The BBC is NOT a commercial organisation. It is funded by the tax payer and as a public service should not pay commercial level salaries. Further it should not bid against commercial organisations for programming. If we receive rubbish programmes as a result then so be it, we can change channel.

Matthew, Bucks, UK

Sell the BBC to the highest bidder and scrap the license fee. Why should my money be given to these jokers?

Gordon, Glasgow,

it's free for all, where is the moral high ground of BBC bosses? This is suppose to be a public body but it seems it's becoming a haven for high earners. A mini lottery for repeat programs.

h.marph, London,

The BBC is effectively a member of the public sector & like other employees of the public sector, wage rises should be limited to inflation or less. It is disgraceful that executives responsible for plunging programming standards should get this kind of money. The Tories should privatise it.

Donna Walker, Effingham, England

How very moral to award payrises that can't possibly be justified. I will now stop patronising the BBC in protest. If anyone else finds this vaguely obscene then I suggest they do the same.

judy, Liverpool, England

Forget the lottery. Get yourself either an exec's or a presenter's job at the Beeb and you're laughing - all the way to the bank. No wonder media courses have never been so popular.

B Redfern, Zdole, Slovenia

I know of one manager who, when confronted with a "they pay better elsewhere" demand, says he knows that already and then to be helpful provides a list of the companies and their addresses. May I suggest a similar tactic at the BBC?

B Redfern, Zdole, Slovenia

Since their pay seems to be inversely, proportional to the quality of the programmes no doubt next year will be really bumper; especially that of whoever is in charge of "breakfast"

Philip Barnes, preston, england

greedy greedy People they should have no place in our society where the rest of us are expected to accept sub inflation pay rises. What a joke I guess they are very happy knowing they are living off the backs of others.

Shame on you.

Paul Farmer, London, UK

Disgraceful!!! This appalling lot will have to go when Labour go. Why cannot the Tories - specifically Mr Cameron - speak out against such corruption. Such a stetement is exactly what the electorate are seeking by way of a lead out of the mess this country is in.

Terry, Chichester, UK

The BBC online report of this story doesn't mention the 17% pay increase figure and at the same time they admit only 5.89 out of 10 customers trust them - no wonder when they spin a story like that!

John Tomlinson, Brentwood, UK

I don't think I will ever be able to regard the BBC as a public service broadcaster again...more like a "help yourself" organisation.

Roy, WSM,

Can I have a bonus for buying a TV license?

Andy Davies, Glos, UK,

Where would the £300,000 costs for the fake phone-ins come from,the BBC licence payer no doubt! Who needs £4.96million a year -pls justify!

Clearly a good business model needs to be drawn across the board, as without doubt those on top of the tree are shamelessly helping themselves to too much

Kevin, Leicester,

They can't afford horse racing on CEEFAX but manage fat cat bonuses.

They provide less each year yet the fat cats pay keeps going up. Don't you love how the fat cats always say "pay is better elsewhere"?

Why don't they go there then?

Better still reduce the ridiculous pay in other places

Fred, Moray, Scotland

Salaries extorted from the public on threat of criminal prosecution for not having a licence. Even worse than MPs freeloading allowances!

John Smith, Manchester, UK

Chris, If we privatise the pay problem will get worse. Just accept it - these people have no standards and no shame.

Billy Barnett, HK,

Well the BBC is only a branch of the government after all and it is hardly surprising that they also have their grubby hands in the public honeypot.

Rufus, Brentwood,

"Because of the unique way the BBC is funded.... our top execs can have a 17% pay rise. Oh, and bonuses too".

BBC should no longer be funded by licenses, but the scrapping of the license won't happen, because the majority of the money goes into the Treasury

W Smith, Manchester,

Thankyou Labour. Another under achievement at licence payers expense. Flagship programs only reach 10 million viewers. Too many repeats and mediocre programming. When are the licence payers going to see an improvement?

steve tea, manchester, cheshire

I can't wait till TV is no more and the bbc wont be able to take our money!
Good luck for charging customers to watch Eastenders on I-copy youtube-player or selling Last of the Summer Wine on blue ray. Better put some of that £4.96 million away for a rainy day!

simon, worthing, sussex

......and the poor are sent to jail if they don't pay the license!

B Roberts, Bristol, UK

I want know where the money comes from for the pay rises ?
I know -from the staff cutbacks Thompson has made since he started,as well as from the license fee.Disgusting,the BBC have joined the Fat Cats.

john , shrewsbury, uk

It is time to privatise this outdated, publicly funded farce down. Why should millions of Britons be forced to pay for their second rate output and over inflated salaries? People who want to watch the BBC should have the option to subscribe/pay-for-it, like any other media outlet.

Chris , London, UK

Whenever you allow people to decide their own pay rise, they will always see themselves as more valuable than anyone else see's them, thus they give themselves far more than anyone else ever would. The answer, is to not allow people to decide their own pay rises.

Arthur, Newcastle,