I work at the BBC and I have the rage

[alltherageattheBBC]

The Humphrys/Sopel leak is the last straw. The dripping contempt and the fact that they're laughing at us and there is nothing I can do cos I need my job makes me feel so enraged I could weep.

www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jan/12/john-humphrys-jokes-about-bbc-gender-pay-gap-in-leaked-off-air-recording

I'm sick of this attidute. Why isnt Gracie paid as well as Sopel? Because she's a woman and they think they're doing her a favour giving her the job at all. Yeah, they trot out the same old 'reasons'; previous salary (er, obvious flaw there in a discriminatory system), experience, profile blah blah.

for all the unconscious bias training, I've yet to meet a senior manager who appeared to reflect, question or examine their own actions.
They cut staff in £20 000 with about as much thought as they give to choosing a sandwich; the 'talent' pay is a different matter.

'Diverse' is anyone who doesn't tick the boxes of male, middle-class, privately educated, white. In my book that's normal, not different.

It's wrong, wrong, wrong and, as they never tire of reminding us when tightening up expenses or cutting low paid roles, it's public money.

Yup, you financed that cosy joking blokey banter. Total cost of a year of Humphrys and Sopel? Around £850 000.

but mostly

[Snowdrop18]

I'm not surprised you have the rage

I saw the thing about the Humphrys conversation last night and honestly expected him to have been fired by the time I woke up today but no. I think he is a complete dinosaur who should have been off air ages ago and I can't listen to him.

What can women at the BBC do - non-strike ways of showing this is an issue? I'm not clear how transparent the BBC have to be in terms of pay either? I suppose it's all discretionary at that level?

[Bluelady]

Completely agree. Humphreys should be fired. He's well past his sell by date anyway.

[Fosterdog123]

It disgusts me too and I have the rage on your behalf.

[Haffdonga]

It's incredibly depressing. I naively trusted the BBC to be fairly open and non discriminatory.

Rage , is there anything we 'the public' can do to express our outrage at the way Gracie et al are being treated, seeing as how we are paying for them through the licence fee and everything?

[alltherageattheBBC]

I'd be willing to withdraw my labor as a protest for a day. I don't say that lightly.
But Humphrys is laughing at Gracie and taking the piss out of Sopel because he's 'only' on £250 000.
Un-fucking-believable.

I can only imagine the contempt he has for the likes of me ( not that he staff like me cross his mind, ever)

And to be fair, I match his contempt. He's a disgrace.

And don't start me on the laughable BBC VALUES we're all meant to embody. I might die laughing.

[alltherageattheBBC]

Stop paying the license fee? Start a petition. Picket Today (early start though )
Just complain to the BBC. It's easy to do.

[CheapSausagesAndSpam]

I worked at the BBC for a time; it was the most stressful period of my entire life.

[AuraofDora]

You are totally not unreasonable, and feel your rage-pain too OP.

I would really like to see Humphreys to go, for his outrageous display of misogynistic smugness but also being biased on air, boring and shouty-over interviewer in love with the sound of his own voice and outdated opinions (I don't listen to Today anymore) but that's unlikely to happen, for some mad reason the stale pale males in charge seem to rate him.

What I don't get is why this wasn't sorted out by BBC when the pay equality came to light last year? It should've been addressed then in one fell swoop. It's beyond insulting, it's institutional discrimination that we pay for, wtf.

Bollocks. Big hairy boring BBC ones.

[alltherageattheBBC]

BBC complaints page

www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/complain-online/

[Sheeeesh]

You have my sympathy. Not good enough.

Be better BBC. Just be better.

[squeaver]

I've emailed the BBC about this already today, for all the reasons you state.

PLUS, him dismissing it as 'banter' (FFS)

PLUS, the fact that he can still conduct interviews on the subject while the BBC women who have expressed an opinion are not allowed to.

PLUS, him being in that job, for that salary, at all. Are we honestly supposed to believe that they have to pay him that salary to stop him being poached by Sky or ITV? Who cares if he is?

[ConkerGame]

YADNBU!

[RhiannonOHara]

YANBU. Thanks for the complaint link. I hope enough people complain that they listen. It's fucking outrageous.

[artisancraftbeer]

YANBU

[sashh]

Thanks for the link - I have sent a complaint.

[TalkinPeace]

From the Guardian article ....

Humphrys says: “Slight change of subject, the first question will be how much of your salary you are prepared to hand over to Carrie Gracie to keep her, and then a few comments about your other colleagues, you know, like our Middle East editor [Jeremy Bowen] and the other men who are earning too much.”
Sopel replies: “I mean, obviously if we are talking about the scope for the greatest redistribution I’ll have to come back and say well yes Mr Humphrys, but …”
Humphrys says: “And I could save you the trouble as I could volunteer that I’ve handed over already more than you fucking earn but I’m still left with more than anybody else and that seems to me to be entirely just – something like that would do it?”
Sopel, who seems to be reluctant to have the conversation, says: “Don’t …”
Humphrys interjects: “Oh dear God. She’s actually suggested that you should lose money – you know that don’t you? You’ve read the thing properly have you?”

Dear Mr Humphrys - I've enjoyed listing to you over the years, but you should go right now.

[GeorgeTheHamster]

Is the audio file online anywhere? I've read the transcript but I'd like to hear it.

[Rudgie47]

Just get another job, you live in London, join some agencies etc.I'm sure something will come up for you.
I've never paid the T.V license and never will do. Its free here because my Mum is 85. When she passes over the I'm getting rid of the T.V.
I've not forgotton all that covering up about Jimmy Savile either.

[QueenNefertitty]

I'm exBBC too

In my first year there as a woman in her early twenties I was sexually harassed, poorly paid, bullied by senior staff ... and made to feel as though I ought to feel "lucky" to be there.

I remain fond of many former colleagues, and it was an excellent CV building job- but I will never forget that time for learning some hard lessons about how the world
works.

[FindoGask]

I hate John Humphrys anyway so I'm sort of grimly pleased by this confirmation that he is indeed a total balloon.

[CheapSausagesAndSpam]

Queen...me too.

[RefluxWrangler]

Absolutely infuriating. I've complained. I hope they get a deluge of complaints.

Absolutely sick of middle-age, middle-class white male privilege.

[QueenNefertitty]

@spam

W1A is ALL I have to say...

[RefluxWrangler]

@squeaver yep 'banter', 'locker-room chat', 'silly and sophomoric'.

The script is boringly familiar isn't it?

[InfiniteSheldon]

I complained about this too I've asked for a follow-up to my complaint about the gender pay gap and why they haven't rectified it already and furthermore why it's acceptable for one of the Old Boys Club to celebrate that gap and for them to continue to expect us to pay his salary