ITV 's outgoing director of channels David Liddiment has said other channels should be able to screen BBC shows.

On the day of the BBC annual report, Mr Liddiment also questioned the BBC's commercial expansion and the way it was regulated.

He told a conference of politicians and broadcasters in London: "BBC programme talent could be given the freedom to make programmes for other channels in exactly the same way that their technical and craft talent currently offer their skills to the non-BBC market via BBC Resources.

Is it realistic to rely on the governors to regulate this vast media conglomerate?

David Liddiment on the BBC

"The currency is talent. We still have it, but we're not making the best use of it for reasons rooted in ancient history and misplaced institutional pride."

ITV's biggest company, Granada, already makes The Royle Family and University Challenge and What The Papers Say for the BBC.

Mr Liddiment told the Westminster Media Forum the BBC abused its dominant position to buy up all of the rights to repeats and other secondary rights to shows made by independent companies.

He again called for the BBC to be regulated in the same way as other terrestrial channels, by Ofcom instead of largely by its own governors.

He used the example of Artsworld, which is to close after blaming BBC Four for unfair competition.

Vulnerable operations

"With a budget of �2.4bn, a 40% share of all viewing and listening in the UK and a new media venture announced every week, is it realistic to rely on the governors to regulate this vast media conglomerate with its ever-expanding interests - public service and commercial?

"I don't think so, and I don't suppose the people involved in Artsworld and other vulnerable commercial operations looking over their shoulder do either."

And he said the relationship between the government and the BBC was too close.

Liddiment is stepping down

"Yet another example of different strokes for different folks. It's hard to imagine such a cosy relationship with the commercial sector."

The ITV programming boss also took a swipe at the financial arrangements for terrestrial channels running on pay-TV systems like BSkyB.

"In effect it means public service broadcasters have subsidised BSkyB's set top box giveaway to the tune of millions of pounds.

"It seems perverse to me to allow money that is made available to support public service broadcasting to be diverted to fund the operations of the UK's dominant pay TV operator - which pays nothing for the benefit of being able to offer our valuable content to its subscribers."