New BBC Director General Tim Davie said the corporation’s decision to axe free TV licences for millions of over-75s was “not a great look”. In a scathing attack on the corporation he now represents, he said the BBC had charged the “least well off” to pay for “some of the most well off” – it’s highly paid presenters.
But he said he had backed the £157.50 charges despite recognising “no-one wants to be charging people money they were not paying”.
Speaking at a Royal Television Society talk, Mr Davie, who took up his role at the start of this month, also admitted the corporation did not deliver “equally” to everyone in the UK.
He said: “The BBC doesn’t deliver equally to everyone,” adding there were “certain bits of the country” that “don’t necessarily feel the BBC is for them”.
Mr Davie added: “There are audiences in a diverse Britain that feel a little bit further away from us.
BC boss Tim Davie has admitted the taxpayer-funded corporation has been “unfair on pensioners” (Image: GETTY)
Tim Davie admitted the corporation did not deliver “equally” to everyone in the UK (Image: GETTY )
“I do think there’s something about metropolitan-based organisations, or the way you hire, than can somewhat feel a bit distant from some of the population.”
He added the BBC should “renew our vows” on impartiality, prioritising its “bigger purpose” and avoiding chasing Twitter followers by being “outrageous.”
Mr Davie also warned if BBC bosses do not deliver on diversity levels, the broadcaster will struggle to make progress.
It comes after Jacob Rees-Mogg accused BBC bosses of “stealing Ovaltine from pensioners” by stripping them of free TV licences.
READ MORE: Gary Lineker claims BBC ‘trust’ him to tweet carefully
From August, pensioners now pay for their TV licence (Image: GETTY )
The Commons Leader lashed out at the corporation, warning it viewers are voting with their feet after the number of people paying the licence fee dropped.
He told the Commons: “I do think the BBC has been unfair on pensioners in requiring them to pay the licence fee.
“The hope was that they would not do this and they are basically stealing the Ovaltine from pensioners’ night-time drink by charging them for this licence fee and they are losing licence payers.
“They lost a quarter of a million licence payers in the last year as people are voting with their feet.
DON’T MISS
BBC’s ‘very existence under threat’ amid audience crisis [INSIGHT]
BBC driving away viewers who feel it doesn’t represent them- new chief [OPINION]
Disaster for BBC as 237,000 families stop paying licence fee [FIGURES]
Tim Davie said the decision was not ‘a good look’ (Image: GETTY )
The BBC’s decision to scrap the free TV licence for over-75s has sparked fury (Image: GETTY )
“And I think the BBC needs to pay attention … because, when charging some of the least well-off in our society and giving the money to some of the most well-off in our society, there are people who will rightly question that.”
The free licences for over-75s had been due to end on June 1 but this was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
However, from August 1, viewers aged 75-plus, who currently qualify for a free TV licence, now pay £157.50 unless they get Pension Credit.
Around 900,000 people receive the credit yet 600,000 more are eligible and don’t claim it.
A BBC spokesman told Express.co.uk of the decision: “It was the Government that ended the funding of the over 75s licence fee.
“The BBC has made the fairest decision possible to support the poorest oldest pensioners so those over 75 and in receipt of Pension Credit will be able to claim a free TV licence from August paid for by the BBC.
“Continuing with the Government scheme would have cost £745 million a year, rising to £1 billion by the end of the decade.
“This would have meant closures of BBC Two, BBC Four, the BBC News Channel, the BBC Scotland channel, Radio 5 Live, and a number of local radio stations, as well as other cuts and reductions.
“These closures would profoundly damage the BBC for everyone, especially older people who use the BBC the most.
“The decision to start the new scheme in August has not been easy but delaying the introduction of the scheme has cost the BBC over £70 million and we cannot afford to delay any further without further impacting programmes and services which are already being cut back due to our savings programmes.”
