I'm not the first to say it since Carrie Gracie's liberating / betrayal / disgraceful letter (take your pick), but THE simple answer to this woman's desire to earn the same as male journalists is to pay them the same as her! They are massively overpaid by a corporation that has for years been told to cut costs. Voila !
Of course there is more to it than that - Gracie is clearly a skilled communicator, but how often do we want, or need to hear about China? Surely, Washington and other cities are far more 'newsworthy' to the typical BBC viewer/ listener. The output from Washington is certainly higher on a day-to-day basis, and so the male staff in such locations are perhaps on higher wages because of their experience and longevity. But Gracie, playing the 'gender balance card' the way she did, means a lot of women less-talented than her will now get 'their knickers in a twist' about the wage element of future jobs. We must not let 'gender balance' and political correctness add even more to the HUGE amount of public money consumed by the BBC.
And here is the CORE thing that needs to be answered by the BBC 'suits'. WHY does the BBC persist in using high wages to TIE 'talent' to Aunties apron? There is a large department endlessly promoting its staff training, work of the 'academy' (read 'broadcast school') , its 'diversity' (read 'only non-white job applicants allowed') . If the training is so good WHY can't the over-expensive, wage-rise demanding staff be TOLD to pack their bags - there must be hundreds waiting to 'be them' !
The BBC cannot have it BOTH ways. If they are not going to use new talent, close the departments nurturing it and employ 'talent' from commercial radio and TV !
Forgetting the cost, exactly what does 'gender balance' achieve? Three years ago (Lord ) Tony Hall decreed every BBC Local Radio breakfast show had to have a female presenter as well as a male one. That over PC decision COST money, and as subsequent ratings haves shown was a DISASTER. But now, ignoring his own past failures, he is pushing for another chance to rectify the mess HE created by giving the BBC Locals back TEN MILLION POUNDS! If he were a gambler by now he'd have been checked-out of the casino... but of course few leave, and even those being 'investigated' just temporarily 'step aside'... but that's another story...
Back to Gracie, who was actually presenting the programme her letter was discussed on by others, as she had not actually quit the BBC at all, only her position reporting from Beijing. Indeed it is now known that she has "returned to her former post in the BBC newsroom" - the 'jobs for life' ethos that percolates through many levels of the BBC. And given that lovely BBC pension I doubt she will exit 'on a point of principle'. More likely she'll push hard, protected by the likes of other overpaid, vociferous staff like Clare (£500,000+ salary) Balding.
There must be 100 fully trained, experienced 'BBC women' with Gracies's skills who would be happy to work for aunty in Beijing. But then of course there is Gary (2 million salary) Lineker.... an individual whose precise skills are lost on most people except some (doubtless male) BBC suits who agree his 'wage'.
So, thinking about it..
Dear BBC 'Suits',
GIVE Carrie Gracie her pay rise - it's not your money the suckers who still pay the licence fee are paying it!
No comments:
Post a Comment