Post by Teddy Bear on Nov 2, 2013 17:52:28 GMT
I questioned this appointment on this thread, but feel it's really worth it's own one.
The BBC already currently employ 140 people in its PR department - considering that the public are forced to pay for it, does that seem odd?
Now in light of all the scandals that have emerged over the past year surrounding the BBC, they feel that they need a former Labour party spin-doctor to help with their tarnished image.
They clearly don't understand that if they had decent ethics and morals, and treated the public with the respect it deserves, this might ultimately rebalance the image the BBC has. Instead they continue to treat the public as suckers, and will give us more bullshit.
The BBC already currently employ 140 people in its PR department - considering that the public are forced to pay for it, does that seem odd?
Now in light of all the scandals that have emerged over the past year surrounding the BBC, they feel that they need a former Labour party spin-doctor to help with their tarnished image.
They clearly don't understand that if they had decent ethics and morals, and treated the public with the respect it deserves, this might ultimately rebalance the image the BBC has. Instead they continue to treat the public as suckers, and will give us more bullshit.
BBC pays Tony Blair's former spin doctor £150k to be part-time PR man
By Andrew Pierce
The BBC is paying one of Tony Blair’s former spin doctors £150,000 a year as a part-time public relations adviser.
The appointment has infuriated Tory MPs as the BBC already has 140 staff in its in-house PR department, with a salary bill of around £5million.
Godric Smith, 48, was hired to help restore the BBC’s battered reputation after the scandal over Jimmy Savile, fat-cat salaries, and the £25million redundancy bill for 150 senior managers.
Mr Smith was recruited in the summer by former Labour Cabinet minister James Purnell, who joined the BBC in February as the £295,000-a-year director of Strategy and Digital. The pair worked closely together at No10.
His salary and working arrangements were not disclosed, but the Mail understands he is paid £150,000 a year.
The corporation appears to be bending its own recruitment roles by bringing Mr Smith on to its payroll without a formal public tender. Advisers can be paid up to £150,000 a year without the need to publicly advertise the post, but Mr Smith is poised to be given a pay rise only months after he arrived.
As his new fee would go through the threshold, the BBC will have to go through the motions of advertising the post even though Mr Purnell is close to signing off the enhanced deal.
Mr Smith, who was a civil servant rather than a Labour Party employee, was a key figure in Downing Street during Mr Blair’s time in office. After succeeding Alastair Campbell as the PM’s official spokesman, he became head of strategic communications.
After leaving No10 he became head of communications at the Olympics Delivery Authority, which was set up by the Blair government. In January Mr Smith set up his own company, London Incorporated, which claims to offer ‘experience from the highest levels in Government, business and London 2012’.
A BBC spokesman refused to say how many hours a week Mr Smith is contracted to work. ‘The BBC has appointed his company to provide external perspective and expertise on a number of marketing and communications projects,’ he said. ‘This is a vital part of the way in which the BBC manages its reputation.’
Mr Smith’s double act with Mr Purnell has reignited fears that the BBC, under new director general Lord Hall who came from the Royal Opera House, is stuffing its senior ranks with Labour Party ‘cheerleaders’.
Tory MP Steve Barclay, a member of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, said: ‘The BBC seem to be partying like it is 1997 all over again, with new Labour cronies dishing out licence fee bungs to each other without the convenience of a job interview or even having to turn up to the office full-time.’
News of Mr Smith’s deal comes against the backdrop of anger over executive salaries and large pay-offs at the corporation.
The controversy took a new twist yesterday when BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten blocked moves to publish emails about the £680,000 pay-off last year to Caroline Thomson, who was the chief operating officer.
Mr Barclay is appealing to the Information Commissioner after his Freedom of Information requests to see correspondence over the redundancy package were turned down.
‘What has the BBC Trust got to hide?’ he said.
- Godric Smith, 48, was hired to restore the corporation's battered reputation
- Appointment followed Jimmy Savile scandal and fat-cat salaries
- Tory MPs furious as BBC already spend £5m on in-house PR department
By Andrew Pierce
The BBC is paying one of Tony Blair’s former spin doctors £150,000 a year as a part-time public relations adviser.
The appointment has infuriated Tory MPs as the BBC already has 140 staff in its in-house PR department, with a salary bill of around £5million.
Godric Smith, 48, was hired to help restore the BBC’s battered reputation after the scandal over Jimmy Savile, fat-cat salaries, and the £25million redundancy bill for 150 senior managers.
Mr Smith was recruited in the summer by former Labour Cabinet minister James Purnell, who joined the BBC in February as the £295,000-a-year director of Strategy and Digital. The pair worked closely together at No10.
His salary and working arrangements were not disclosed, but the Mail understands he is paid £150,000 a year.
The corporation appears to be bending its own recruitment roles by bringing Mr Smith on to its payroll without a formal public tender. Advisers can be paid up to £150,000 a year without the need to publicly advertise the post, but Mr Smith is poised to be given a pay rise only months after he arrived.
As his new fee would go through the threshold, the BBC will have to go through the motions of advertising the post even though Mr Purnell is close to signing off the enhanced deal.
Mr Smith, who was a civil servant rather than a Labour Party employee, was a key figure in Downing Street during Mr Blair’s time in office. After succeeding Alastair Campbell as the PM’s official spokesman, he became head of strategic communications.
After leaving No10 he became head of communications at the Olympics Delivery Authority, which was set up by the Blair government. In January Mr Smith set up his own company, London Incorporated, which claims to offer ‘experience from the highest levels in Government, business and London 2012’.
A BBC spokesman refused to say how many hours a week Mr Smith is contracted to work. ‘The BBC has appointed his company to provide external perspective and expertise on a number of marketing and communications projects,’ he said. ‘This is a vital part of the way in which the BBC manages its reputation.’
Mr Smith’s double act with Mr Purnell has reignited fears that the BBC, under new director general Lord Hall who came from the Royal Opera House, is stuffing its senior ranks with Labour Party ‘cheerleaders’.
Tory MP Steve Barclay, a member of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, said: ‘The BBC seem to be partying like it is 1997 all over again, with new Labour cronies dishing out licence fee bungs to each other without the convenience of a job interview or even having to turn up to the office full-time.’
News of Mr Smith’s deal comes against the backdrop of anger over executive salaries and large pay-offs at the corporation.
The controversy took a new twist yesterday when BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten blocked moves to publish emails about the £680,000 pay-off last year to Caroline Thomson, who was the chief operating officer.
Mr Barclay is appealing to the Information Commissioner after his Freedom of Information requests to see correspondence over the redundancy package were turned down.
‘What has the BBC Trust got to hide?’ he said.