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BBC is too bloated, says Cameron Top BBC staff overpaid - Cameron
(41 minutes later)
Conservative leader David Cameron has called the BBC "bloated" and accused senior executives of being "overpaid". Senior staff at the BBC are being paid more than they should be, Conservative leader David Cameron has said.
Writing in The Sun newspaper he argued that salaries - such as the £800,000-plus paid to director general Mark Thompson - were not "necessary". He argued that director-general Mark Thompson - who earns more than £800,000 a year - had "one of the best jobs in the country".
Mr Cameron described the phone calls made by Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand to actor Andre Sachs as "sick". He told BBC Radio 4's The World at One: "I don't think it's quite necessary to pay such high wages to staff."
But he said the BBC was "respected at home and abroad" and defended the use of the licence fee. But Mr Cameron said he was not "piling in" to the row over prank phone calls by Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross.
'Lost touch'
In his article, Mr Cameron said the corporation had "lost touch with the values of the people who support it."
He added: "How could anyone who works at an organisation that prides itself as socially responsible possibly have approved broadcasting the sick telephone calls made by Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand."
Mr Brand has resigned as a Radio 2 DJ over the calls, with Mr Ross being suspended without pay for 12 weeks.
The episode has focused attention on the salaries paid to BBC presenters and executives - Mr Ross earns £6m a year.
Mr Cameron asked "why on earth is the director-general paid over £800,000 a year?"
He said: "I simply don't believe these kinds of salaries are necessary to get the best candidates.
"These are some of the best jobs in British broadcasting and it is a huge honour to be asked to do them."
On Sunday, Mr Thompson told BBC One's Andrew Marr show: "I think we are heading towards a period where it is probably the case that we will be able to secure the best entertainment talent for less than we have been able to do in the last few years."
But he said he was paid "significantly less" than his opposite numbers at ITV and Channel 4, as were on-air presenters and other senior executives.