BBC chief warns government of funding crisis

By Rich Bowden, M&C Staff Writer Jan 16, 2008, 9:48 GMT

A BBC employee inside the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) offices in central London, 18 October 2007. BBC chief Mark Thompson has warned the government the broadcaster is too underfunded to survive in the digital age.EPA/ANDY RAIN

(M&C) - BBC chief Mark Thompson has warned the government the broadcaster is too underfunded to survive in the digital age.

He challenged ministers in an interview given to the Guardian, saying the quantity of public service broadcasting would drop without a significant cash increase from the government.

"There' s no point crying crocodile tears about less public service broadcasting," he said. "What quantity of public service broadcasting do you want and how is it to be paid for?"

The director-general of the public broadcaster also said in a speech that it was vitally important to repair the trust between the public, politicians and the public after several damaging episodes last year.

Though defending the robust approach of BBC figures such as John Humphrys and Jeremy Paxman, he said he was open to the suggestion of "more space" for politicians in coverage.

Thompson said the BBC "should create more space in news reports and in interviews for politicians to set out their own thoughts in their own words. Then let the analysis and the cross-examination begin".