The key word here is 'gratuitous'. For the benefit of non-UK readers, Parris was presenting Pick of the Week, which features highlights of the week's broadcasting. The excerpt in question came from a programme investigating the origin of the pub name 'The Black Boy'; it contained a very short clip of traditional singing, which Parris chose for the sole purpose of rubbishing it.

The gratuitousness is compounded by the fact that the BBC had broadcast two excellent programmes in the last 7 days - an extended interview with Shirley Collins and Morris Dancing from the perspective of team psychology. Either or both might have featured on any other edition of POTW.