BBC warns viewers of 'summer of repeats of repeats'

The  BBC has warned viewers to brace themselves for the usual  ‘summer of repeats of repeats' after discovering it yet again had “no money for new programmes” and has sparked off a fierce row with the viewers group BECTU which has labelled the announcement "absolutely unacceptable and an insult to licence fee payers".

The BECTU general secretary, Gerry Morrissey, speaking outside the BBC in Salford Quays where BECTU also has a base, said "We believe this is absolutely unacceptable.” adding that "the BBC must offer viewers at least the occasional new and groundbreaking programme of the quality of The Wright Way in its summer schedules and not simply rely on filling the schedules with ‘retrospectives’ and ‘another chance to see classic TV’ type reruns of reruns”.  He went on “Whilst many viewers really enjoy watching their favourites time after time, quietly mouthing the soundtrack if not speaking it out loud, viewers deserve more.”  

 “The BBC should come clean, and let us know what is happening to all the income they receive from licence fees” he said “What are they doing with it, spending it all on huge new office complexes or something, huge salaries to former MPs and the like brought onto the payroll and massive pay-offs to senior staff who have to leave for one reason or another? ”

A clearly angry Mr. Morrisey added “after all, if all the BBC is going to be is a carbon copy of Dave,  then why not just call it Dave? “

A BBC spokeswoman said in reply that “when putting together this year’s summer schedule we will do what we can to try and provide some new programmes but this commitment has to be balanced by what we can afford to pay to make or buy them in given the savings we need to make in order to be able to continue to recruit personnel of the quality of James Purnell to do exactly whatever it is he does, whilst we are constrained in how much we can increase the licence fee each year.” 

Update : The BBC has reacted swiftly and appointed a "trouble-shooter" "across news, TV and radio" ..."after a series of scandals that have beset the corporation" who will be "the go-to man".