Former chairman Michael Grade blasts BBC for being ‘too big’
FORMER BBC chairman Michael Grade yesterday said the organisation was too big and “almost unmanageable”.
Mr Grade also told the Edinburgh International Television Festival the BBC should share some of the licence fee with Channel 4.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt had admitted earlier he could not rule out a reduction in the licence fee – and BBC boss Mark Thompson has warned of massive job cuts.
Mr Grade said: “The real issue in the modern world is how big should the BBC be? Does it need all those digital channels, does it need all those radio stations, does it need to occupy all that territory?”
He insisted licence fee payers should be able to decide what services the broadcaster axes, adding: “The BBC has to contract. It’s just too big, almost unmanageable.”
Mr Grade, who has served as BBC chairman, BBC1 controller and boss of Channel 4, claimed both channels should compete for a share of the licence fee. He said: “That would sharpen up the BBC’s value for money instincts and secure Channel 4.”
Mr Hunt told the festival the BBC should have more “discipline” and “live on the same planet as everyone else”.
He said: “Government, apart from the NHS and international development, is looking at cuts of 25 per cent.”
The Beeb is under fire for large sums paid to its stars and top managers – but Mr Thompson, BBC director general, revealed on Friday that senior staff would be reduced by at least a fifth.
