BBC tech staff 'paid below market rate'

The BBC Trust has warned that the corporation's top technology staff are currently being paid "well below" the commercial market average.

Yesterday, the Trust moved to back plans to cull over 100 senior BBC managers and also trim top executive pay by 25% over the next three and a half years.

In its report, the governing body identified a "few areas" where BBC remuneration has risen "above the median of the specific labour market involved".

However, it also highlighted certain 'hostpots' where restraint in senior manager remuneration has meant that executives are being paid "well below relevant labour market benchmarks", which was "particularly true in the technology sector".

As the BBC is a licence-fee funded organisation, The Trust said that its approach to pay "must recognise both its market-facing environment and its public funding source".

The report indicated that BBC salary packages ranged between 20-80% lower than their equivalents in the commercial marketplace. Remuneration across all BBC senior managers also varied widely, with the average salaries of TV executives being 24% higher than those in radio or news.

"Notwithstanding these pockets, the general picture is one of restraint in pay settlements, with BBC senior managers receiving an average annual pay settlement that mirrors both the private and public sectors," the report concluded.

"It is important to emphasise that this effect is seen across the staff population, not just senior managers."

The Trust further acknowledged that people joining the BBC often view the move as a "CV enhancer", despite the greater public scrutiny involved.