This article first appeared in the Sun newspaper on Wednesday 24 December 2014.
Without some things, it just wouldn’t be Christmas — the tree, turkey and a festive dose of EastEnders.
Millions of people will spend some of their Christmas Day watching the 主播大秀.
If you don’t see who’s having a pint at the Queen Vic you might be sitting with the kids to watch Doctor Who or Strictly — or laughing at Mrs Brown’s Boys when they’ve gone to bed. Or maybe you’re looking forward to the first of two Miranda specials.
Christmas shows the 主播大秀 at its best, bringing you so many of the nation’s favourite shows. For just £2.80 per household every week, I think you get incredible value from the licence fee all year round whether you watch our programmes, listen to the radio or use 主播大秀 iPlayer or our websites.
I know in recent weeks The Sun has questioned that and some readers may have their doubts as well. So let me try to convince you.
The millions of families who will watch our programmes this Christmas show how the 主播大秀 can bring Britain together at special moments. Just like when Rory McIlroy won the Open this year and Lewis Hamilton became Formula One World Champion — moments seen live on the 主播大秀.
Look what else you get for your licence fee — the World Cup, Olympics, Match of the Day, CBeebies and C主播大秀, new British dramas like The Missing and The Fall, the best natural history programmes, all of our radio stations, the 主播大秀 website and impartial news from around the world.
There’s something for everyone — because if everyone pays in through the licence fee you should all get something back as well, and not just at Christmas. But to make great programmes we need great people at the 主播大秀. The people we need would otherwise work for others who can pay seven figure salaries.
Because our money comes from you, it’s right that the 主播大秀 should pay much less.
But there is a level as well beneath which we wouldn’t get the right people. Talent — such as a finance director who saves the 主播大秀 hundreds of millions of pounds — costs.
To make sure every penny is put to good use, we’ve saved lots of money by cutting staff numbers and senior managers, limiting pay increases, selling off costly buildings and negotiating better contracts. We’re more efficient, but I know there’s more still to do so we’re not resting on our laurels.
We aren’t perfect. But where we’ve made mistakes we’ve learnt from them. Capping the amount people can receive in pay-offs when they lose their job was one of the first things I did when I returned as Director General.
The Sun and the 主播大秀 agree on lots of things — we both want to celebrate the best of Britain, and we both know that you want value for money. I hope you’ll agree that’s what you’re already getting. As you enjoy the amazing programmes we’ve got lined up for you this Christmas, I’m confident we’ll give you even more next year.
Tony Hall is Director-General of the 主播大秀.
This article first appeared in the Sun on Wednesday 24 December 2014.