As for salaries... Don't people traditionally leave the BBC to earn more elsewhere? Maybe not the execs, but certainly the hosts. In fact, someone pointed out in the thread about Jacqui Smith that BBC execs often earn less as there's such an element of prestige to the job that it makes up for the lower earnings.
Aye, a lot of what is "reported" (I'll use that term loosely) in the press as "outrageous" BBC wages are in fact under what the commercial sector pays, as can be seen right from the top down by the fact that the head of the BBC is paid less than the head of C4, ITV, The Daily Mail, and considerably less than the head of Sky despite having a much bigger operation to run than all bar Sky (who are I believe about 25% bigger, but pay their head guy something like ten times as much).
It's also shown by the fact that many of the "over paid" BBC "stars" and presenters move on to much higher paying jobs at ITV etc without seeming to have any problems...
And that's completely ignoring the fact that some of the "reported salaries" being paid to individuals, are really closer to amount being paid for a whole production, of which the "star" or "host" might own the company being paid, but have to pay all the production costs out of the fee.
Not to mention the DM's faux outrage at BBC staff expenses, all of which are well within the HMRC allowances, are much more tightly watched than most of the commercials, and positively frugal (DM cries about 4 star hotels, and 5 star hotel suites, the reality is that unless there is a very good reason*, apparently the BBC barely pays enough for a travel lodge).
Same again with flights - apparently it's sometimes cheaper to book a better seat and get a higher luggage allowance, than get a cattle class Ryan Air type seat and pay through the nose for luggage that needs to be taken (camera equipment etc), and on the rare occasions execs fly business it's usually because they are expected to be working as soon as they land (thus potentially saving some of their wages, and a hotel for a night).
Then there was the "party boat" for the election that some rags made a fuss over - effectively a mobile backup studio (any broadcaster with common sense tries to have a backup for major events, especially live), what almost certainly cost a lot less all things considered than hiring a studio at a second fixed London location (no point in having a backup studio in the same building as the main one..), that could also be used to interview people/give the main presenters a few minutes rest during what was certain to be a very long night of live work.
if I were of a mind to see conspiracies, I could possibly find some nebulous connection between the source of most of the "outrage" about BBC pay/expenses, and a common ownership of companies who might benefit without the BBC being a viable option in the UK.
*IIRC at Cannes they hired a villa because it was being used to entertaining, and at various major expositions what the DM claims is "luxury" accomodation is often run of the mill for the location)
