UNBELIEVABLE sexism from the editor of the Today programme

[squeaver]

women don't have a thick enough skin to present the Today programme, it seems

Oh dear oh dear.

Am rather speechless.

It is a bit car-crash-radio. You can just imagine EVERYONE in the building listening with mounting horror.

What an eejit!

Maybe women shouldn't have to pay their license fee? What a cock. He should be sacked.

Go Jennie! [pom-poms]

Orla Guerin could wipe the floor with the likes of Justin Webb.

(What were the "controversial circumstances" around Ed Stourton's departure? ust have missed that!)

Stourton was too old wasn't he? Although Grumpy Humphrey's not exactly a spring chicken.

And Martha Kearney, Crackfox.

Sarah Montague gives the lie to there not being women tough enough. She's an iron hand in a velvet glove, and I think her style is more effective than when some of her male colleagues descend into bullying.

I thought Stourton was "too posh", and he was just moved rather hastily to another programme without any discussion. Cue a certain amount of outrage.

Ah yes too posh. You've obviously got to hit that sweet spot of being just posh and male enough.

Evan Davis only just qualifies, really.

"Asked why more women were being seen on the BBC News channel but not heard on Today, Thomas said: "Because I think those are slightly easier jobs."

Can we invite Ceri Thomas on to MN for a pasting web chat?

Perhaps he's hoping for early retirement... This is a classic! What an arse.

What a numpty.

But PMSL at the idea of Jennie Bond saying 'bollocks'! Awesome!

Anyone see the advertisement on the link, 'Watch Kylie Minogue in an Agent Provocateur ad...'

Irony?

I think Ed Storton was pushed aside for being too posh. I think his sons went to Eton and he came across the Queen mum at some event. He then wrote in some paper that she was a right-wing bigot. And I think that whilst he was being ousted, Justin Webb was being manovred into his place. That's what I heard/read.

lol at women not having to pay tv license. All that news stuff goes right over my head and I love the nice story they do at the end.

Yes but as well as toughness and poshness, let's not forget stupidity as a important criteria by which to judge Today presenters. Just look at Humphries, he wins hands down on that score - why isn't the BBC listening to what people want and hiring more extremely stupid presenters??

But Sarah Montague, now - tough as an old boot and brilliant with it. Did you hear her interviewing Cameron this morning? She kicked the living shit out of him gave him an extremely hard time.

What nonsense. Sue Macgregor and Jenni Bond did fine. What on earth is he talking about?
I thought Today was a radio news programme, not a macho chauvanist ego trip - am wrong, though obviously

boobmeister - yes I did hear her and she was brilliant. Editor is talking rot. Not only was there Sue McGregor but as someone else said Martha Kearney, Orla Guerin, and how about Caroline Quinn?

I think Jim Naughtie can be a bit wet sometimes personally

I think the programme probably IS a macho ego trip. Previous editor was Rod Liddle, after all, a proven sexist git. Current editor clearly even worse.

He wouldn't dream of saying there were no ethnic minority journalists up to the job - and if he tried he'd be sacked immediately. So how come he's still there after slagging off women?

(I liked Ed Stourton btw, really pissed off that they chucked him out in favour of Justin whathisface. Ed is a. a damn good journalist and b. has a great voice, love listening to him.)

Hang on a minute, I don't think that's what he meant. It looked to me as though he was saying that it would take a while for women to appear on the Today programme because they would need to gain experience in other areas of news first of all. Women are under-represented across the board and will need to start off in less challenging roles before they are able to cope with Today. That's fair enough and nothing to do with the fact that they are women. He's just saying that Today isn't the place to bring new talent in.

Excuse me Aranea but that's exactly the problem! How ruddy patronising and sexist is it to claim that female journalists are inferior to male? To pretend that there are no female journalists with experience and talent?

There are thousands of women journalists in this country, and women have been working as hacks since before WW2. Sheesh. Next you'll be telling me that black people are only good for athletics or cotton picking. Ridiculous.