On 1 April 2024, the BBC TV licence fee increased by £10.50 to £169.50.[1] This represents a 6.6 per cent increase following a two-year freeze since 2021. Unlike other media companies that rely on audiences viewing their content and advertising for revenue, the BBC is funded by the TV licence fee which is levied on anyone who receives live broadcasts regardless of whether they use BBC services or if they even own a TV.[2] Failure to pay the licence fee can result in criminal prosecution. In 2022, there were 40,220 convictions for licence fee evasion, with an average fine of £202.[3]
In 2023-24, the BBC collected £3.66 billion from 23.9 million TV licences, 500,000 fewer licences than the previous year.[4] This note examines the pay and remuneration of the BBC’s top senior executives and ‘on-air talent’ who were paid from licence fee revenue in 2023-24.
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Key findings
- In 2023-24, there were 227 ‘senior leaders’ and 220 individuals with on-air roles receiving salaries over £100,000.[5]
- This included 88 senior executives receiving over £178,000, a 31.3 per cent increase from the 67 in 2022-23. In contrast, the number of ‘on-air talents’ receiving over £178,000 fell by one to 67 in 2023-24.
- In 2023-24, senior executives with salaries over £178,000 collectively received £20,563,000. This included four human resources directors who received a total of £805,000. ‘On-air talent’ receiving salaries over £178,000 collectively received £19,266,500 in 2023-24.
- The 56 senior executives receiving over £178,000 in both 2023-24 and 2022-23 received an average pay rise of £9,536 from the previous year, while the 57 ‘on-air talents’ in this category received an average pay rise of £5,895 from the previous year.
- Leigh Tavaziva, group chief operating officer, saw her remuneration rise by £25,000 to £442,000 in 2023-24, the most of any senior executive.
- Balram Veliath, director, quality, risk and assurance, saw his salary rise by 5 pay bands, from £222,500 in 2022-23 to £247,500 in 2023-24, the most of any senior executive.
- Nick Robinson, of the Today programme, was paid £347,500 in 2023-24, an increase of £70,000 from 2022-23 or 25.2 per cent, the largest increase of any ‘on-air talent’ in cash terms.
- Reeta Chakrabarti of BBC News at One, BBC News at Six and BBC News at Ten received the largest increase in percentage terms from 2022-23, 25.3 per cent or £55,000 to £272,500 in 2023-24.
- The highest paid executive in 2023-24 was Tim Davie, the director general. He received a total of £527,000 in salary and taxable benefits. This included use of a car and driver.[6]
- The highest paid on-air ‘talent’ in 2023-24 was Gary Lineker, with a £1,352,500 salary, the same as he received in 2022-23.
- Jonathan Munro, deputy CEO of news and director of journalism, who received a salary of £287,500, expensed a £8,372 round trip flight to Sydney, a £4,102 round trip flight to Doha and Beijing, a £948 hotel stay at the Shangri-La – Eros Hotel in New Delhi, and a £753 stay at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney in the first half of 2023-24 for which data was available.[7]
- The median salary across the BBC was £52,397 in 2023-24,[8] this is 50 per cent more than median earnings across the UK which was £34,963 in the year ending April 2023.[9]
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[1] BBC, BBC TV licence fee: How much is it and what does it pay for? 26 March 2024, www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-51376255, (accessed 3 July 2024).
[2] TV Licensing, FAQs, www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs, (accessed 23 July 2024).
[3] BBC, BBC TV licence fee: How much is it and what does it pay for? 26 March 2024, www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-51376255, (accessed 3 July 2024).
[4] BBC, BBC Group Annual Report and Accounts 2023/24, 23 July 2024, p. 53.
[5] Ibid. p. 62.
[6] Ibid. p. 90.
[7] BBC, Who we are - Jonathan Munro, www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/whoweare/jonathan-munro, (accessed 23 July 2024).
[8] BBC, BBC Group Annual Report and Accounts 2023/24, 23 July 2024, p. 94.
[9] Office of National Statistics, Employee earnings in the UK: 2023, 1 November 2023, www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/bulletins/annualsurveyofhoursandearnings/2023, (accessed 23 July 2024).