In an independent survey of people's opinions on imperial or metric units in broadcast weather forecasts, 74% of those who expressed a preference said they wanted imperial. Women feel even more strongly with 78% preferring imperial. Virtually all age ranges prefer imperial. Even the youngest, the metric educated age group, 18-24, is finely balanced with 48% preferring imperial.

This evidence contradicts the BBC's ludicrous assertion that "The majority of people under 40 years old do not understand imperial measurement and the majority over 40 years do not understand metric measurements."

The love of our traditional measures is rooted deep in our culture. So what causes the inexplicable craving to abolish them? The real reason for the BBC's arrogant attitude is revealed in a quote by Jonathan Amos of BBC News Online, "We are now in the bosom of Brussels." The BBC has decided to collaborate with Brussels and force-feed the population with metric measures. The opinion survey shows how out of touch it is with the listening and viewing public.

This loathing of our customary measures goes against the earlier policy set out by the BBC Chairman, Sir Christopher Bland, who wrote to the British Weights & Measures Association saying, "We are not in the business of imposing anything on the public..."

It is time the BBC, and weather forecasters in general, took notice of what the public wants and give renewed priority to our traditional imperial measures.

THE SURVEY RESULTS	British Weights & Measures Association
	Weather Forecasting Survey
	Fieldwork : March 29th-30th & April 1st 2001
Q. Thinking about TV and radio weather forecasts, which of the following kinds of descriptions of weather do you prefer?
	Base: All respondents
	Total	Male	female
Weighted base	1000	486	514
Metric units - total respondents	214	125	89
Metric units %	21%	26%	17%
Imperial units - total respondents	624	301	323
Imperial units %	62%	62%	63%
Don't know	162	61	101
	16%	12%	20%
	Excluding "don't knows"
	Total	Male	female
Weighted base	838	426	412
Metric units - total respondents	214	125	89
Metric units %	26%	29%	22%
Imperial units - total respondents	624	301	323
Imperial units %	74%	71%	78%
	Age breakdown
	18-24	25-34	35-44		45-54	55-64
Weighted base	96	169	169		145	111
Metric units - total respondents	50	61	44		30	15
Metric units %	52%	36%	26%		21%	14%
Imperial units - total respondents	46	108	125		115	96
Imperial units %	48%	64%	74%		79%	86%
Prepared for Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO by ICM Research Limited
For further information CONTACT: Mr Vivian Linacre, BWMA Director, 45 Montgomery Street, Edinburgh EH7 5JX (Tel. & FAX: 0131 556 6080)

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