The BBC News division is undergoing a major restructuring in the name of cost-savings linked to efficiency measures announced by director-general Tim Davie last year.
The corporation has reportedly written to all of its senior TV and radio presenters in the news division asking them to consider the option of voluntary redundancy in the hopes of avoiding having to make compulsory redundancies.
The broadcaster’s voluntary redundancy payments are limited to £150,000 as reported by the Daily Mail, but many of the top presenters reportedly given this option earn hundreds of thousands more than this, making it a less than attractive deal.
As some of the corporations most well-known news presenters stand at a substantial crossroads, Express.co.uk delves into the six-figure salaries of the top stars, who have reportedly been asked to consider voluntary redundancy.
In 2022, BBC One’s Huw Edwards, 61, reportedly earned between £410,000 and £414,000, making him the sixth-highest-paid star at the corporation for his role in presenting the BBC’s flagship news bulletins News at Ten and News at Six.
Newsreader and senior journalist Sophie Raworth, 54, who has often been the relief presenter for the news bulletins and their other top news programmes, earned an estimated £305,000 to £309,999 for the same time period.
Clive Myrie, 58, earned between £255,000 and £259,000 last year for his role as the longest-running host of BBC quiz shows Mastermind and Celebrity Mastermind, as well as the News at 10 bulletin on Fridays.
The reporter has also been barred from Russia following his extensive coverage for BBC live from Ukraine during the first months of the conflict last year.
Similarly, Radio 4’s Justin Webb, 62, who co-presenters the station’s flagship news programme Today also earned between £255,000 and £259,000 last year.
Don’t miss…
Holly Willoughby pulls out of This Morning after getting shingles[UPDATE]
Paul O’Grady’s funeral to be held at favourite safari park[LATEST]
Prince Edward rushed to the aid of bedridden Ulrika Jonsson[INSIGHT]
His co-presenter Nick Robinson, 59, earned between £270,000 and £274,999 in 2022 but has worked with the broadcaster for decades, most notably spending 10 years as the BBC’s political editor.
BBC Weekend News presenter Reeta Chakrabarti, 58, is believed to have earned between £200,000 and £204,999 in 2022 for her multiple presenting roles across the BBC News Channel and it’s international counterpart.
The presenters are said to have had until last Friday to register their interest in voluntary redundancy, although it has not been revealed if any have put themselves forward.
The BBC’s News channel and international counterpart, BBC World News, have already merged as part of the restructuring plans in order to create a new digitally-focused channel.
As a result, presenters were invited to compete for only a handful of chief presenting jobs with a total of 10 senior jobs being axed altogether, according to the Daily Mail.
Aside from the internal turmoil of such major restructuring causes, sources told the newspaper that the decision to take aim at the corporations most senior reporters have sent already low workplace morale plummeting.
A BBC spokesperson told them: “This isn’t about any new job cuts – it’s a standard HR exercise relating to savings we’ve announced previously – and it’s not targeting any individuals; we have to send it to everyone who’s at the same grade.
“We’re looking for expressions of interest in redundancy, not offering it, and it’s not the case that any or everyone who came forward would be accepted.”
Source: Read Full Article
