Prime Minister Theresa May is set to insist that more than 100 BBC stars earning in excess of £150,000 a year have their salaries disclosed.
The move toughens up the deal agreed by her predecessor David Cameron under a new 11-year BBC charter which safeguarded the corporation’s licence fee income.
Under that arrangement “talent” was exempt from a rule which says BBC staff earning more than £150,000 a year must have their salaries disclosed.
The Daily Mail reports that 109 on-air figures – including a number of journalists – will also have their salaries disclosed (to within a £50,000 band.
The BBC’s best paid journalists are thought to include: political editor Laura Kuenssberg, Today presenters Nick Robinson and John Humphrys, newsreaders Hugh Edwards, Sophie Raworth and Fiona Bruce; Newsnight host Evan Davis and Radio 4 PM presenter Eddie Mair (pictured interviewing Boris Johnson).
BBC Trust chair Rona Fairhead signalled her intention to resign this week rather than apply to chair the BBC’s new unitary board in an open recruitment process.
Cameron had previously said Fairhead could stay on as head of the BBC’s new unitary board (which will replace the trust and the current executive board) until 2018.
Instead the Government will now appoint the head of the new board which will be tasked with ensuring the corporation’s “strategy, creativity and output are in the public interest”.
The Daily Mail reports that in response to concerns over the independence of the BBC under its new unitary board, the Government will not now appoint the deputy chairman of the body.
UPDATE:
The Government has now published full details of the new draft BBC charter confirming the need for more transparency over pay for “talent”.