BBC chairman Michael Grade today rejected calls for the governors to intervene to prevent further strike action at the BBC, saying it would be "wholly inappropriate" for them to get involved.
Describing the strike as "regrettable", Mr Grade said it was up to BBC management, led by the director general, Mark Thompson, to try to end the dispute.
Asked whether the governors should intervene in the strike in the same way that executive directors might arbitrate in a private company, Mr Grade said there was "absolutely no reason for us to get involved at this stage".
He told the Westminster Media Forum: "The governors are the guardians of public money and we would be unhappy to step in.
"It is difficult for staff, I accept that, but no BBC review has ever been through such rigorous and independent scrutiny as the value for money plans presented by management to the governors.
"It is not the role of the governors to intervene in the dispute, it is entirely a matter for management.
"It would be wholly inappropriate for the governors to get involved.
"I hope that as we go through this industrial dispute, it won't have a lasting effect on viewers' and listeners' perceptions of the BBC. The main purpose of the value for money review is to create more value for licence-fee payers"
"In return for the £2.8bn the BBC gets from the licence fee we have an obligation to be efficient. The BBC is not immune to the efficiencies achieved in other parts of the broadcast firmament"
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