Carrie Gracie resignation

I’ve always thought she was over rated. As a newsreader her voice is quite harsh and not pleasant to listen to. She never seems relaxed either. As China Editor she was barely in the country, I only ever saw her file reports from London. The role is clearly not the equal of the American Editors job.

That puts a slightly different complection on things than the impression most of the news reports seem to have given it, which is that she was unhappy with being paid less than another [Region] Editor who was a man, and that it was because she was a woman. Now it sounds like the BBC misled her as to the comparison of pay, which they might just as easily have done to another man.

Because neither Jeremy or Jon went for their positions, saying I want to be paid equal to 'this editor'.

Carrie took the post, to be paid the same as the North America Editor.

Many factors in play here. Firstly, there is a great deal more interest in what is going on in the U.S. so it is to be expected that the North American Editor has a higher on-air profile. Jon Sopel nearly always appears from Washington reporting largely on politics, whereas from memory, Carrie would travel extensively within China. Besides, there is a huge difference between uprooting your life and moving to Washington, and uprooting your life and moving to China. Aside from the cultural differences, press intimidation is par for the course. This will be a major factor in the amount of time Carrie spent in London. I think she has stated publicly that her children were taking exams and she did not wish to take them from the UK at that time.

My understanding is that she was explicitly told that her salary would be in line with Sopel’s. I don’t think Bowen had been given that assurance.

So what happens now? Does she resume her post or is she staying behind the desk?

Carrie is taking six months out. What happens after that who knows and even the BBC and Carrie might not currently as it might depend what vacancies exist at the time. We might still have a China editor vacancy.

I see no reason for her to return. There is no role for her, certainly not at £145k per year.

The BBC however doesn't necessarily need a single role however for her. Many people combine a couple of roles. I think she was doing some World Service work after her return to the newsroom.

World service work that has quite easily been covered by other presenters (incidentally mostly the person who she took over from) for the last several weeks.

I very much doubt the BBC would want the 'No Job for Gracie to Return To Following Pay Dispute' news headlines in 6 months time, so I expect they'll find a role for her if she chooses to return.

Nobody will care in six months. Nobody really cares now.