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House Of Cards author attacks TV industry bias against older women | House Of Cards author attacks TV industry bias against older women |
(about 3 hours later) | |
House Of Cards author Lord Dobbs has hit out out at discrimination against older women in broadcasting. | House Of Cards author Lord Dobbs has hit out out at discrimination against older women in broadcasting. |
The Tory peer said it was “folly to blind ourselves” to the value and wisdom of experienced female presenters. | The Tory peer said it was “folly to blind ourselves” to the value and wisdom of experienced female presenters. |
“Being a great newscaster isn’t simply a matter of getting lip gloss around the words of the teleprompter,” he told the Lords. “Experience and understanding count.” | “Being a great newscaster isn’t simply a matter of getting lip gloss around the words of the teleprompter,” he told the Lords. “Experience and understanding count.” |
Lord Dobbs said the case of ex-Countryfile host Miriam O’Reilly, who won an employment tribunal against the BBC on the grounds of ageism, raised “disturbing questions about the inner workings” of the corporation. | Lord Dobbs said the case of ex-Countryfile host Miriam O’Reilly, who won an employment tribunal against the BBC on the grounds of ageism, raised “disturbing questions about the inner workings” of the corporation. |
“It’s folly to blind ourselves to the value of women presenters of a certain age whose looks and voices convey all the wisdom and experience of their years.” | “It’s folly to blind ourselves to the value of women presenters of a certain age whose looks and voices convey all the wisdom and experience of their years.” |
He said the use of gagging clauses in such discrimination complaints was “disgraceful” and “simply inexcusable”. | He said the use of gagging clauses in such discrimination complaints was “disgraceful” and “simply inexcusable”. |
Peers were debating the communication committee’s report on women in news and current affairs broadcasting. | Peers were debating the communication committee’s report on women in news and current affairs broadcasting. |
The committee found there were not enough women in the sector and that discrimination, particularly against older women, still existed in the industry. | The committee found there were not enough women in the sector and that discrimination, particularly against older women, still existed in the industry. |
A BBC spokesperson said: “We are proud to have older women and men presenting programmes and working in news at the BBC and have taken a leading role in increasing the number of women in the industry. | |
“Nearly half of the BBC’s News and Current Affairs workforce is female with more than a third in leadership positions. While much of this debate is based on historical cases, we are always looking at what more we can do and are committed to making further progress.” | |
Lord Dobbs added women were under-represented in “vast swathes” of society including politics and the House of Lords. “We can’t simply demand that broadcasters achieve what we ourselves have failed to do,” he said. |
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