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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/media/live/2017/jul/19/bbc-publishes-salaries-of-highest-earning-stars-live-updates
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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| BBC to publish salaries of highest earning stars - live updates | BBC to publish salaries of highest earning stars - live updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 10.14am BST | |
| 10:14 | |
| The BBC press office has been furiously tweeting a positive spin on today’s annual report. | |
| Among its highlights of an “incredible year at the BBC” are dancing flamingoes on Planet Earth, Ed Balls on Strictly Come Dancing, and that interview with a diplomat which was gatecrashed by his kids. | |
| We don't know where to begin. That dance. That interview. That bedtime story. And so much more. A year in sixty seconds on the #BBC. pic.twitter.com/quSv7eL9Pt | |
| It also cites polling to suggest that almost 80% of people agree that the BBC should be able to attract the highest quality talent. The picture montage used to illustrate the point suggest a gender and racial balance among the top earners that is unlikely to be borne out when the figures are published. | |
| Nearly 4 in 5 people think the BBC should try to get the best talent, even if that means paying similar to what others pay. #BBCPay pic.twitter.com/GTPWl51BQx | |
| Here's something we may actually be biased about - we reckon this is a pretty good deal. #BBC pic.twitter.com/kKsc8eiaBr | |
| 9.57am BST | |
| 09:57 | |
| The LibDems have also welcomed Hall’s commitment to closing the gender pay gap at the BBC. | |
| Jo Swinson MP, a former junior equalities minister in the coalition government, told Today that eliminating the pay gap should be done as quickly as possible. | |
| But she doubted whether the BBC would be able to achieve gender pay parity by 2020 as Hall promised, describing it as a “hard nut to crack.” | |
| Swinson said: “I’m glad he says that. I think he is perhaps over optimistic.” | |
| She added: “The first step has to be getting the data, so that you can then look and often be shocked by what the data says. But at least that acts as real wake up call and its stops the problem being invisible.” | |
| On senior pay generally she said: “Transparency is one of the ways that the problem of very high executive pay can start to be addressed. When they have to be publicly justified then I think you perhaps get some more sensitive decisions made.” | |
| 9.35am BST | 9.35am BST |
| 09:35 | 09:35 |
| For a party that campaigned on a manifesto for the many not the few, Labour has issued a measured response to the BBC salaries. | For a party that campaigned on a manifesto for the many not the few, Labour has issued a measured response to the BBC salaries. |
| Tom Watson, shadow secretary of state for culture, said: | Tom Watson, shadow secretary of state for culture, said: |
| “The BBC is one of the world’s greatest broadcasters and we shouldn’t be surprised that its top stars - who millions of people tune in to watch and listen to every week - are well paid. | “The BBC is one of the world’s greatest broadcasters and we shouldn’t be surprised that its top stars - who millions of people tune in to watch and listen to every week - are well paid. |
| “Labour recognises the BBC’s dilemma: the need to give licence payers value for money while operating in a competitive commercial environment against other broadcasters who do not have to disclose what they pay.” | “Labour recognises the BBC’s dilemma: the need to give licence payers value for money while operating in a competitive commercial environment against other broadcasters who do not have to disclose what they pay.” |
| But he criticised the gender pay gap at the corporation. Watson said: “It’s wrong that only a third of the BBC’s highest paid stars are women, and we welcome Lord Hall’s commitment to close the gender pay gap by 2020. It would be good to see a similar commitment, and similar levels of transparency, from other media organisations - especially those who are criticising the BBC today.” | But he criticised the gender pay gap at the corporation. Watson said: “It’s wrong that only a third of the BBC’s highest paid stars are women, and we welcome Lord Hall’s commitment to close the gender pay gap by 2020. It would be good to see a similar commitment, and similar levels of transparency, from other media organisations - especially those who are criticising the BBC today.” |
| 9.29am BST | 9.29am BST |
| 09:29 | 09:29 |
| Former BBC chairman Lord Grade, has echoed his successor Lord Hall, in warning that publication of the senior salaries will be inflationary. | Former BBC chairman Lord Grade, has echoed his successor Lord Hall, in warning that publication of the senior salaries will be inflationary. |
