30 more women bring sexism & ageism claims against BBC

[TunipTheVegemal]

link here (Daily Mail)

will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Depressingly, 'Rather than acting as a model of gender equality, the BBC has grown statistically more male-dominated in recent years.
The percentage of female DJs on Radio 1 is lower than it was 25 years ago, while Radio 2 has not employed a female presenter during the day since 1995, when Gloria Hunniford was replaced by Steve Wright.'

Blimey, 1995! This is part of the backlash isn't it. Bloody BBC

Not sure what I make of Nadine Dorries involvement.

On a more anecdotal basis, I have to say that the quality of the broadcasting has got steadily more sexist too. Remember the 'joke' about the 'scream like a girl' and the rewriting of A Scandal in Bohemia that basically relegated the female lead to a fawning admirer?

The BBC are gong backwards.

Well, based on the fact that my viewing consists largely of tv for babies to six year olds I certainly find the BBC worse than commercial channels, when ironically as the public service broadcaster you would expect it to be better.

Namechange to protect against any chance of real life outing.

I work at the BBC and have found it to be the least sexist and most family-friendly organisation I have ever worked for. There are several women in very senior positions, the BBC have great maternity policies and flexible working policies which are open to both men and women. The next DG is likely to be a woman too. There is also parental leave open to both men and women, so that men can take time off to be with their children rather than it always falling to the mother.

Then again, I often thing I work at a completely different BBC to the one that the DM writes about.

Well they did do Call the midwife recently which was great. But that in no way rules ou all the Mr Average looking sitting next to Ms Gorgeous or Mr Old presenting with Ms Young enough to be their granddaughter or Mr Politics and Mr I love the sound of my own voice and Mr I did something once so I am an authority on everything.

How many thousand people work for the BBC? What's the average number of discrimination cases brought by employees in organisations with, say, more than 100 employees? If we knew this, we'd have an idea about whether these figures were very unusual or not. Without any perspective, it's just DM scandal-mongering.

I don't think if women are hired on the basis of being young and attractive (which so many women on TV are, let's face it) they can have much complaint when they are let go once they are not so young and attractive anymore. It's a cosmetic industry, where your success is dependent on getting viewers. The BBC is lucky to be able to be more flexible than most as they do not depend on advertising revenue but have a guaranteed source of income in the licence fee, but I can see support for that dwindling. I don't think it's very fair to charge people on very low incomes £150 a year so that far more fortunate women can have maternity leave.

"just one of the BBC's 55 weekday breakfast shows is hosted by a woman.
Rather than acting as a model of gender equality, the BBC has grown statistically more male-dominated in recent years.
The percentage of female DJs on Radio 1 is lower than it was 25 years ago, while Radio 2 has not employed a female presenter during the day since 1995, when Gloria Hunniford was replaced by Steve Wright."

That is pretty pathetic and definitely smacks of institutional sexism.

Josephine, do you not think any public sector employer should offer maternity rights, or just the BBC? Should NHS workers not have them on the basis that less fortunate people have to pay prescription charges?

Women broadcasters are not hired only on the basis of being young and attractive, and it's very sexist to suggest they are. They have to be able to do the job just like the older men - and the youth and beauty are an additional requirement.
The idea that it is perfectly reasonable to only have young and pretty women on tv (and radio ) because that's what viewers want, just doesn't stack up because viewers complain in their droves when presenters such as Moira Stewart are forced out.

If women broadcasters are not hired on the basis of being young and attracive, it's a bit strange that so many women broadcasters ARE young and attractive.

People in the media should be classed as self-employed IMO.

NHS workers have to be good at their job. Media people have to be good at their job, AND be telegenic (or sound good on the radio).

As far as the lack of female radio presenters, maybe people just prefer to listen to men? I can't think of any high profile women in commercial radio either, off the top of my head. Putting women on the radio while listeners switch off because they don't want to listen to them does no-one any favours. If women want to be on the radio, they have to compete with men. If a woman can get better ratings than her male competitor, she will get a primetime slot on Radio 2. Stick Gloria Hunniford (or her younger equivalent) on there, say in place of Steve Wright, and I strongly suspect that ratings would tank, and everyone would look bad, including the woman given the slot.

as I said Josephine, youth and beauty is an ADDITIONAL requirement, they are not hired only because of it.

Media people have to be good at their job and the standard for what counts as telegenic is completely different for men than for women. If every male presenter was a Dan Snow I'd believe there wasn't any sexism, but he's the exception.

"maybe people just prefer to listen to men?"

Speak for yourself, Josephine. I for one would love to hear a few more female DJs. And I'm pretty sure I'm not the odd one out...

To josephine: Most presenters at the BBC, especially those who are prime time/famous, are self-employed, they are not employed as staff. Ratings and costs are one of the prime concerns when renewing contracts.

I used to work for the BBC and I had the most awful time after returning from maternity leave. (After begging my manager) I was only given a short spell (less than a year) of flexible working and the hours that I was asked to work thereafter were forever getting longer and longer and constantly changing so it became impossible to arrange childcare.

My managers have just made my life hellish since returning. It was undoubtedly the most stressful time in my life, and I missed out so much with my son. I am sure that other departments might allow flexibility but I have only experienced an onslaught of barriers that were constantly put in my way. Good luck to those who are taking them to court.

I used to work for the BBC (in radio) and I would say this:

1. The DM loathes the BBC and I would always be highly circumspect about the angle of its reporting on the corporation.
2. The BBC is definitely not perfect when it comes to sexism (or the lack of it), but the unions have fought for (and continue to fight for) equal rights for male and female employees and compared with many of my independently employed colleagues in non-unionised or less-unionised workplaces, the corporation is a better place for women workers in general.
3. I wish the women luck with their cases - there is no excuse for sexism and the BBC has less excuse than most for the reasons mentioned in (2).
4. The BBC is a HUGE organisation and you will find some areas with excellent records of equal rights, family-friendly employment etc.. And you will also find some departments which frankly need to do a lot better.
5. I agree that more female broadcasters need to be on air in TV AND radio. There are plenty of good ones out there and if they're enjoyable/interesting to listen to/watch, then I can't see that their sex should ever be an issue to listeners and viewers.

I am SO SOOOOO SOOOO BOOOORED of the men droning on. I actually avoid most programmes that are presented by men. I hate the fake 'blokey-ness' male presenters sport it makes my flesh crawl. There are too many men given a platform that would be the sort I'd give a wide berth in the pub because of the sexist crap they probably spout, or avoid at a party because they don't know when to shut up and let someone else speak - and their confidence in their own 'facts' comes across conceited male dick-headery unquestionly received from their patriarchal education. I want them culled!

Also I reject the view that the everyday woman-hating makes invisabilisation of the female a duty for broadcasters (narrowing down viable female condidates by hurdles of youth and beauty that men don't face is clear sexism and I'd say make-up caked on so thick a woman is unrecognisable is also a form of invisibilisation).

FoodUnit "I am SO SOOOOO SOOOO BOOOORED of the men droning on."

I second that emotion! Was just driving home trying to find a channel which wasn't dominated by men and it was not happening!

Seriously, I don't have anything against men, I wish them well blah blah blah, but it's like, hello, we're half the fucking population. Is it really that hard for the Beeb to get their heads round the fact that it might be quite nice to have some women presenters on the radio?