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The BBC‘s boss has been accused by staff of ‘chuckling’ at licence fee payers after he said it was amazing people are still paying it.
Tim Davie sparked a backlash after a talk with staff in which he said it was ‘glorious’ that the broadcaster had ‘better budgets than some of the commercial operators’ and was not required to ‘make a profit on everything’.
One BBC insider last night accused the corporation’s director general of being ‘happy to chuckle’ at people being forced to pay the ‘outdated’ fee. Staff were infuriated at the comments in light of the current cost-of-living crisis.
The remarks by Mr Davie were made at a staff meeting on Tuesday at BBC South. Staff are poised to go on strike over plans to cut programming in local radio.
‘It’s truly amazing what we’re pulling off by the way,’ he said, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Reportedly, Tim Davie (pictured) said: ‘It’s truly amazing what we’re pulling off by the way’
‘That most households are pretty happy paying a licence being a forced payment. It’s amazing what we’re pulling off.’
But a long-serving BBC source said the remarks were ‘offensive’. They said: ‘He’s tone deaf. He doesn’t understand the BBC or its values.’
Another insider said: ‘It’s the utter arrogance of the man and his team of cohorts who are happy to chuckle at those forced to pay an outdated poll tax that has no relevance in 21st century Britain, especially during the current cost-of-living crisis – many of us on the shop floor at the Beeb have all been put at risk.’
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But a well-placed source defended Mr Davie, saying: ‘The BBC has always been absolutely clear that it’s a complete and utter privilege to have the licence fee.’ The director general reportedly told staff: ‘We’ve got to be careful at the BBC in terms of our message to the outside world, that is 22 and a half, 23billion secured [£23billion over six year licence fee deal], that we’ve got by law.
‘People think we’re the cat with the cream at the moment and I know it doesn’t feel like that internally and I really am very sensitive about saying that.’
Last week the BBC’s chairman Richard Sharp admitted the £159 licence was ‘regressive’.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