| Speaking to the Today programme he said: | Speaking to the Today programme he said: |
| “I can hear the phones ringing all over the UK today... Agents will be looking at the relative rates others are getting, clients are going be up in arms, the competition will be looking at it. | “I can hear the phones ringing all over the UK today... Agents will be looking at the relative rates others are getting, clients are going be up in arms, the competition will be looking at it. |
| “The net result of this is inflation. There’s only way this can go and that is that the talent salaries and wages will round upwards, they won’t go down. I guarantee you that.” | “The net result of this is inflation. There’s only way this can go and that is that the talent salaries and wages will round upwards, they won’t go down. I guarantee you that.” |
| 9.25am BST | 9.25am BST |
| 09:25 | 09:25 |
| Opponents of the BBC are using the publication of the top salaries as another stick to be beat the corporation with. | Opponents of the BBC are using the publication of the top salaries as another stick to be beat the corporation with. |
| As people realise how much the BBC elite trouser in terms of license fee cash, I hope it helps brings forward the end of the license fee | As people realise how much the BBC elite trouser in terms of license fee cash, I hope it helps brings forward the end of the license fee |
| Why is it "damaging" the BBC for its spending to be transparent to those who fund it? Same arrogance we heard re FOI, then over MPs expenses https://t.co/IQFOQZHSJw | Why is it "damaging" the BBC for its spending to be transparent to those who fund it? Same arrogance we heard re FOI, then over MPs expenses https://t.co/IQFOQZHSJw |
| DAILY MAIL FRONT PAGE: 'Pay panic at the BBC' #skypapers pic.twitter.com/JgKYsQsvHb | DAILY MAIL FRONT PAGE: 'Pay panic at the BBC' #skypapers pic.twitter.com/JgKYsQsvHb |
| 8.50am BST | 8.50am BST |
| 08:50 | 08:50 |
| Damian Collins, chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, warned the BBC that his committee will be raising the issue of senior pay disparity after the figures are published. | Damian Collins, chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, warned the BBC that his committee will be raising the issue of senior pay disparity after the figures are published. |
| Speaking to Sky News he said: “This could be a really serious issue. | Speaking to Sky News he said: “This could be a really serious issue. |
| “If it becomes clear that people doing the same job with the same level of experience but being paid at very different levels, people will question why that can be the case. | “If it becomes clear that people doing the same job with the same level of experience but being paid at very different levels, people will question why that can be the case. |
| “There has been concern raised that we may see examples of this. | “There has been concern raised that we may see examples of this. |
| “This would certainly be a very serious matter. | “This would certainly be a very serious matter. |
| “This would certainly be something we would take up very strongly with the BBC when the director general and the chairman appear before the select committee in the autumn.” | “This would certainly be something we would take up very strongly with the BBC when the director general and the chairman appear before the select committee in the autumn.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 9.00am BST | at 9.00am BST |
| 8.47am BST | 8.47am BST |
| 08:47 | 08:47 |
| Labour MP and former shadow culture secretary Chris Bryant, echoes Hall’s argument about the unfairness of singling out only the salaries of BBC talent. | Labour MP and former shadow culture secretary Chris Bryant, echoes Hall’s argument about the unfairness of singling out only the salaries of BBC talent. |
| Bryant, who used to work at the BBC, tweeted that almost those reporting on the issue are opponents of the corporation. | Bryant, who used to work at the BBC, tweeted that almost those reporting on the issue are opponents of the corporation. |
| Just remember virtually everyone reporting and commenting on BBC pay today will be a competitor or opponent. #jewelinthecrown | Just remember virtually everyone reporting and commenting on BBC pay today will be a competitor or opponent. #jewelinthecrown |
| Ian Birrell, columnist and former speech writer for David Cameron, calls for a level playing field between broadcasters. | Ian Birrell, columnist and former speech writer for David Cameron, calls for a level playing field between broadcasters. |
