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From Times Online
June 2, 2008

BBC TV stars 'not overpaid' but wages remain secret

Jonathan Ross

Alexander Monro

The BBC is not overpaying its staff, an independent report said today, as the corporation still refused to divulge the wages of its top stars.

A review by the BBC Trust was commissioned following an outcry over huge salaries paid to such star presenters as Jonathan Ross and Graham Norton.

Following publication of the report by Oliver and Ohlbaum Associates, a spokesman for the Trust said there was no evidence that the corporation was "paying more than the market price for leading TV talents" nor that there was any evidence to suggest the corporation was "systematically pushing up prices in the talent market."

It was disclosed last year that Jonathan Ross had signed a three-year contract worth £18 million, although the BBC has yet to confirm the figure, while Graham Norton is said to have agreed a £5 million contract over two years. Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles earns £630,000 annually, while Jeremy Paxman receives £1 million, according to reports.

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"The BBC has to be prepared to walk away from deals that do not offer good value to the audience and to equip itself to do this by continually bringing on new talent and through good succession planning," said Sir Michael Lyons, BBC Chairman.

Mr Lyons added that the BBC needed to do more to achieve value for money. "I do understand that many people will continue to question the salaries paid to some BBC performers," he said.

The BBC revealed that its total spend for on-screen and on-air talent across all sectors had increased by 6 per cent per year the last three years, but that its total expenditure on the top 50 talent was growing at an accelerated rate.

On BBC radio, the report said the corporation had until recently been increasing talent fee rates on average, while commercial radio was slashing rates.

Breaking down these figures further, Jonathan Ross receives in salary per year the license fee of just under 44,500 people while 4700 license payers fund Chris Moyles' wages. How can this be justified? I see no great talent in either man.

shilley, Glasgow, Scotland

The sooner the BBC is privatised the better so the taxpayer does not directly subsidise anyone in this cash rich, never does anything wrong, organisation.

JS, York,

The amount of money suggested is obscene. As much as I enjoy watching and listening to Mr Ross, surely £1m per year is enough to reward anyone.

Those mega wages elevate presenters away from the public whom they serve, us, 'the little people.'

Mr Paxman at £1m - great value.

Susie , St Leonards on Sea, UK

Independant enquiry - really.List the panel,their friends,their socal contacts.This enquiry was into a public body and we should know who represents us.
Every day I resent this expensive,self serving,padded organisation more and more.Like the Labour party only we don't get a vote.

robert everitt, wolverhampton,

Come on, media, there's a freedom of information bill out there!

Bill, Yeovil, UK

Britain: a country that pays its news presenters millions and its pensioners peanuts.

B Redfern, Krsko, Slovenia

The BBC is a major market maker; therefore any monies it pays is the market standart. The BBC should bring on NEW talent and new entertainment and leave commercial enterprises to pay big monies to old shows and established showpeople.

ptrmarran, Outof,

Why on earth does the BBC think that it has to be in that market of 'leading TV talent'? Hand us back our licence fee and leave the blabbering mass-market drivel for the commercial stations.

T Martin, Bromley, Kent

50 grand a month for Moyles and 500 grand a month for Ross? That makes him even more highly paid than that other great entertainment flop, David Beckham. Really there is NO excuse for the licensing fee anymore. Its just another example of a tax that every one moans about but does nothing to fight.

patrick, The Hague, netherlands

Yeah right - and my name is Jonathan Ross !!!!

ian payne, walsall,

Spot on Nicky Binder, Its about time these fools were reigned in a little. We pay our license fees ( unless you're Tony Blair or Gordon Brown, and then we pay for that too), so in effect the BBC is our employee. We must have a say in how much these prima donnas are paid. The board as well.

Alan, London,

This is the report by the BBC trust (Paid by the BBC TV Licence) which has told them what they wanted to hear. Now if the BBC had nothing to hide why have they kept refusing to let the Audit Office in ?

John, Salford, England

Like millions of others who hand over nearly £135 a year to the TV Licencing Stasi...I would like a say on how much Mr Ross is paid.
Quantity does not equal Quality.
What a whitewash...where is the transparency and accountability from this PUBLIC broadcaster?

Nicky Binder, London,

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