Sale of BBC Television Centre confirmed by BBC Trust

Mark Thompson was challenged directly over Jonathan Ross's salary on BBC News 24 today - let's just say he failed to justify it.


Also though, MediaGuardian told us yesterday how much members of the BBC Trust were being paid for a two-day week! Ridiculous - all they do is rubber stamp the ideas of the management.


As for BBC 2W going - that was inevitable considering the analogue BBC Two Wales was being turned off - though I'd have liked them to keep the name myself and effectively axe BBC Two Wales instead.


I don't think the plans for BBC Local TV were ever really feasible either.

Industry-wide salary rates would have to be exactly that - ie. no bonuses.

It's easy to jump on the anti-cartel, anti-union bandwagon and condemn "Spanish practices" but the postmen are a perfect example of how they can sometimes be a good thing. Ultimately they are striking to save their own hides but the knock-on effect for public service is that if they win, the service the public has come to expect from would be more or less the same - that is, people can post a first class letter one day and more or less be guaranteed it gets there the following day. Crozier wants to cut back collections, and manning so there'll be less deliveries and at no guaranteed time - something which will ultimately drive people into the arms of alternative courier services and might kill the Royal Mail. Bravo our postmen.

A long-standing institution like the BBC should be reassessed every decade or so.

It's a shame that it has to happen due to (relative) cuts, but even the few ideas on this thread show just how wasteful BBC managers have been in the recent past.

They'll be mindful of that factor, however, and won't make too many changes that cause past decisions to be questioned.

They're like the board of Directors of any company, they aren't full time. Pay isn't just linked to the number of hours you work, it's the responsibility the job holds that you get paid for.

Someone at the bottom of the hierarchy has responsiility just for themselves, those at the top are responsible for the jobs, assets and the budget for the whole organisation.

The trust don't just 'rubber stamp' they have big powers of decision making

Jonathan Ross must get super stressed then!

The bloke from the Telegraph summed it up perfectly last night on Newsnight : it's a bit like Jeremy Paxman going home and saying "Mrs Paxman, we're broke," and her to reply "OK then, I'll stop buying teabags."

It's ridiculous!

On screen talent is diffrent of course, shoyuld have mentioned that.

He's paid due to the numbers he pulls in.. he's 6 million people stressed!

Did Paxo go off on one? http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsnight/ is currently forbidden...

No, they don't just 'rubber stamp', they have to justify their existence. There's probably now something (else perhaps ?) in the BBC's strategy that isn't useful or necessary.

(Of course, they (probably) asked some good questions, too.)

But being a member of the BBC Trust carries does not carry a great deal of responsibility.

If they make any sort of questionable decision, the media tells them about it and the Trust then has the chance to change that decision- it usually gets modified- soon afterwards.

Sorry to be logically, but what exactly is the point of broadcasters trying to ahead in this oh so glorious 'digital age' and delivering content on different platforms if the content itself is going to suffer in the process? Seems like the most stupid thing I've ever heard.

That must be his Radio 2 audience.

His television audience is nowhere near that.

How many listeners does Ken Bruce have ?

6m - he wishes! Other shows - both on radio and TV - pull in far bigger audiences.





As one of the columnists points out on MediaGuardian, it's the BBC agreeing to take on these costs which have resulted in this burden - but of course they only agreed to take them on in order to secure their own future.

OFCOM though have alot to answer for - the "digital dividend" from spectrum switchover should more than cover the costs, yet they won't even consider giving them the space to run a decent HD service on Freeview, and thus plunging British TV back lightyears behind other nation as it begins it's new era.