Has John Humphrys, the BBC Radio 4 Today presenter and scourge of linguistic infelicity, been getting some PR training? His sidestepping of Conservative MP Edward Leigh’s attempt to get him to reveal his salary was a textbook PR move, as reported by the Guardian here.
During an interview with Leigh, Humprhys found himself on the receiving end of some innocuously phrased and yet potentially embarrassing questionning. The Tory first flattered Humphrys as a presenter, and then asked him if he earnt more than the Prime Minister. Humprhys ducked the question, saying he’d love to answer but couldn’t. Leigh was insistent:
“You are a great man, but how many of these presenters are famous for being famous? Surely if the public knew what they were being paid we could drive down costs. There are many younger people who might want to come on and present the Today programme just as well as you for less money.”
To which Humprhys replied thus: “I’m sure that that’s true. And as far as most presenters are concerned, and I would include myself in that, I think we would say ‘Yeah, by all means’, but we are not going to break ranks. It’s for the BBC to decide. We are freelancers.”
Excellent stuff. But this emerging culture of blanket transparency has got to stop somewhere. In the good old days, one’s salary was one’s own business, and that was that. Granted, public sector employees should be subject to greater scrutiny, but nicely dressed up cheap shots such as Leigh’s are still just that.
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