Heated debate

An unusual whiff of dissent comes swirling from commenters on the Daily Mail website today. Richard Kay is outraged that the BBC's UK hotel bill has gone up from around £750k p.a. to some £2m, as the Out Of London production drive continues.

How do DM reporters' expenses compare to the BBC, per person? The DM should publish, or shut up. 

Like all business reorganisations (think moving papers from Fleet Street to Wapping) this will have been included in the budget calculations. Would you rather they had stayed in London, where costs are extortionate and out of proportion to the rest of the UK? Didn`t have to look far to find the knocking BBC article today, did we, but DM you are getting desparate to report them in a negative light with another non story!! 

If anything this proves the case for the attempt to balance a national service across the nation. I now have a number of neighbours who have moved with the BBC and they seem very happy to enjoy a mega improvement in their quality of life.. If are starting a debate on relative costs, lets look at all of those working at our expense in overpaid, high overhead positions in prime locations. There are thousands of them who are untouched by the present economic difficulties. 

Instead of sensationalising the hotel bill increase can we have some balanced reporting on how much they had planned to save with the move longed term? Any relocation is going to be expensive in the first year or so and clearly this is a consequence here for the BBC. I'm not defending this lefty biased corporation but some perspective here DM wouldn't go amiss!