BBC Trust chairman hits back at critics

BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons retaliates against political and Murdoch criticisms regarding excessive BBC pay deals

The chairman ruled out 'excessive salaries' for BBC talent and senior executives as the governing body intends to slim down its financial and editorial hold on the corporation.

In an interview with the Media Guardian, Sir Michael Lyons said: "The BBC relaxed both its editorial grip and its grip on value for money. And to some extent the challenge of recent years has been to reassert that grip and that focus on value for money. Particularly in how much you pay to top managers and onscreen talent."

There has been quite a bit of public outrage over pay deals awarded to the likes of Jonathan Ross, who will leave at the end of his three-year £18m contract.

Lyons commented on James Murdoch's attack on the upcoming BBC strategic review claiming that the review was "Starting from the point of what the BBC's mission is rather than the interests of a very successful satellite broadcaster wanting to get us off its turf".

Lyons blamed a relaxed culture at the BBC in the early noghties for some of today's issues.

The corporation has also come under criticism from former chairman of Channel 4, Luke Johnson, in his first column on the media industry. He said: "I failed to properly understand that the BBC is the single most influential lobbying organisation in Britain."

The BBC will always be under fire by the commercial rivals as its public/private set up allows it certain advantages that solely commercial broadcasters do not have.

Source: Guardian

Published on: 08/02/2010 11:12:00