| Why is BBC only public body forced to reveal high salaries? Surely edict should apply to all or none? Otherwise just seems a partisan attack | Why is BBC only public body forced to reveal high salaries? Surely edict should apply to all or none? Otherwise just seems a partisan attack |
| 8.36am BST | 8.36am BST |
| 08:36 | 08:36 |
| The union representing low-paid production workers at the BBC is stepping up demands for a minimum salary of 20,000, PA reports. | The union representing low-paid production workers at the BBC is stepping up demands for a minimum salary of 20,000, PA reports. |
| Bectu said it was “unjustifiable” for the corporation to focus on the earnings of those on more than £150,000 when thousands of engineers, technical and other production staff were paid a fraction of that amount. | Bectu said it was “unjustifiable” for the corporation to focus on the earnings of those on more than £150,000 when thousands of engineers, technical and other production staff were paid a fraction of that amount. |
| Gerry Morrissey, leader of Bectu - now part of the Prospect union - said something should be done about low pay. He told the Press Association: | Gerry Morrissey, leader of Bectu - now part of the Prospect union - said something should be done about low pay. He told the Press Association: |
| “We have had a claim in for two years for a minimum wage of 20,000 rather than the current 16,000. | “We have had a claim in for two years for a minimum wage of 20,000 rather than the current 16,000. |
| “It is totally unacceptable that the BBC is prepared to pay senior management and others many times that amount. | “It is totally unacceptable that the BBC is prepared to pay senior management and others many times that amount. |
| “There should be a lot more focus on giving low-paid staff a decent living wage.” | “There should be a lot more focus on giving low-paid staff a decent living wage.” |
| Mr Morrissey said more than 2,500 production staff were paid less than 20,000. | Mr Morrissey said more than 2,500 production staff were paid less than 20,000. |
| 8.32am BST | 8.32am BST |
| 08:32 | 08:32 |
| Hall commits to close gender pay gap by 2020 | Hall commits to close gender pay gap by 2020 |
| The BBC director general, Tony Hall, says he is committed to closing the gender pay gap at the BBC by 2020. | The BBC director general, Tony Hall, says he is committed to closing the gender pay gap at the BBC by 2020. |
| In a sometimes awkward interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme presenter Mishal Hussain, Hall said: “By 2020 we will have equality between men and women on air, and we will also have the pay gap sorted by then too.” | In a sometimes awkward interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme presenter Mishal Hussain, Hall said: “By 2020 we will have equality between men and women on air, and we will also have the pay gap sorted by then too.” |
| He added: “The average gender pay gap for the UK is just over 18%, our figure is 10%. I’m committed to making sure we do something about it.” | He added: “The average gender pay gap for the UK is just over 18%, our figure is 10%. I’m committed to making sure we do something about it.” |
| Hussain, whose pay is unlikely to match some of her male co-presenters when the salaries are published at 11am, pressed Hall on whether male salaries will be cut or female salaries raised. | Hussain, whose pay is unlikely to match some of her male co-presenters when the salaries are published at 11am, pressed Hall on whether male salaries will be cut or female salaries raised. |
| Hall said: “We will be working through case by case to ensure that I can sit here in 2020 and look you in the eye, and more importantly look our licence fee-payers in the eye, and say we have equality of pay between men and women ... We have to manage within our means. You know that and I know that. We have got to look after public money very very carefully.” | Hall said: “We will be working through case by case to ensure that I can sit here in 2020 and look you in the eye, and more importantly look our licence fee-payers in the eye, and say we have equality of pay between men and women ... We have to manage within our means. You know that and I know that. We have got to look after public money very very carefully.” |
| Hall said the decision to publish salaries was a “bad idea” but he conceded that the BBC had lost the argument. He said: | Hall said the decision to publish salaries was a “bad idea” but he conceded that the BBC had lost the argument. He said: |
