Former China editor to the BBC Carrie Gracie has revealed in a public letter that the organisation is facing a “crisis of trust” over gender pay disparities.
She has described the company, with whom she's worked for over 30 years, as having a “secretive and illegal pay culture”.
In July 2017, the BBC was required to reveal all employee salaries above £150,000 a year. Ms Gracie was disgusted to find that the BBC's two male international editors earned “at least 50% more” than its two female counterparts.
Jon Sopel, the BBC's US editor, and Jeremy Bowen, Middle East editor, were revealed to be earning in excess of £150,000, with Mr Sopel approaching the £249,000 mark.
Ms Gracie, in contrast, did not even appear on the list, meaning she was earning less than £150,000.
An open letter calling for equal pay has been published in the Telegraph, signed by BBC Europe editor Katya Adler, and by Ms Gracie herself.
Ms Gracie said in the letter: “The Equality Act 2010 states that men and women doing equal work must receive equal pay.
“I believe I am very well paid already – especially as someone working for a publicly funded organisation.
“I simply want the BBC to abide by the law and value men and women equally.”
Ms. Gracie has received strong support from fellow journalists in the wake of her resignation.
General secretary of the National Union of Journalists, Michelle Stanistreet said it was “no surprise” that Ms Gracie was unable to stay silent about the “scourge of unequal pay” at the BBC.
Ms Gracie is returning to her former post in the TV newsroom, where she says she “expect[s] to be paid equally”.
The BBC said there was “no systemic discrimination against women”, despite a 2017 report revealing that the BBC has a 10.7% pay gap in favour of men when mean average hourly pay rates were compared.
