50 years for everything

There seems to be a great number of things that are celebrating 50th anniversaries at the moment.

ITV has been making the most of its birthday with reams of self-congratulatory 'best of ITV' programmes. Of little surprise, Corrie was voted favourite ITV programme of all time. Let's face it, if you're asked to list quality ITV programmes nowadays you're likely to come up short. Happily the Muppet Show came 8th, although I'm not sure exactly how much input ITV had in that.

As if that wasn't enough, this morning alone BBC Radio 4 has featured a programme marking the 50th anniversary of the patenting of the hovercraft. Very worthy too, and good to hear that after a period of decline a new generation of hovercraft will soon be appearing.

But a half-hour later we discover that From Our Own Correspondent is also celebrating its 50th, originally created it turns out to keep the corporations widely dispersed reporters happy by allowing them getting their experiences heard even if their country of base is not making the headlines otherwise.

Any more takers for a 50th birthday bash?!