Sharp thinking

Asked if BBC staff are feeling beleaguered, chairman Richard Sharp told the Voice of the Listener and Viewer autumn conference “We’ve had to take significant financial and job cuts over the past years which creates a slightly negative attitude internally. In addition, we’ve lurched from one crisis to another over a period of time which hasn’t reflected well on the people of the BBC. Then in addition we’ve had persistent attacks from the press.”

On the licence fee deal - still not settled:  “What’s unfortunate for our consumers is that the BBC is facing financial strictures at a time when the competition is even more severe.  If we have to contract then that has a multiplier effect and there will have to be consequences if we don’t obtain a licence fee settlement that keeps pace with media inflation.”

On Amol Rajan's documentary about the Princes and the press, he thought "as a viewer it engendered enormous sympathy for the people in the crosshairs of public scrutiny, and the appalling behaviour of the media as a whole." Did he anticipate losing the co-operation of the Royal Family ? "The BBC is a national institution and we approach other institutions with great care and thought. We have tremendous respect for all aspects of the Royal Family and from time to time we produce shows that may or may not meet with full agreement from different parts of the establishment.”