BBC chief’s £75k pay rise is an insult to workers facing cuts

The recent news of BBC Director General Tim Davie’s £75,000 pay rise will come as a shock to the thousands of workers that face the threat of continuous cuts, and the millions of over-75s who are now paying the licence fee following the government’s decision to no longer fund the benefit.

The public money spent on this extraordinary 16.6% pay rise could have been put to much better use, for instance retaining skilled talent or investing in diverse programming.

Davie’s pay rise takes him to earning a staggering £525,000 per year, a number which is difficult to justify when considering the hundreds of regional roles that have been cut over the past year.

Unfortunately, we know that the decision to raise Davie’s salary by such an extortionate amount plays into the hands of BBC critics, at a time when the government is questioning the future of public service broadcasting.

Bectu National Secretary Noel McClean says: “It is incomprehensible that at the same time as BBC workers face seemingly relentless cuts and have been asked to show restraint on pay, the Director General has been handed a gargantuan pay rise.

“BBC funding and the licence fee are a political football that the BBC’s enemies love nothing more than to kick about with their mates, unfortunately Tim Davie has left them with an open goal this time. We will be raising this with the BBC.”