The Stage

BBC awards top executives more than £100k pay rise

Published Tuesday 8 July 2008 at 12:55 by Matthew Hemley

BBC head of vision Jana Bennett enjoyed a pay increase of more than £100,000 last year, despite a number of phone-in scandals involving shows under her control and being heavily criticised in a report over her handling of last year’s ‘Crowngate’ affair.

Bennett, who has overall creative and leadership responsibility for BBC1, BBC2, BBC3 and BBC4, saw her pay jump from £433,000 in 2006/7 to £536,000 in 2007/8. Part of this increase was a bonus of £23,000.

Last year, a report into the Corporation’s handling of what has now become known as the ‘Crowngate’ scandal - in which footage misrepresenting the Queen in a promotion for a new documentary was shown to the press - criticised Bennett for her “lack of curiosity” in getting to the bottom of the affair.

The incident led to the resignation of former BBC1 controller Peter Fincham.

Bennett’s pay rise also follows numerous other deception scandals at the BBC, including a phone-in competition on Blue Peter and problems with phone-ins for TV shows including Children in Need and Comic Relief.

Last year, a number of radio programmes were also caught up in deception scandals.

Despite this, BBC head of audio Jenny Abramsky - who is responsible for all of the Corporation’s radio output - was awarded a total pay of £419,000, up from £329,000 in 2006/7. This included a bonus of £19,000.

Both executive directors saw their pay increase, despite announcing last year that the Corporation is to axe 1,800 jobs.

In light of this, BBC director general Mark Thompson opted out of taking a bonus this year.

His total pay for 2007/8 was £816,000, up from £788,000 the year before.