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| Topic | Outrage grows after report that the BBC is unfair to women. |
| UnfairRepresent 07/20/17 4:13:14 PM #1: | The BBC is facing a backlash from female stars over pay after revealing that only a third of its 96 top earners are women and the top seven are all men. Chris Evans is the BBC’s best-paid star, collecting at least £2.2m in the last financial year according to an unprecedented list of top earners published by the corporation on Wednesday that revealed a significant gender imbalance. The best-paid female star, Claudia Winkleman, was paid just a fifth of what Evans collected £450,000 Alex Jones, presenter of The One Show, is the only other female star to be paid more than £400,000 by the BBC, while 12 men are paid more than that amount. Clare Balding, the sports presenter, received about a tenth of Gary Lineker’s pay, earning £150,999–£199,999 compared with his £1.75m–£1.79m. Graham Norton was paid £850,000–£899,999 according to the list, but this does not include proceeds from The Graham Norton Show, which is made by an independent production company and is thought to take his earnings above £2.5m. There are some high-profile female absentees from the list of actors, presenters, journalists and panellists who were paid more than £150,000 in the last year. Emily Maitlis, the news presenter, Sarah Montague, the presenter of the Today programme on Radio 4, and Louise Minchin, who presents BBC Breakfast, earn £150,000 a year or less, according to the disclosure. This is despite their co-presenters on BBC shows making the list, including John Humphrys, who presents Today and Mastermind and was paid £600,000–£649,999. Harriet Harman, the Labour MP, said there was “clearly discrimination” at the BBC and that the corporation needed to change. “It is very important that the lid has been lifted on this pay discrimination in the BBC,” Harman, the longest-serving female MP, told BBC News. “Although everybody will think it is very unfair and outrageous, this is a moment when it can be sorted out. “The BBC needs to set an example. This is public money and people don’t want their money to be spent unfairly. Public money shouldn’t be spent in a way which is discriminatory. When you look at the structure and the pay, it is clearly discrimination. Now that it is out in the open, it will have to change.” Theresa May, the prime minister who is also female, accused the BBC of paying women less than men for doing the same job. “I think what has happened today is we have seen the way the BBC is paying women less for doing the same job as the men. I want to see women paid equally with men' Agents for a group of the BBC’s female stars are understood to be preparing to demand that the corporation’s bosses offer their clients a pay rise. Lawyers have also warned that the BBC faces sexual discrimination lawsuits. Keely Rushmore, senior associate at SA Law, said: “The statistics could well lead to claims of sex discrimination by female stars. The BBC will need to show that the difference in pay is not directly on the grounds of sex, but also that – to the extent that it asserts it relates to other factors such as viewers’ demands and preferences – the differential treatment is justified.” The BBC fought against the list being published, claiming that it would create a “poacher’s charter” and drive up salaries in the media industry, but it was forced to by the government as part of its new 11-year royal charter. Asked whether the BBC was expecting legal action over the gender pay gap, Tony Hall, the director general, said: “We will be working carefully and managing our relationship with the talent on which we depend. That’s a job we have got to do. I want to get the very best talent working for the BBC and the best relationships with them.” --- ^ Hey now that's completely unfair. https://imgtc.com/i/14JHfrt.jpg ... Copied to Clipboard! |
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