EXCLUSIVE: The BBC is facing growing pressure to find a resolution for five seasoned female presenters, many of whom have been unable to work for months amid a merger of the corporation’s UK and international news channels.
The women have not presented on the BBC News channel since March and some have been at home against their wishes as the broadcaster establishes the structure of its slimmed-down rolling news operation.
The five anchors impacted are Martine Croxall, Karin Giannone, Geeta Guru-Murthy, Kasia Madera, and Annita McVeigh. Between them, they have more than 100 years of experience working at the BBC.
Deadline understands that there is currently no clear resolution to the impasse, but colleagues are increasingly angry about the BBC’s treatment of the women.
The BBC is also facing questions about how much money it is wasting while the senior anchors sit on the bench, with some estimating that the costs could have ballooned to six figures or more.
The broadcaster is having to draft in freelancers to plug presenting holes, while employees are receiving “acting up pay” for anchor shifts. The women affected continue to receive full salaries while some are not working.
One BBC journalist, who does not work for the news channel, said it was an “appalling” situation. Another newsroom source added: “I think there is a huge amount of sympathy [for the presenters]. I don’t think it’s rocket science to say they have been badly treated.”
BBC insiders are alarmed that the presenters in limbo are all women, some of whom have campaigned for equal pay or have been union representatives. It has also been noted that the women are over the age of 45.
The BBC has faced lawsuits over equal pay disputes and ageism in the past. One ex-BBC presenter said the predicament of the news anchors suggests that the corporation hasn’t “learned any lessons.”
The BBC said: “We value all of our staff but we do not comment on individual HR matters.” Under the BBC’s consultation process, the broadcaster seeks alternative work for those at risk of losing their job. Redundancies only take place once these efforts have been exhausted.
The women were not successful in landing one of five UK-based chief presenter roles on the newly-merged channel. They were offered the opportunity to apply for eight correspondent/presenter posts, even though this may have been seen as a step down by some.
Recruitment for the positions is ongoing. Nancy Kacungira, who has worked at the BBC for seven years, has been hired for one of the correspondent/presenter posts, meaning there are seven vacancies.
Tim Davie, the BBC Director General, was grilled about the situation last week by UK Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee. John Nicolson, a lawmaker for the Scottish National Party, said it was “absurd” and it looked as if the BBC was punishing the presenters.
Davie declined to comment on specific individuals, but said there was “no question that anyone would ever be punished.” He added: “We need a fair, good conversation with those individuals to make sure they are settled.”
In reference to freelancers covering presenter shifts, Davie said: “You never want to be in a position where you are wasting public money.”
The BBC merged its UK and international news channels on April 3. The restructure was designed to cut costs but has been dressed up by the BBC as an opportunity to reinvent the news channel for a TikTok generation.
Croxall, Giannone, Guru-Murthy, Madera, and McVeigh have been contacted for comment.
Some have taken on work at the BBC outside of the news channel in recent months. Madera has done shifts on World Service radio, while Giannone tweeted on Monday that she had been working with world news tracker BBC Monitoring.
Jake Kanter
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