The "Observer" columnist Peter Preson's view of BBC salaries, pay-offs and perks.

"Core NAO (National Audit Office) statement. "It is essential that the way the BBC rewards its employees, in both its public services and the corporation's commercial subsidiaries, is coherent, understandable and defensible to staff and above all to licence payers." Oh no it isn't, at least not in the way the accountants believe. The BBC is a hybrid organisation, one foot in the mire of Whitehall, one foot on the Palladium stage. Constantly under attack, it feels beleaguered. That's what needs to be understood."