BBC insiders have accused the corporation of sexism after it emerged that the number of reports by women journalists on its flagship 10pm news bulletin has fallen dramatically in the past year.
Senior female correspondents are unhappy about being overlooked by the programme, which was revamped at the start of the year to coincide with the return of ITV’s News at Ten. It is believed that several journalists have voiced their concerns with managers, though the BBC says it has had no complaints. One insider said: ”There is a perception that it is more difficult for women journalists to get on ‘the Ten’ than it used to be.”
Figures obtained by the Observer, based on the running orders for the programme, show there were far fewer female faces on the programme in April 2008 compared with the same five-week period last year.
There were 32 reports by women, with four lead stories, from April 2 to May 4 in 2007. This year, from March 31 to May 2, there were 19, a drop of just over 40%, and only two lead items featured female reporters. Weekend news bulletins, which are aired at different times, are not included in the figures.
BBC insiders claim that reporters fear they will jeopardise their careers if they complain, but experienced correspondents privately say it is difficult to get air time on the 10pm bulletin, a feeling shared by senior production staff. They point out that there were no reports by women on January 14, when the BBC’s night-time bulletin went head-to-head with ITV for the first time in years.
The Ten O’Clock News is a huge ratings success, regularly attracting an audience of more than six million, with more female viewers than any other bulletin. One of the BBC’s most senior news executives did not dispute the figures, but said there had been no complaints from staff. ”Because of the intensive nature of TV news, there are fewer senior female correspondents,” he said.
He said the 10pm bulletin has run many reports by women in recent weeks, including several from the BBC’s Africa correspondent, Orla Guerin. He pointed out that the BBC appointed Stephanie Flanders as economics editor in March as a replacement for her male predecessor, Evan Davis. ”She has been on air a lot talking about the credit crunch.”
The executive said he was not aware of any complaints from viewers about the lack of female faces and added that the issue had not been raised by unions with the programme’s editor, Craig Oliver, who also edits the Six O’Clock News. ”They certainly haven’t had formal complaints or deputations from staff. ‘The Ten’ has not had any viewer complaints on this as far as we are aware.”
The BBC says it is committed to recruiting a diverse workforce and monitors the make-up of its 27 000 staff closely. As a publicly owned organisation funded by the licence fee, it is sensitive to suggestions that its on-screen talent does not mirror the population that pays for it. Its equal opportunities policy states: ”The BBC is committed to reflecting the diversity of the United Kingdom audience in its workforce, as well as in its output on TV, on radio and online.”
The BBC Trust, which replaced the board of governors last year and is responsible for monitoring the corporation, would not comment.
A BBC spokesperson said: ”Clearly, the programme’s content is dictated by the news agenda. Stories are reported on their particular news merit, irrespective of who the reporter may be.
”The BBC’s Ten O’Clock News is a showcase for our subject-specialist editors, most of who happen to be men. We’re not aware of any complaints from viewers.” — Â