Post by Teddy Bear on Jul 16, 2010 17:08:43 GMT
If the BBC were producing quality programmes, and were sticking to their mandate to be fair, balanced, and impartial with their news reporting and output then the fact that the executives running it were rewarding themselves with public money on dubious expenses would not be so galling.
Since they are the epitome of biased reporting with a paucity of good programmes, with the BBC having reduced their expense to make good programmes by 13% in the last 4 years despite receiving
a higher licence fee budget, it makes me want to see them hanging from trees.
BBC executives spend thousands on expenses
The deputy Director General of the BBC claimed £4,878 in expenses for flights to South Africa during the World Cup Final.
By Holly Watt and Jon Swaine
Published: 7:00AM BST 16 Jul 2010
Mark Byford flew to Johannesburg in business class and then spent a further £582 flying to Nairobi in Kenya. Mr Byford was one of several senior BBC employees to spend thousands on business class flights during a three-month period for the first quarter of this year.
He visited South Africa as a guest of FIFA and the cost of his flights will add to concern over the costs of the BBC covering the World Cup which included building a £1million television studio.
Mr Byford also spent £3,835 on flight to Washington, according to newly published BBC expenses figures.
Dominic Coles, the chief operating officer of the BBC's journalism group, spent £3,552 flying to South Africa during the World Cup Final. Mr Coles, who is paid £257,500 a year, also claimed £2,944 to fly to Washington DC and £3,819 to fly to Atlanta, shortly before the Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
Jana Bennett, the Director of Vision, whose total remuneration was £515,000 last year, claimed £2,280 for flying to New York, £2,368 flying to Los Angeles and £2,939 flying to Washington DC.
Miss Bennett’s expenses have attracted criticism in the past after she claimed almost £2,000 for flowers – including £100 on a congratulatory bouquet for Jonathan Ross as he considered his £18 million contract. She also claimed £500 towards the cost of the contents of her handbag, which was stolen from her "while on official business".
Erik Huggers, the BBC's director of future media & technology, claimed £6,005 for a trip to America, which included stops in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Mr Huggers, who earned £223,000 last year, also claimed £585 to fly to Barcelona for a conference.
The BBC’s Head of Safety Paul Greeves ruiceived £3,636 for the costs of flights while accompanying the Director General Mark Thompson to Islamabad and Kabul. Mr Thompson claimed for the trip to Islamabad and Kabul, as well as £5,742 for travelling to Los Angeles.
BBC executives continued to invoice licence-fee payers for drinks enjoyed at major media awards ceremonies.
James Lancaster, the corporation’s head of rights and business affairs, claimed £48 for his drinks bill at the Brit Awards in February this year. He then claimed £33 for his taxi home.
In the same month Emma Swain, the head of knowledge commissioning, claimed £435 for “table wine and water” at the Royal Television Society (RTS) awards.
George Entwhistle, the controller of knowledge commissioning, claimed £513 for “hospitality” at the RTS and Broadcast awards, including drinks bills, the following month. Other executives spent hundreds of pounds at the RTS awards, including the Head of Newsroom Mary Hockaday and the Head of Newsgathering Francesca Unsworth.
Other executives spent large sums on celebratory meals for people involved in long-running programmes.
In October 2009 John Yorke, the controller of drama production and new talent, claimed £1,335.90 for a meal for the staff of BBC One’s ‘Doctors’, to “celebrate 10 years of the show”.
Two months later Mark Linsey, the controller of entertainment commissioning, claimed £534 for an “end of series thank you lunch” for an unspecified programme
Thousands of pounds in licence-fee revenue again went on taxis and mini-cabs. Ms Bennett, the director of BBC vision, claimed £2,736 for cabs during the period.
By contrast Adrian Van Klaveren, the controller of BBC Radio 5 Live, regularly took the London Underground instead, claiming back £1.80 for each single trip. In March 2010 he took the bus to a radio conference, and claimed back the £2 fare.
Details of entertainment enjoyed by BBC executives were also disclosed. Mr Van Klaveren was given tickets and lunch for the races at Cheltenham, where he “discussed 5 Live coverage”
Meanwhile in January this year Sharon Baylay, the director of marketing, communications and audiences was given tickets to Cirque du Soleil by the RKCRYR creative agency.
A BBC spokesman said: "Mark Byford was invited to the World Cup Final by Fifa as part of his responsibilities, which include BBC Sport.
"During his stay, he had meetings with various organisations including Fifa, as well as visiting the news bureaux in South Africa and Nairobi. During his visit he stayed in accommodation that was already being used by BBC Sport for the World Cup and not in a hotel.