| “Trying to compare names with what they are paid is actually very difficult. It is one of the reasons we said this was a bad idea ... there is one person doing one job sitting next to another person doing another jobs, they may be doing different other programmes. So comparisons are very very hard. That’s one of the worries we have got to manage and help through today.” | “Trying to compare names with what they are paid is actually very difficult. It is one of the reasons we said this was a bad idea ... there is one person doing one job sitting next to another person doing another jobs, they may be doing different other programmes. So comparisons are very very hard. That’s one of the worries we have got to manage and help through today.” |
| Hall also said he feared that other broadcasters would poach BBC talent as a result of today’s figures. He said: “Part of the difficulty that the public has in judging this, is that it is only us publishing these things, it is not anybody else publishing it. We were against this because we thought it was going to be inflationary. And we believed it would tempt other people with deep pockets to come after our talent. We lost that argument, let’s get on with it.” | Hall also said he feared that other broadcasters would poach BBC talent as a result of today’s figures. He said: “Part of the difficulty that the public has in judging this, is that it is only us publishing these things, it is not anybody else publishing it. We were against this because we thought it was going to be inflationary. And we believed it would tempt other people with deep pockets to come after our talent. We lost that argument, let’s get on with it.” |
| Hall defended the pay levels of all 96 stars on the list. “I’m satisfied with all of the 96 people on the list and what they are being paid,” he said. He added: | Hall defended the pay levels of all 96 stars on the list. “I’m satisfied with all of the 96 people on the list and what they are being paid,” he said. He added: |
| “We are seeking to get balance here between the spending of public money and also making sure we have got the right faces on screen and behind the microphone. I think we have been managing to hold down the pay that we pay talent and reducing the pay that we give to talent at a time of real inflation. The total is down by £5m on last year.” | “We are seeking to get balance here between the spending of public money and also making sure we have got the right faces on screen and behind the microphone. I think we have been managing to hold down the pay that we pay talent and reducing the pay that we give to talent at a time of real inflation. The total is down by £5m on last year.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.36am BST | at 8.36am BST |
| 7.53am BST | 7.53am BST |
| 07:53 | 07:53 |
| The BBC is to publish the names and salaries of its top earners at 11am as part of its annual report. | The BBC is to publish the names and salaries of its top earners at 11am as part of its annual report. |
| Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker who is expected to appear near, or at the top of the list, has already dubbed it “BBC salary day”. | Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker who is expected to appear near, or at the top of the list, has already dubbed it “BBC salary day”. |
| Happy BBC salary day. I blame my agent and the other TV channels that pay more. Now where did I put my tin helmet? | Happy BBC salary day. I blame my agent and the other TV channels that pay more. Now where did I put my tin helmet? |
| We will have all the eye-watering detail of the pay packets, or as much detail as the BBC will reveal – the salaries are due to published in bands of £50,000. | We will have all the eye-watering detail of the pay packets, or as much detail as the BBC will reveal – the salaries are due to published in bands of £50,000. |
| We will also track all the reaction and fallout. The BBC has allowed its highest earners to defend their pay on social media. | We will also track all the reaction and fallout. The BBC has allowed its highest earners to defend their pay on social media. |
| The list of top earners was demanded by the government in the face of resistance from the BBC. David Cameron initially told the BBC it should disclose the pay of on-air talent earning more than £450,000 but Theresa May cut this to £150,000 after becoming prime minister last year. | The list of top earners was demanded by the government in the face of resistance from the BBC. David Cameron initially told the BBC it should disclose the pay of on-air talent earning more than £450,000 but Theresa May cut this to £150,000 after becoming prime minister last year. |
| That salary is what the prime minister herself is paid. | That salary is what the prime minister herself is paid. |
| On Tuesday, the BBC revealed that 96 stars will appear on the list. Only a third are women. | On Tuesday, the BBC revealed that 96 stars will appear on the list. Only a third are women. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.33am BST | at 8.33am BST |