The BBC’S culture of irresponsible spending has been fostered by ranks of overpaid managers
SIR – When asked about his salary at the BBC, John Humphrys said he wasn’t worth “tuppence ha’penny” compared to some workers, and would be prepared to take a pay cut.
The fault lies with BBC management insisting that the stars are worth these sums, in order to justify their own salaries. Not one of them is worth a penny more than the Prime Minister.
I’d be happy to have the news read to me by one newscaster, as it was in the Fifties. Trevor Norris
Ross-on-wye, Herefordshire
SIR – I am not particularly concerned about the salaries paid to the BBC’S “stars”. After all, footballers and pop singers receive much more under the guise of entertainment.
I am more suspicious of those in the contractors category. Will someone explain what the identity, analytics and service architects do, and why they warrant such substantial salaries? Nick Kester
Wattisfield, Suffolk SIR – Lord Hall is too concerned about losing talent.
The BBC prides itself on creating stars who become overpaid, immovable monoliths. Short contracts could be the answer – and if people decide to leave, so be it. There is plenty of talent, and the BBC should seek regeneration. Stephen Somerville
London SE5
SIR – I hope that the next Tory MP on the Today programme will ask the “man of the people” presenter how much a pint of milk is. Dr Bertie Dockerill
Durham
SIR – In publishing the list of its highest-paid employees, the BBC appears to have unwittingly given us some insight as to why men are paid far more than their female colleagues.
Almost twice as many men as women feature in the list, but the proportion of men aged 50 and above is almost four times that of the number of women in the same age group. Can we conclude that ageism as well as sexism mean that women are shown the door before they have a chance to match the wealth of the men? Ros Groves
Watford, Hertfordshire
SIR – What the BBC operates is a brutal system of market capitalism. Those who can command enormous salaries at the top are paid what is estimated to be the market value – while those at the bottom are paid little or, in my experience, nothing.
It rankles even more to contrast the payments system of the BBC with its Left-wing agenda. Every comic makes tired jokes about racist Brexiteers and the Daily Mail. Every arts show reflects the worldview of The Guardian. Personally, I admire genuinely Left-wing people who actually live like socialists, but the BBC top brass live like swells and then pose as virtuous anti-establishmentarians. Mary Kenny
Deal, Kent SIR – The disclosure of the earnings of some BBC presenters should end the misconception that the BBC is inefficient and wastes money. Many of the presenters front programmes that are sold worldwide, producing an income of many millions of pounds.
It is also worth noting that many of the critics of BBC salaries actually earn far more than the people they criticise, only for doing less work – while many of the named presenters work across both television and radio, bringing enjoyable, informative programmes to a wide audience. No commercial channel comes close to the range and quality of the BBC’S output. Dr Nick Winstone-cooper
Bridgend, Glamorgan
SIR – Isn’t it time that those of us with television licences were allowed to vote for the BBC presenters we wish to watch? It seems that such decisions are made by men on our behalf, and in some cases, nepotism rules. Elizabeth Wills
Sherborne, Dorset