"In line with BBC policy, he travelled business class as he was going straight into a series of meetings."
Since they are the epitome of biased reporting with a paucity of good programmes, with the BBC having reduced their expense to make good programmes by 13% in the last 4 years despite receiving
a higher licence fee budget, it makes me want to see them hanging from trees.
BBC executives spend thousands on expenses
The deputy Director General of the BBC claimed £4,878 in expenses for flights to South Africa during the World Cup Final.
By Holly Watt and Jon Swaine
Published: 7:00AM BST 16 Jul 2010
Mark Byford flew to Johannesburg in business class and then spent a further £582 flying to Nairobi in Kenya. Mr Byford was one of several senior BBC employees to spend thousands on business class flights during a three-month period for the first quarter of this year.
He visited South Africa as a guest of FIFA and the cost of his flights will add to concern over the costs of the BBC covering the World Cup which included building a £1million television studio.
Mr Byford also spent £3,835 on flight to Washington, according to newly published BBC expenses figures.
Dominic Coles, the chief operating officer of the BBC's journalism group, spent £3,552 flying to South Africa during the World Cup Final. Mr Coles, who is paid £257,500 a year, also claimed £2,944 to fly to Washington DC and £3,819 to fly to Atlanta, shortly before the Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
Jana Bennett, the Director of Vision, whose total remuneration was £515,000 last year, claimed £2,280 for flying to New York, £2,368 flying to Los Angeles and £2,939 flying to Washington DC.
Miss Bennett’s expenses have attracted criticism in the past after she claimed almost £2,000 for flowers – including £100 on a congratulatory bouquet for Jonathan Ross as he considered his £18 million contract. She also claimed £500 towards the cost of the contents of her handbag, which was stolen from her "while on official business".
Erik Huggers, the BBC's director of future media & technology, claimed £6,005 for a trip to America, which included stops in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Mr Huggers, who earned £223,000 last year, also claimed £585 to fly to Barcelona for a conference.
The BBC’s Head of Safety Paul Greeves ruiceived £3,636 for the costs of flights while accompanying the Director General Mark Thompson to Islamabad and Kabul. Mr Thompson claimed for the trip to Islamabad and Kabul, as well as £5,742 for travelling to Los Angeles.
BBC executives continued to invoice licence-fee payers for drinks enjoyed at major media awards ceremonies.
James Lancaster, the corporation’s head of rights and business affairs, claimed £48 for his drinks bill at the Brit Awards in February this year. He then claimed £33 for his taxi home.
In the same month Emma Swain, the head of knowledge commissioning, claimed £435 for “table wine and water” at the Royal Television Society (RTS) awards.
George Entwhistle, the controller of knowledge commissioning, claimed £513 for “hospitality” at the RTS and Broadcast awards, including drinks bills, the following month. Other executives spent hundreds of pounds at the RTS awards, including the Head of Newsroom Mary Hockaday and the Head of Newsgathering Francesca Unsworth.
Other executives spent large sums on celebratory meals for people involved in long-running programmes.
In October 2009 John Yorke, the controller of drama production and new talent, claimed £1,335.90 for a meal for the staff of BBC One’s ‘Doctors’, to “celebrate 10 years of the show”.
Two months later Mark Linsey, the controller of entertainment commissioning, claimed £534 for an “end of series thank you lunch” for an unspecified programme
Thousands of pounds in licence-fee revenue again went on taxis and mini-cabs. Ms Bennett, the director of BBC vision, claimed £2,736 for cabs during the period.
By contrast Adrian Van Klaveren, the controller of BBC Radio 5 Live, regularly took the London Underground instead, claiming back £1.80 for each single trip. In March 2010 he took the bus to a radio conference, and claimed back the £2 fare.
Details of entertainment enjoyed by BBC executives were also disclosed. Mr Van Klaveren was given tickets and lunch for the races at Cheltenham, where he “discussed 5 Live coverage”
Meanwhile in January this year Sharon Baylay, the director of marketing, communications and audiences was given tickets to Cirque du Soleil by the RKCRYR creative agency.
A BBC spokesman said: "Mark Byford was invited to the World Cup Final by Fifa as part of his responsibilities, which include BBC Sport.
"During his stay, he had meetings with various organisations including Fifa, as well as visiting the news bureaux in South Africa and Nairobi. During his visit he stayed in accommodation that was already being used by BBC Sport for the World Cup and not in a hotel.
"In line with BBC policy, he travelled business class as he was going straight into a series of meetings."