BBC chief alarmed by culture secretary's 'slip of the tongue'

Published on Saturday 4 September 2010 17:02

THE BBC has hit back at comments by the UK culture secretary likening the broadcaster to an arms-length government department.

Director general Mark Thomson said he was alarmed by a statement from Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, which indicated that the BBC may have to accept cuts of up 25 per cent in line with other government departments.

Thomson said: "We are not part of government, so I'm sure it was a slip of the tongue by Jeremy. We are an independent public institution and we must never be thought of as an intrinsic part of government."

Speaking at the Edinburgh International Television Festival last week, Hunt said the BBC "has to live on the same planet as everyone else" and accept cuts.

He was then asked whether he considered the BBC to be a government department. "I wouldn't describe it as a government department. It is an arm's length body, a public body," he replied.

Thomson insisted that it was up to licence fee-payers to decide the corporations future, not government ministers. He said: "The public pay and own the BBC. The public come first.

"Should the BBC be realistic and recognise the pressures across the rest of the public side of life in this country? Yes it should. But I would say the BBC has always been an independent organisation. The government will turn to the issue of BBC funding in 2011 and I am sure they will do it on its own merits.

"I hope they will want to talk to the public about what they want to see and what they want them to do in the future and base it on that."