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January 19, 2009

Charles Moore sticks by refusal to pay licence fee

By sally

Telegraph columnist Charles Moore has maintained his vow to withold his licence fee over the Andrew Sachs affair, despite a lunch meeting with BBC director-general Mark Thompson.

In his column, Moore has said refused to pay his £139.50 licence unless Jonathan Ross is sacked from his £6m a year presenting job.

Moore’s protest began after Jonathan Ross and co-host Russell Brand left lewd messges on actor Andrew Sachs’ answerphone in October.

Moore, former editor of The Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph and The Spectator, has stated that he will keep his television, but will donate the licence fee to Help the Aged.

In this weekend’s column he reported that he had put this proposal to Mark Thompson, director general of the BBC over a lunch meeting.

Moore objects to Ross’s use of obscene language, and “humiliation” tactics, viewing them as a reflection of the “decline” in culture.

He says: “Jonathan, you are the big mouth of an age with nothing worth saying.”

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