So many were reluctant to undertake the extravagant and pointless move to Salford that they were effectively “bribed” with our money!
The multimillion-pound sum paid to BBC staff to help them relocate from London to Salford has been branded “difficult to justify” by MPs.
The £24m was spent relocating nearly 900 staff to MediaCityUK at an average of £28,000 per person.
There were 11 cases where the cost exceeded £100,000 per person, with one costing £150,000.
The move of several departments including BBC Sport, BBC Breakfast and Radio 5live was completed in April 2012.
The BBC developed the regional centre in Salford to address the fact that the majority of its decision-making and spending was being done in London.
Margaret Hodge
Public Accounts Committee chairman Margaret Hodge
Many BBC staff who work in Salford were unwilling to speak to Sky News about the relocation allowances, with one describing the move to the North West as a “sensitive issue” within the corporation.
A report by the Public Accounts Committee criticised the large sums paid to staff to make the move and concluded that in future the BBC needs to find a better balance between treating staff fairly and spending licence fee payers’ money in a reasonable way.
By: Lincoln 7 - 18th October 2013 at 09:20
Perchance they havn’t found the ON/OFF switch then?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: charliehunt - 18th October 2013 at 08:44
Well, of course, Linc – but I didn’t want to state it so boldly for fear of upsetting some of our fellow members!!:D
By: Lincoln 7 - 18th October 2013 at 08:25
And it’s worth bearing in mind when the BBC lauds the viewing figures of 10 million for some tripe on dancing or cooking or EastEnders screeching at each other, that another 40 or 50 million are not watching it.
No Chas, They are all watching Top Gear:)
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Derekf - 18th October 2013 at 07:55
Definitely a personal view since I cannot remember the last time I watched anything on ITV; possibly the odd nostalgia prog on ITV3 (or whatever its called) but there has been nothing for several years that has made me feel the need to watch or record it. Actually, Channel 4 has gone downhill too.
That’s certainly our experience. My wife watches Coronation Street and that’s about the only ITV programme in our planner these days. A large proportion of our viewing is time-shifted on the “tyrannical” Sky channels but the rest is divided between the BBC channels and C4. Among the usual whining about the BBC, it still produces some of the finest broadcasting in the world, you only have to go back to look at their Olympic coverage to see that. The BBC isn’t perfect, what large corporation is.
Oh and if you are still sitting through adverts while watching Sky channels then you’re doing it wrong and need to ask someone how to use the On-demand service or the pause function 🙂
By: charliehunt - 17th October 2013 at 21:31
And it’s worth bearing in mind when the BBC lauds the viewing figures of 10 million for some tripe on dancing or cooking or EastEnders screeching at each other, that another 40 or 50 million are not watching it.
By: hampden98 - 17th October 2013 at 21:25
Ahh, that old institution the BBC.
Easy solution. Have adverts, get rid of the license fee and they can do what they like with their money.
I may stop by one day when I’m browsing the 80+ channels on my tivo box. Or watch a film when I’m bored of netflix and my rather large dvd collection.
In fact I’ll probably do what I do now when I think of the bbc.
Not care.
By: charliehunt - 17th October 2013 at 20:50
Whitechapel, Downton Abbey, The Leaving, Broadchurch, Bletchley Circle, The Guilty, The Making of a Lady etc etc…..just a few recent ITV dramas.
By: snafu - 17th October 2013 at 20:31
There is good output on ITV…
Definitely a personal view since I cannot remember the last time I watched anything on ITV; possibly the odd nostalgia prog on ITV3 (or whatever its called) but there has been nothing for several years that has made me feel the need to watch or record it. Actually, Channel 4 has gone downhill too.
By: John Green - 17th October 2013 at 20:23
Re 21
Alan. Spot on!
Re 30
Charlie,
The BBC is too seriously big and too seriously politicised to be capable of meaningful change. This afternoon I listened to a brief discussion about education on Radio 4. What a travesty ! If ever anything confirmed the role of the BBC as a hard left organisation this was it. I didn’t measure the precise allocation of time but, it went something like this; the Fred Kite education speaker got 5 minutes and the opposition – giving a sensible and measured argument got one.
I don’t know why the BBC bothers or, why they feel the need to impress with their ‘even handedness’.
