Bonuses for the 10 most senior BBC executives are to be suspended indefinitely, the chairman of the BBC Trust has said.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Sir Michael Lyons said some salaries could “appear too high” during the recession.
Executives had already agreed not to receive pay rises or bonuses this year.
Meanwhile, the culture secretary has said it is “self-defeating” of BBC managers to oppose plans to share the licence fee with other broadcasters.
The BBC said it would respond to the comments at a news conference on Tuesday.
The corporation is currently trying to cut its costs and save £1.7bn between now and 2013.
