According to BBC boss Tim Davie, it is “truly amazing” that UK households are “happy” to pay a forced licence fee.
Former Culture Secretary John Whittingdale questioned why Davie has different messages for different people in his comments.
The BBC’s future funding model is being reviewed after the licence fee was branded as “regressive” by peers, with Tory peer Baroness Stowell of Beeston last year saying of a report entitled Licence to Change: BBC future funding, that there are “viable alternatives that all deserve serious consideration”.
John Whittingdale MP, said: “It showed a degree of awareness about the good fortune at the BBC in having a guaranteed source of income which people are required to pay no matter the current state of their circumstances.”
He added: “What I think is a bit of a shame is while he’s prepared to say that to his staff in private, that’s not his public message. His public message has been oh we’re subject to this terrible squeeze to our finances.
“What he says in private about how fortunate they are is in direct opposite to what the BBC says to the Government!”
The Daily Telegraph reported the director-general told staff members that the broadcaster had “better budgets than some commercial operators”, which he described as “glorious”.
“It’s truly amazing what we’re pulling off, by the way,” Davie told the newspaper.
“That most households are pretty happy paying a licence being a forced payment. It’s amazing what we’re pulling off.”