Who's asking ?

Peter Preston in The Observer complains about being given the run-around by BBC people over the cost of covering the London Olympics. Someone told him "We never divulge production or rights costs as this information is commercially sensitive".

I think time will provide the answers - as long as the questions come from the right places. In a review of event coverage costs during 2008/9 by the National Audit Office, the BBC said a budget of £16.2m was set for Beijing 2008 (though Auntie could not provide the accountants with a written minute of divisional approval). The NAO said the total spend was never brought together by the BBC until they asked, and then it turned out that they'd come in 4% under budget.

I suspect the NAO can't wait to get back in.