The Top BBC earners list has created a lot of controversy within the British media industry. BBC is under threat for a legal action due to the enormous disparity of earnings between its men and women earners. The list of 96 top BBC earners only contains one-third women in it. The top seven of the top BBC earners are all men.
Backlash on Discrimination Between Male and Female Top BBC Earners List
The top BBC earners list did not go well with the female stars. Claudia Winkleman, one of the top BBC earners in the female category, earns between a range of £450,000 and £500,000. However, Chris Evans, one of the highest paid top male BBC earners got above £2.2 million during the last year. Similarly, Alex Jones is just one other female presenter to get over £400,000.
One of the MPs of Labor Harriet Harman said that it was a clear case of discrimination. She stated that BBC should change the pay structure and disclose all the relevant information relating to it. Furthermore, the MP wants BBC to set an example, and it should not discriminate on gender while using the public’s money.
The British Prime Minister Theresa May talked about the fact that women were paid less than men for doing the same kind of job. She further added that she wanted to see women getting the same amount of money as men.
There are rumors of the female BBC stars hiring a group of agents to prepare a demand for senior BBC management for a pay rise. Some legal experts also warn that the British broadcaster may face lawsuits for sexual discrimination.
How Will BBC Defend Its Position?
The British broadcaster is in a very tight spot. It will have to explain the reasons for paying more money to its top male performers than its top female artists. The TV company would have to come up with statistics relating to viewer preferences and demands to justify its differential treatment.
The British government forced the broadcaster to publish the list of top BBC earners. Although, the TV’s management did try to avoid it saying it would result in an increase in salaries within media organizations. However, it had to comply with the demands of the authorities eventually.
The List of Top BBC Earners with Earnings
- Chris Evans earns between £2,200,000 – £2,249,999
- Graham Norton earns between £850,000 – £899,999.
- Jeremy Vine earns between £700,000 – £749,999.
- Steve Wright earns between £500,000 – £549,999.
- Nicky Campbell earns between £400,000 – £449,999.
- Stephen Nola earns between £400,000 – £449,999.
- Nick Grimshaw earns between £350,000 – £399,999.
- Simon Mayo earns between £350,000 – £399,999.
- Vanessa Feltz earns between £350,000 – £399,999.
- Lauren Laverne and Eddie Mair make between £300,000 – £349,999.
- Ken Bruce & Zoe Ball earn between £250,000 – £299,999
- Jools Holland and Mark Radcliffe earn between £200,000 – £249,999.
- Moira Stuart and Jo Whiley receive between £150,000 – £199,999.
- Earnings of top presenters of BBC include Nick Robinson £250,000 – £299,999, Mishal Husain £200,000 – £249,999, and Justin Webb £150,000 – £199,999.
Why Was BBC Asked to Reveal its Top Earners Earnings?
The government wanted to know if the media giant was delivering value for the money invested into it. Furthermore, it says that it was paying compensation in line with the other companies in the media industry. None of the other broadcasters make their employees’ pay public. There is a contrast between what people believe about the pay structure. Some employees believe they get underpaid while the management believes it offers more salary than what is available on the market.
