In response to the BBC's recent announcement that it plans to axe 1,000 jobs due to a shortfall in TV licence revenue, our reader Rik has written an email of complaint.
In particular, Rik is concerned at the BBC's apparent attempts to emotionally blackmail the Government by highlighting the impact of freezing the TV licence fee on its workforce.
The BBC Director General, Tony Hall, claims that the BBC faces a £150m budget shortfall due to the continued freeze on the fee. Despite previous efficiency savings, a decline in TV licence revenue meant it was necessary to make additional savings by axing 1,000 jobs.
"Despite the progress already made, and the realities of the licence fee being frozen for seven years, a new financial challenge means additional savings must now be found," he said.
The annual fee, which was recently described as "worse than the poll tax" by Culture Secretary John Whittingdale MP, has been frozen at £145.50 since 2010. It is expected that Mr Whittingdale may seek to continue the freeze on the TV licence fee when the BBC's Royal Charter is renewed on 1st January 2017.
Rik has kindly agreed to us reproducing the text of his complaint below:
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The BBC has announced that it will axe 1,000 jobs because of an apparent shortfall in TV licence revenue.
Basically the BBC is threatening to render 1,000 people jobless if they don't get to keep their unfair and wrongful TV licence at the next Royal Charter renewal (end of 2016).
The BBC is a piece of work, THIS IS CALLED BLACKMAIL!!! But I am not surprised that the BBC will stoop to this level as there isn't a level the BBC wouldn't stoop to.
The BBC has always been about extravagant overspending and jaw-dropping wastefulness! The BBC would rather deny a 1,000 people of their livelihoods than give up their opulent lifestyles.
This speaks volumes about their ethical values (or rather lack of). Answer this: If the BBC is so cash strapped then why hasn't Tony Hall taken a pay cut?
In fact, why haven't any of the overpaid members of staff at the BBC been given a pay cut? Especially all those who are undeservedly being paid multiple times more than the Prime Minister of Great Britain (the supposed top-job of Britain).
Why?
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Experience tells us that the BBC doesn't do deep and meaningful reflection or self-criticism, so we'll be interested to see if they bother to send a reply.
1 comment:
You'd think that the top BBC executives would willingly give up their private healthcare perks just to save a few jobs. They could also cut down on holding 'editorial' meetings in fancy restaurants as well - why don't they use a meeting room and make do with tea and biscuits like us plebs?
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