A new report from Deloitte claims that the BBC generated more than £8bn in economic value last year. With the licence fee currently worth around £3.6bn, that equates to more than £2 of value for every £1 stumped up by UK tax payers. A similar report last year put the BBC’;s contribution at £7.6bn.

While the main beneficiary of this activity is the Southeast, the corporation’;s attempt to diversify its activities seems to have given a boost to Wales, which saw an 18% rise in activity. Scotland was also ahead of the curve with a 7.5% increase.

Commenting on the findings, the BBC’;s chief operating officer Caroline Thomson stressed the importance of a vibrant public broadcaster: “By meeting our mission to make great programmes and content the BBC also delivers broader benefits to the digital and creative industries, which in turn spill over into the wider economy,” she explained.