BBC defend move cash

Simon Donohue

January 19, 2009

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Peter Salmon at MediaCity

THE executive who will head the BBC's new hub at MediaCityUK has defended the financial incentive for London staff making the move north.

Peter Salmon, director of BBC North, said the corporation had to make provision to ensure the continuity of its business when five departments move to Salford Quays in 2011.

Interviewed by Radio 2 presenter Mark Radcliffe at an event to launch the 2009 TV from the Nations and Regions Conference at the Lowry Art Centre, Salford,

Mr Salmon said: "We have to make sure that we take the right number of the best people from London. There's a degree of specialism, professionalism and experience which we need to make sure we've got."

Mr Salmon's comments followed criticism of payments which will be made to BBC staff prepared to relocate to the north.

It has been suggested that the package will include £3,000 for furnishings as well as guaranteed values being given for properties sold in the south, underwritten by license fee payers money, and a promise that London weighting salaries will not be removed from Salford pay packets.

Mr Salmon said that there had been a certain amount of 'shock and awe' among London staff initially but that people were now doing the practical things they needed in order to decide whether they would make the move.

Mr Salmon also defended staff - including the BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Nicky Campbell - who will commute rather than relocate to Salford Quays, saying that the mix of staff living in the north and commuting would provide a 'rich tapestry.'

The former Granada executive also spoke fondly of his time at the Manchester broadcaster and urged them to join the BBC at MediaCityUK.

He said that he hoped that MediaCityUK could do for the BBC what the vibrant and exciting voice of Granada Television Productions did for ITV in the 1990s.

Five BBC departments in total, including children's, 5 Live and research and development, are set to make the move north. MediaCityUK will provide a home for 1,600 staff within the relocated departments and a further 800 staff currently based within the BBC building in Oxford Road, Manchester.

The site will also provide a new campus for Salford University, host of the TV from the Nations and Regions Conference which is in its 16th year.

Site developer Peel Media hopes to sign up further tenants in order to create the biggest site of its type in Europe.

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andanotherthing, Mcr (19/01/2009 at 20:10)

Disgraceful. Underwriting banks, BBC, councils. Give over.

sparkie, Salford (19/01/2009 at 20:22)

Having a job not enough incentive to move

hodie, wiltshire (19/01/2009 at 22:20)

We don't want Nicky Campbell. He hates Manchester.

Voice of Sanity (20/01/2009 at 00:03)

The best people from London !

There are better up here mate

Octavius Tinsworth Ace (20/01/2009 at 10:25)

It's probably reasonable that some key people are relocated or keep their jobs while commuting from wherever, for continuity reasons, although I hope this is only relatively short-term.

At present, the number of people in the region qualified to fill these roles is relatively small, certainly compared with London, but hopefully this development, coupled with Salford University's proposed site at Mediacity and the apparent intent of other media organizations to occupy premises in the area, will ensure that they will be able to draw on a larger set of locally-based candidates in the future.

petan, openshaw (20/01/2009 at 10:43)

Why give them money to move to Salford they could afford to move here on the wages they get as the cost of living in Salford is a a lot lower than London. I know thats why I moved back here 9 months ago

Stu it Right, Manchester (20/01/2009 at 11:41)

How funny are all these comments. Probably from people who don't have a "career" but more a job.

Many many organisations offer a relocation package to either new or existing employee's if they want them to stay with the company etc or to entice them to join. It is very reasonable that if they have people in key positions, that they may have already invested in through training and development then why wouldn't you want to retain these people? If you are to retain them it is obvious you need to help them with any relocation expenses inc solicitors fee's, furnishing costs, placement of children into local schools, travel and hotel expenses whilst looking for a new property, removal costs..........the list could go on.

The people that are against this are probably the people in lower paid jobs who would never get asked to relocate.

Mark, South Manchester (20/01/2009 at 12:07)

So why does Nicky Campbell hate Manchester?

JAM65 (20/01/2009 at 13:51)

Nicky Campbell has 4 chiildren - is it so unreasonable that he doesn't want to uproot them, if he's prepared to travel fair play, it doesn't mean he hates Manchester, he might just be very happy where he lives now.

ebble, manchester (20/01/2009 at 18:28)

The best way forward for these BBC realted expenses and all other BBC expenses would be for them to be paid by people who want the BBC's products. Why should we all chip in for them?

Let's face it 90% of what the BBC produces is pure rubbish. I only pay them anything at all because I like to watch football on Sky TV and I don't want a fine and a criminal record for the vile crime of not contributing to BBC dross like Eastenders and Casualty.

Let those who want the BBC pay for its employees to have solid gold taps and velvet curtains in their manisons if they so desire, but leave the rest of us alone.

Scrap the licence fee. Keep Salford BBC free.

Ace Shakespeare , manchester (21/01/2009 at 12:08)

Why all of a sudden these media companies want to move to manchester? its not that long ago that the BBC and other media companies wouldnt touch manchester with a barge pole? could it be the benefit of cheaper wages/property and better wages for the bosses? its time that the bbc and other large media compamies stopped giving their bosses these massive wages.

Rammylad (21/01/2009 at 13:11)

It is time for the BBC to become self funded and allow a true price war to exist between programme providers instead of the monopoly the BBC have.

If the BBC think they are so great then they will no doubt agree to go it alone.

Stu it Right, Manchester (21/01/2009 at 13:24)

Do none of these people realise what this move is already bringing to Manchester's struggling economy? What it will bring going forward.

The Seeker, Eccles (21/01/2009 at 22:45)

But, they will be the only people with jobs in Salford !!!

Anthony B, NW (22/01/2009 at 17:21)

I love Manchester, but it is not London. It's not a lesser place, just different! Cut these folk a bit of slack......the North to them...is somewhere different from what they know...somewhere strange....remember all they read is what the SE Media feed them. Give them a real incentive to turn their lives upside down......eventually they'll apprecaite what we have here...

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