The pay gap row continues.
A review of on-air pay at the BBC has found “no evidence” of gender bias concerning pay decisions at the corporation.
Published on Tuesday, the report stems from a pay row that has been brewing since the salaries of those earning upwards of £150,000 were revealed last July.
The report, carried out by accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, acknowledges that the broadcaster’s approach to setting pay for those considered, “historically has been far from perfect”.
This was blamed on a lack of structure and communication, rather than gender inequality.
It also singles out a small group of especially high earners at the BBC, noting that “too much weight has been placed on the prominence and profile of certain individuals”.
188 roles that require an “upward pay adjustment” were identified, of which 98 are male and 90 are female.
In a written response to the report, the BBC has promised to reduce the gender pay gap by granting higher pay rises to the women in question, noting that these proposals are subject to consultation.
“This will disproportionately improve pay for women as it is more common to find women in roles at the lower end of the current pay ranges,” it said.
Earlier this month, a recording was leaked in which BBC journalists John Humphrys and Jon Sopel discussed the resignation of BBC China editor Carrie Grace.
A BBC spokesperson described the incident as “an ill-advised off-air conversation which the presenter regrets.”
Humprhys is one of six high-profile male broadcasters at the BBC who have since agreed to take a pay cut, as the BBC prepares to introduce a five-point plan designed to balance the wage structure.
“Today’s report does not find evidence of gender bias in decision-making, but it shows that we have real and important issues to tackle,” said Tony Hall, Director-General of the BBC, adding that he is “determined to get it right.”
“The plans we’re setting out today go further and are more important steps in modernising the BBC and making it fairer,” he said.
“We’ve already made an important start. We’re addressing unfairness in individuals’ pay and want to close the gender pay gap and have women in half of our on-air roles by 2020. Those are big, bold commitments I’m really serious about.”
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
