sachs controversy.
When asked if the resignation of Lesley Douglas, Radio 2's controller, together with that of Russell Brand would be followed by a similar act by Jonathan Ross, there was a spluttering negative response.
Sir Michael said that he was not responsible for the hiring and firing of BBC personnel as that was not the remit of the Beeb's Trust but rather maintaining the standards of the Corporation.
The Director General of BBC, Mark Thompson, while accepting the resignation of Ms Douglas with sadness, many think that Jonathan Ross should suffer the same fate for his role in the shoddy affair. When one considers his TV show, which surely must be the rudest show on the air, and for which he is paid a huge salary funded by the taxpayer, should also be sacked.
Many are asking was the sanction of three months suspension, without pay, sufficient for the despicable deed?
Is an apology, although comprehensive and unreserved, enough for the hurt he unleashed upon Andrew Sachs and his granddaughter?
While the Beeb is forever boasting upon its insistence upon maintaining high standards, it has failed dismally to do so. One has only to consider the lawless behaviour of young people, not all, but a sizeable minority of them are being influenced by horrendous TV films and other types of brutal programmes polluting the minds of listeners and watchers.
The increase in knife crimes and GBH incidents are assuming proportions that do little to eradicate the public's fear of crime, despite the Home Office instructing police forces to dampen down on reporting or publishing them.
The BBC is dependent upon the taxpayer to fund its programmes, many of which are excellent, however to maintain high standards of proprietary more control should be used to scrutinise them before putting them on air. What better way is than to get rid of those who would, because they think it hip, pollute young minds and outrage public and private dignity with impunity.
Coun GE Howe,
Fulwell Ward,
Sunderland

Foul-mouthed
YES these "stars" think they are above it. It is disgusting how much Ross gets a year for being foul-mouthed. He does not work for that kind of money and I do not like paying his wages.
J Jarvis,
Sunderland city centre

Words of waffle
COUNCILLOR Robert Oliver (Letters, Oct 29), used nearly 300 words of waffle to try and muddy the fact he and his colleague Councillor Peter Wood proposed using hard-pressed council taxpayers' money to subsidise car parking for employees of the big companies on Doxford International. He even invokes the credit crunch and the need to support business in support of his actions.
His claim the idea was popular in Herrington stretches the imagination. Popular naturally in those areas affected by the carparking overspill which no doubt corresponded to the area he consulted.
The idea that the council taxpayer should subsidise car parking for companies as directly as he proposed is anathema to the majority of residents in Herrington and certainly Farringdon and Lakeside where car parking congestion is equally a problem.
Stuart Porthouse certainly stuck a nerve with his letter which was hardly a personal and unproved attack to use Councillor Oliver's own words.
Herrington council taxpayer