Post by Teddy Bear on Jul 23, 2015 22:21:06 GMT
Grrrr!
BBC news presenters' portraits - taken by £20,000-a-DAY photographer: Rankin was hired for marketing campaign as director general was complaining about cuts
By Katherine Rushton, Media And Technology Editor For The Daily Mail
The BBC hired one of the world’s most expensive photographers to take portraits of its staff - even as bosses were complaining to MPs that it could not face any more cuts.
Rankin, who charges upwards of £20,000 a day, was booked for a photo-shoot with Yalda Hakim, a presenter on BBC World News, as part of a marketing campaign designed to boost the BBC brand overseas.
Miss Hakim, who was born in Afghanistan and brought up in Australia, is one of the main presenters on the BBC global news channel and has also fronted reports for Newsnight.
Her expensive photography session took place on 8 July, just days after BBC director general Tony Hall hammered out a new funding deal with the Government, and as bosses were warning that it should not be cut down to size.
Rankin is also thought to have photographed Ian Pannell, the BBC’s international correspondent.
Last night, MPs and campaigners accused the corporation of a ‘baffling’ and ‘wilful’ waste of public funds, totally out of kilter with its poverty plea.
Conservative MP Bill Cash said: ‘Nobody exercised restraint – this is a wilful waste of money. It’s beyond imagination, but not apparently the BBC’s limitless pockets.’
The results of the photo-shoot have not yet been published, but Miss Hakim posted a picture of herself and the renowned photographer on Instagram, under the caption ‘legend’.
Rankin – who was christened John but is known only by his last name – is pouting in the picture, with his camera equipment in the background.
The BBC confirmed the photoshoot took place and would be used as part of a marketing campaign ordered by BBC Worldwide, the Corporation’s commercial arm, which exists to top up its funding.
It would not reveal the cost of the project, but said it had been in the planning for around a year.
It also defended the decision to hire one of the world’s most expensive photographers on the basis that it had come out of BBC Worldwide, rather than directly from the licence fee.
A spokesman said: ‘Quest is a non-licence fee funded BBC Worldwide marketing initiative for international audiences that will build awareness of the unique talent behind BBC content - and showcase British creativity to the world.’
Rankin’s representative confirmed that the photographer’s day rate usually starts at £20,000 and that the portraits are part of a large-scale marketing project to be overseen by the world famous artist.
She did not say how long the project took, but said Rankin had offered the BBC a special price.
‘The overall costs are approximately a fifth of what we would normally charge for a production of this kind. This budget has Rankin not only photographing but also directing and interviewing the talent in an all-in deal, something he was happy to do to work on something he believes in.’
Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the campaign group, the Tax Payers’ Alliance, said: ‘This is a baffling decision. Most commercial organisations get staff photos done, but only the BBC would decide they needed one of the most expensive photographers in the business.’
Conservative MP Andrew Percy added: ‘This sort of extravagance proves how far removed from their viewers some at the top of the BBC are.
‘Rather than hire expensive photographers, most of us make do with the camera on our phones and I’m sure that would have done just fine for a couple of head shots.’
- Rankin was booked for photo-shoot with presenter Yalda Hakim
- She is one of the main presenters on the BBC global news channel
- Photography session took place days after Tony Hall made poverty plea
- Critics accuse the BBC of 'baffling' and 'wilful' waste of public funds
By Katherine Rushton, Media And Technology Editor For The Daily Mail
The BBC hired one of the world’s most expensive photographers to take portraits of its staff - even as bosses were complaining to MPs that it could not face any more cuts.
Rankin, who charges upwards of £20,000 a day, was booked for a photo-shoot with Yalda Hakim, a presenter on BBC World News, as part of a marketing campaign designed to boost the BBC brand overseas.
Miss Hakim, who was born in Afghanistan and brought up in Australia, is one of the main presenters on the BBC global news channel and has also fronted reports for Newsnight.
Her expensive photography session took place on 8 July, just days after BBC director general Tony Hall hammered out a new funding deal with the Government, and as bosses were warning that it should not be cut down to size.
Rankin is also thought to have photographed Ian Pannell, the BBC’s international correspondent.
Last night, MPs and campaigners accused the corporation of a ‘baffling’ and ‘wilful’ waste of public funds, totally out of kilter with its poverty plea.
Conservative MP Bill Cash said: ‘Nobody exercised restraint – this is a wilful waste of money. It’s beyond imagination, but not apparently the BBC’s limitless pockets.’
The results of the photo-shoot have not yet been published, but Miss Hakim posted a picture of herself and the renowned photographer on Instagram, under the caption ‘legend’.
Rankin – who was christened John but is known only by his last name – is pouting in the picture, with his camera equipment in the background.
The BBC confirmed the photoshoot took place and would be used as part of a marketing campaign ordered by BBC Worldwide, the Corporation’s commercial arm, which exists to top up its funding.
It would not reveal the cost of the project, but said it had been in the planning for around a year.
It also defended the decision to hire one of the world’s most expensive photographers on the basis that it had come out of BBC Worldwide, rather than directly from the licence fee.
A spokesman said: ‘Quest is a non-licence fee funded BBC Worldwide marketing initiative for international audiences that will build awareness of the unique talent behind BBC content - and showcase British creativity to the world.’
Rankin’s representative confirmed that the photographer’s day rate usually starts at £20,000 and that the portraits are part of a large-scale marketing project to be overseen by the world famous artist.
She did not say how long the project took, but said Rankin had offered the BBC a special price.
‘The overall costs are approximately a fifth of what we would normally charge for a production of this kind. This budget has Rankin not only photographing but also directing and interviewing the talent in an all-in deal, something he was happy to do to work on something he believes in.’
Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the campaign group, the Tax Payers’ Alliance, said: ‘This is a baffling decision. Most commercial organisations get staff photos done, but only the BBC would decide they needed one of the most expensive photographers in the business.’
Conservative MP Andrew Percy added: ‘This sort of extravagance proves how far removed from their viewers some at the top of the BBC are.
‘Rather than hire expensive photographers, most of us make do with the camera on our phones and I’m sure that would have done just fine for a couple of head shots.’