Top presenters' salaries at the BBC should be revealed

Top presenters' salaries at the BBC should be revealed

The culture secretary, Ben Bradshaw, has signalled that the BBC should follow the “painful” example of MPs in coming clean over the salaries and expenses of its top stars.

Bradshaw’s intervention comes after the broadcaster repeatedly blocked requests to disclose the amount of money it spends on its highest-paid presenters and other on-screen talent.

The BBC has attracted more complaints than virtually any other public-sector organisation for refusing to make disclosures under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act – despite the fact that its journalists are among its biggest beneficiaries.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Bradshaw, a former BBC correspondent, said: “Organisations that are spending public money should be transparent and open about how they spend it.”

Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw calls for stars’ salaries to be revealed (The Times, 19 July 2009)