Post by Teddy Bear on Jun 14, 2010 12:29:42 GMT
Sending 5 times the number of staff than any in the commercial sector, at a cost of £1.5 million for an event that is watched by less than a million, shows clearly how the BBC wastes the licence fee to send its staff on jaunts rather than for making quality programming - even if it could recognize what that was.
Bloated BBC to send 400 staff to cover Glastonbury despite promise to make cuts
By Beth Hale
Last updated at 2:38 AM on 14th June 2010
The BBC is preparing to send an army of some 400 staff to cover this year's Glastonbury festival.
The decision follows stinging criticism over the decision to send a similar number of workers to last year's festival.
And it comes despite an apparent pledge to reduce spending.
Earlier this year Director General Mark Thompson set out plans for £600million of 'cuts' in an attempt to placate mounting public and political anger over the size of the Corporation and how it spends licence fee money.
The revelation that the BBC, which is funded by the £3.6 billion annual licence fee, is now planning to send hundred of workers back to cover the event this year prompted fury from critics last night.
Coverage of the festival which has television viewing figures averaging less than one million is estimated to have cost the BBC £1.5 million last year.
Among the hoards sent to staff the Somerset festival were 27 television and radio presenters, a 68-strong editorial team and 160 technicians, not to mention the 18 staff to work on interactive content and another 130 contractors to provide technical support and security.
But the claim, reported in the News of the World, that this year's event will be staffed on the same scale drew stinging accusations that the corporation is 'woefully out of touch'.
Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'The BBC don't seem to feel the need to reduce the spending, despite the tough times we're all in.
'The Corporation was pulled up last year for sending so many people to Glastonbury, but they haven't learned.
'There is no need for senior managers or presenters like Andrew Marr to get free trips to music festivals.'
John Whittingdale, newly re-elected chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, said efficiency measures were an issue members would want to discuss with the BBC later in the year.
Glastonbury
The decision follows stinging criticism over the decision to send a similar number of workers to last year's festival
'Glastonbury is an important festival and it is a good thing the BBC cover it,' he said. 'But yet again it does appear that for any event of this kind the BBC end up sending five times as many people as broadcasters in the commercial sector.
'I do think the BBC should be looking for efficiencies and savings and to send this number of people to cover an events like Glastonbury does seem to suggest they are failing to do that.'
Meanwhile Conservative MP Philip Davies, said: 'This is just for me a prime example of how the BBC are an over-bloated organisation.
'In this age of austerity where every part of the public sector is cutting back I don't really understand whey the BBC should be uniquely immune from that.
'It's about time they started living in the real world along with everyone else.'
TV audiences for the four-day festival reach a fraction of the number achieved by other annual events such as Wimbledon, or one-off events such as the Olympics of the World Cup.
But incredibly the 415 people sent to staff the festival in 2009 was just 22 short of the total flown out to the Beijing Olympics.
Earlier this year Mr Thompson said he wanted to 'do fewer things better' as he announced the biggest shake-up in the BBC's 88-year history.
A BBC spokesman insisted that staff figures for this year's event had not been confirmed and were still being finalised.
'Glastonbury is a major British cultural event and widely regarded as the UK's most significant popular music event,' she said.
'Offering extensive, high quality coverage from events like this is an enormous undertaking that demands long hours from large numbers of people.
'But every year our coverage attracts huge audiences and allows millions of people who couldn't get tickets to enjoy the festival from their homes - last year 16 million people tuned in on TV and 6 million on radio.
'We are finalising numbers at the moment but every member of the team will have a clear and accountable role and staff on-site work incredibly hard - very long hours often in difficult circumstances - to offer unparalleled coverage.'
By Beth Hale
Last updated at 2:38 AM on 14th June 2010
The BBC is preparing to send an army of some 400 staff to cover this year's Glastonbury festival.
The decision follows stinging criticism over the decision to send a similar number of workers to last year's festival.
And it comes despite an apparent pledge to reduce spending.
Earlier this year Director General Mark Thompson set out plans for £600million of 'cuts' in an attempt to placate mounting public and political anger over the size of the Corporation and how it spends licence fee money.
The revelation that the BBC, which is funded by the £3.6 billion annual licence fee, is now planning to send hundred of workers back to cover the event this year prompted fury from critics last night.
Coverage of the festival which has television viewing figures averaging less than one million is estimated to have cost the BBC £1.5 million last year.
Among the hoards sent to staff the Somerset festival were 27 television and radio presenters, a 68-strong editorial team and 160 technicians, not to mention the 18 staff to work on interactive content and another 130 contractors to provide technical support and security.
But the claim, reported in the News of the World, that this year's event will be staffed on the same scale drew stinging accusations that the corporation is 'woefully out of touch'.
Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'The BBC don't seem to feel the need to reduce the spending, despite the tough times we're all in.
'The Corporation was pulled up last year for sending so many people to Glastonbury, but they haven't learned.
'There is no need for senior managers or presenters like Andrew Marr to get free trips to music festivals.'
John Whittingdale, newly re-elected chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, said efficiency measures were an issue members would want to discuss with the BBC later in the year.
Glastonbury
The decision follows stinging criticism over the decision to send a similar number of workers to last year's festival
'Glastonbury is an important festival and it is a good thing the BBC cover it,' he said. 'But yet again it does appear that for any event of this kind the BBC end up sending five times as many people as broadcasters in the commercial sector.
'I do think the BBC should be looking for efficiencies and savings and to send this number of people to cover an events like Glastonbury does seem to suggest they are failing to do that.'
Meanwhile Conservative MP Philip Davies, said: 'This is just for me a prime example of how the BBC are an over-bloated organisation.
'In this age of austerity where every part of the public sector is cutting back I don't really understand whey the BBC should be uniquely immune from that.
'It's about time they started living in the real world along with everyone else.'
TV audiences for the four-day festival reach a fraction of the number achieved by other annual events such as Wimbledon, or one-off events such as the Olympics of the World Cup.
But incredibly the 415 people sent to staff the festival in 2009 was just 22 short of the total flown out to the Beijing Olympics.
Earlier this year Mr Thompson said he wanted to 'do fewer things better' as he announced the biggest shake-up in the BBC's 88-year history.
A BBC spokesman insisted that staff figures for this year's event had not been confirmed and were still being finalised.
'Glastonbury is a major British cultural event and widely regarded as the UK's most significant popular music event,' she said.
'Offering extensive, high quality coverage from events like this is an enormous undertaking that demands long hours from large numbers of people.
'But every year our coverage attracts huge audiences and allows millions of people who couldn't get tickets to enjoy the festival from their homes - last year 16 million people tuned in on TV and 6 million on radio.
'We are finalising numbers at the moment but every member of the team will have a clear and accountable role and staff on-site work incredibly hard - very long hours often in difficult circumstances - to offer unparalleled coverage.'