By: charliehunt - 17th October 2013 at 19:58
Since we pay for it we have every right to snipe. Of course the BBC isn’t perfect, but it could make a great deal more effort to reduce its imperfections.
By: silver fox - 17th October 2013 at 19:43
Easy to snipe isn’t it, sure the BBC aren’t perfect for every one, no broadcaster will achieve that, but please spare us from the non stop stream of ads interspersed with a few minutes of tv programme as per ITV, or even worse abandon us all to the tyranny of SKY, where we pay a monthly contribution (generally more than licence fee) and have the dubious pleasure of watching wall to wall ads as well.
By: charliehunt - 17th October 2013 at 19:24
Well of course it is and we each have out own.
All the BBC has to do is to concentrate on making high quality programmes in all categories without recourse to rating chasing. It has no advertisers to satisfy so its ratings obsessed output is wholly unnecessary. It’s once proud tradition of documentary making has been dumbed down by second rate populist presentation, with a few honourable exceptions.
The amount of time and money it spends on trailers endlessly repeated is simply surrogate advertising with trailers integrated into the schedules rather than to be used as a quick filler when timings are adjusted.
I shouldn’t think Eastenders with adverts will be any different from Eastenders without adverts…….
By: trumper - 17th October 2013 at 19:13
Sadly I think the line you draw between ITV and the BBC to be far thinner than you suggest. There is good output on ITV and Channel 4. The overall quality of BBC 4 is what BBC 2 was and still should be. BBC 3 should be closed down. Radios 3 and 4 are indeed worthy of the values the BBC should stand for and so often fails to.
That is a matter of personal opinion,i know that in the evening the tv goes on [i don’t watch it i may add] and BBC will have Eastenders,ITV have Coronation crap,Emerdalecrap,+ umpteen adverts worthy of binning, if bbc go down the advert way i dread to think what would be the outcome.
All the BBC needs is to keep politicians away from it and listen to input from professionals.
By: charliehunt - 17th October 2013 at 19:11
In its present form I seriously doubt it.
By: AlanR - 17th October 2013 at 18:29
Alan – yes that’s’ right but the real danger for them is that their attitude is unlikely to endear them to those responsible for renewing their Charter.
It will still be renewed though, that’s a certainty
By: charliehunt - 17th October 2013 at 17:15
Sadly I think the line you draw between ITV and the BBC to be far thinner than you suggest. There is good output on ITV and Channel 4. The overall quality of BBC 4 is what BBC 2 was and still should be. BBC 3 should be closed down. Radios 3 and 4 are indeed worthy of the values the BBC should stand for and so often fails to.
By: trumper - 17th October 2013 at 16:52
Meanwhile, away from the hysteria,
From the Guardian in May 2013.
The majority of Salford relocation packages – 458 out of 854 in total – were £10,000 or less. However, 188 BBC staff received £50,000 or more and 11 between £100,000 and £150,000.
Another quote from the same article which, no doubt, will be ignored.
Overall, the NAO said that the corporation had done a good job in controlling the cost of establishing its new BBC North broadcasting and production base in Salford
Agreed on that,that was pretty much what the live interview on Radio 5 said.
The BBC should be funded by the licence fee and held accountable for each and everything/body.
There should be some sort of feedback on the types of programmes made as well.
If you go down the road of advertising then you end up with the disaster that is mostly ITV .Look at their programmes,soap after soap ,followed by x factor type hype and i’m a celeb rubbish.
I happen to think that bbc2 ,3 and 4 show some really good stuff ,not to mention the radio stations.
By: charliehunt - 17th October 2013 at 05:32
Alan – yes that’s’ right but the real danger for them is that their attitude is unlikely to endear them to those responsible for renewing their Charter.
By: Derekf - 16th October 2013 at 23:09
Df is defending the bbc hard so that proves they are left wing ; )
Edit …also i see Ed Millipede is doing ok on the expenses ; )
Rather blindly following one dogma or another, I think it’s more important to try get at the facts in any debate. Something others might do well to try sometime. Interesting that none of the points I’ve made have been challenged or discussed.
There was me thinking that it was a discussion forum as well.
Once again, my work here is done…….
By: bazv - 16th October 2013 at 22:49
Df is defending the bbc hard so that proves they are left wing ; )
Edit …also i see Ed Millipede is doing ok on the expenses ; )
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October 16, 2013 at 10:37 am