Carole Walker has written a second letter to Ariel protesting at what she sees as the BBC breaking its promise to grant women over 50 more presenting shifts on the news channel. She is angry at having been given one shift so far this year, and believes Mark Thompson's announcement that older women would receive more prominence was a stunt.
The BBC has said that last year she presented all shifts they had agreed with her at the time of that announcement, that it was difficult to schedule around her full time job as a political correspondent and that she had turned down offers of relief shifts in the past due to her annual leave allowance.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1373535/Carole-Walker-hits-BBCs-pledge-ageism.html
She's partly correct. This whole over 50s presenter thing is of course a publicity stunt, but to be fair both Julia Somerville and Fiona Armstrong appear every few weeks to cover shifts - and Julia has done a couple of Saturdays on the BBC1 bulletins.
Carole Walker spent a few evening shifts on the NC last year - but she has the job of political correspondent too. And Zeinab Badawi has only done a couple of afternoon shifts and a few 5pm news hours on the NC - but she has to present on World too, so I never understood how that was going to work in the first place. Razia Iqbal covered a few evening shifts too and she's not even part of this over-50s recruitment scheme!
It sounds to me as if she's just bitter because she hasn't had a high profile presenting gig. She seems to totally disregard the fact that she's a senior political correspondent and has plenty of air time in that role. That probably goes a long way to explaining her lack of presenting shifts. Like DrewF says, Zeinab Badawi presents almost daily on BBC World News so doesn't have time to present on the BBC News Channel either, but you don't hear her complaining. The reason Fiona Armstrong and Julia Somerville have been given more shifts is because they don't have any other role within the BBC so can focus on presenting. Frankly, I don't rate Carole Walker as a presenter anyway. Armstrong and Somerville are far better in the studio and Walker excels in the field. It's horses for courses.
Incidentally, how does the Corporation handle the inevitable clashes when Married and Partnered couples work for the organisation?
Would seem to be pertinent to discuss seeing as a key correspondent's wife has been appointed Deputy Chair today.
(Rory Cellan-Jones and Diane Coyle - for clairity)
Incidentally, how does the Corporation handle the inevitable clashes when Married and Partnered couples work for the organisation?
Would seem to be pertinent to discuss seeing as a key correspondent's wife has been appointed Deputy Chair today.
(Rory Cellan-Jones and Diane Coyle - for clairity)
I'm not sure I can see an obvious clash in the example you have given. I wouldn't expect the BBC Trust to be going into such detail that they would be discussing individual journalists. If they were though I 'd expect the standard policy of withdrawing from the conversation as soon as any potential conflict is identified to apply.
In my previous employment no family member could be employed in a direct hierachy which seemingly would apply in this case. I thought it interesting to ask.
