The Commercial Radio Companies Association has called for greater financial accountability and openness from the BBC in the light of recent revelations over top DJs pay packages. Over the last two weeks, details of the salaries of some of the public broadcaster's highest profile radio presenters, including such names as Chris Evans, Jonathan Ross, and Terry Wogan, were leaked to British tabloids The Mirror and The Sun, prompting the CRCA also to question whether the high salaries revealed are an appropriate use of the licence fee.
CRCA's David McConnell said: "You have to ask to what extent is the money going on what the BBC is supposed to be delivering on, its public service remit? If these figures are right, the BBC is able to offer packages which make it difficult for commercial radio to compete."
Insider sources who expressed fears earlier in the week that the leaks over the scale of BBC salaries will continue have been proved correct, with the latest reports revealing the pay package of BBC1's Newsnight anchor Jeremy Paxman. The BBC has said it is looking into how the leaks came about. A spokeswoman has refused to comment on individual salaries, but said "we are concerned that it has made its way into the public domain and we are looking into that."