BBC aim for a 50:50 gender balance of contributors by April 2019

This follows on from a project by social media focused news programme Outside Source, simulcast on BBC News and BBC World News, which adopted a self-monitoring system in January last year and had achieved a 50:50 split by that April.

Since then, over 80 programmes among the BBC network have signed up to the challenge, including The One Show and BBC News at Six and Ten.

BBC Director-General Tony Hall commented, “This is a fantastic project that is already driving change. The results from programmes that have taken it up have been remarkable. Adopting it more widely will help transform the range of expert voices across the BBC.

BBC Director of News Fran Unsworth said, “We are starting to see a real transformation across the BBC. But we want to go further and faster. The success already delivered demonstrates the desire and commitment of BBC teams to lead the way on this important issue. That’s why the BBC is now setting the challenge of all programmes – on both radio and TV – that use expert contributors, to meet a 50:50 split of contributors by April 2019."

“The BBC will produce report on the progress at that time. We can and are delivering change. The BBC is happy to share its experience of this project with other broadcasters and news organisations who might want to adopt a similar approach.”

The statement stressed that the BBC will always interview the relevant minister, official or representative, and moreover the challenge is focused on ‘expert contributors’ who comment on events and contribute a particular expertise to each news story. Additionally, this new challenge does not apply to shows with an already recognised focus on gender, as the 50:50 split would violate the nature of the programme’s editorial remit.

Ros Atkins, presenter of Outside Source said, “When Outside Source started this project the aim was to further improve the quality of our programme and bring fresh and engaging expert contributors to our audiences. […] The ambition is to reach many more teams with the 50:50 challenge and ensure we have a strong network of contacts so we can increase the representation of expert female contributors on air.”

This news follows the BBC coming under criticism for a gender pay imbalance on its list of top-paid staff, with a gender pay gap of 9.3%.

Back at home, last year RTÉ announced a review of gender equality across the organisation, following Sharon Nï Bheoláin’s admission that in 2014 she was paid less than half of her co-anchor Bryan Dobson’s salary. At this time, RTÊ have yet to announce a gender-equality challenge for on-air experts and contributors.