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BBC Equality Media

BBC vows to attain gender parity among experts by 2019

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By John Glenday, Reporter

April 3, 2018 | 2 min read

The BBC has vowed to ramp up its efforts to attain gender equality by pledging a 50/50 split in both male and female experts by 2019 for all contributors to its news, current affairs and topical programming.

BBC vows to attain gender parity among external experts by 2019

The guarantee of an equal share of air time dovetails with a commitment to always interview the most relevant figures

The guarantee of an equal share of air time dovetails with a commitment to always interview the most relevant figure behind a particular story, but the move has been met with cynicism amongs campaigners, including the BBC Women Group.

Far from enthusiastically embracing the pledge, Woman’s Hour presenter Jane Garvey said: “It sounds like a half-decent attempt but they are always doing this. It’s like the government – they are always announcing things that are new when they are not. I am not overwhelmed with enthusiasm as I feel have heard it all before.”

Of particular concern is the omission of any detail on addressing ethnic and class diversity within the latest promise together with some commentators suggesting that aiming for an equal distribution of talent should not be presented as innovation, but should instead be the norm.

The BBC is in the midst of a damaging pay discrimination debate which led to the resignation of its China editor Carrie Gracie from that particular role, after she discovered she was being paid less than male colleagues.

BBC Equality Media

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The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters are at Broadcasting House in Westminster, London.

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