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BBC Women call on managers to ‘correct all unequal pay decisions’ made over decades

By Freddy Mayhew

BBC Women have called on management at the corporation to focus on a strategy to “correct all unequal pay decisions it has made”.

The group, representing more than 170 broadcasters and producers, made the comment in a statement released after a group of six high-paid male journalists agreed to salary cuts.

Jeremy Vine, Huw Edwards, John Humprhys, Nick Robinson, Jon Sopel and Nicky Campbell have all agreed to reduce their salaries in a move towards equal pay at the BBC.

Vine is the highest-paid BBC journalist, earning up to £749,999 a year.

BBC China editor Carrie Gracie resigned from her post earlier this month after finding out that she was paid less than other international editors who were male, putting a spotlight back on the issue of BBC pay equality.

BBC Women said in a statement: “BBC management should now focus on a comprehensive strategy to correct all unequal pay decisions it has made for decades, rather than on a few high-profile individuals.

“For the last six months we have been calling for a transparent and systematic mechanism to address pay inequality for women at all levels, especially those working in less well paid off-air roles.

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“We hope that BBC management seizes the opportunity to change the culture for future generations of hard working women and men.”

An audit on talent pay is expected to be published on Tuesday, the Guardian has reported.

A BBC source told the paper: “We recognise we have got some things wrong – in particular, the pay of some very senior presenters in news. The wide-ranging plan we will publish on Tuesday addresses these issues and is the next stage in the modernisation programme at the BBC.”

In October last year, an independent report into gender pay imbalance at the BBC concluded there was “no systemic discrimination against women” in its pay arrangements.

However, a review of rank and file staff salaries revealed a 9 per cent gender pay gap. BBC director general Tony Hall has pledged to close the gap by 2020.

Picture: Reuters/Neil Hall

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