It is an unspoken politeness not to discuss people’s wages and ask how much they may be earning. News this week from the BBC Trust chairman Michael Lyons revealed new demands for the BBC in which would publish the salaries of its highest paid. By doing this, Lyons suggests that it will “recapture public confidence” of the BBC.

Just a few months ago, the BBC spent £12,000 in legal advice to keep the salaries of presenters from public knowledge. In revealing the salaries of the highest paid, are we crossing a confidentiality boundary between private information and public information?

Rather than restore public faith, will the knowledge of certain salaries spark public uproar in which the individuals affected will be the victims of circumstance?

As debates continue on whether the BBC’s top stars and their salaries should be revealed, Equity, the actors and presenters’ union, are already prepared to go to court to keep salaries a secret.

It seems that the circumstances of working at the BBC means that those working at the corporation are not afforded the luxury of keeping earnings a private matter any longer.