Media Brief

I'm the BBC's media correspondent and this is my brief selection of what's going on. Some content may need a subscription.

The Times says [subscription required] the BBC is spending nearly £10 million a year employing highly paid executives on "hidden" contracts that are not included in its £1 billion wage bill. It says they include the iPlayer boss Anthony Rose. It quotes a BBC spokesman saying:

"These are commercial arrangements with contractors who offer specific skills not available in the BBC at a salary cost we can afford."

The BBC's spending on new TV programmes has fallen by 13% in the past five years, according to an Ofcom report. The BBC says it's partly because of increased efficiency, and savings are put back into programmes. But the Taxpayers Alliance tells the Daily Mail licence-payers will be angry.

BBC has confirmed the move of BBC Breakfast to Salford, with 88 jobs expected to move north. BBC North director Peter Salmon is quoted in the Guardian as saying it's especially symbolic - the first BBC network news programme to come from outside London.

The BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons has offered to meet Selina Scott to discuss her claims of sexism, according to the Telegraph.

Jonathan Ross has recorded his final TV chat show for the BBC and said he was lucky and grateful to have worked at the Corporation, reports the BBC.

The BBC newspaper review says the appointment of General Sir David Richards as the new Chief of the Defence Staff is greeted with universal acclaim in the papers.

Links in full

• BBC | BBC spending on new TV shows has fallen, says Ofcom
• Paul Revoir | Daily Mail | BBC has spent LESS on new TV shows despite licence fee hike
• Mark Sweney | Guardian | BBC Breakfast's Salford move confirmed
• Telegraph | Selina Scott invited to meet BBC Trust chairman over 'malign sexism'
• BBC | Jonathan Ross 'honoured' to have worked at BBC
• BBC | Newspaper Review