Over half of TV workers ‘are sexually harassed’

BULLYING and sexual harassment are endemic in the television industry, workers claim.

More than 70 per cent were bullied and more than half were sexually harassed.

But reporting of the incidents was extremely low, with 84 per cent of sexual harassment victims saying they did not tell anyone, mostly because they feared they would lose their jobs, the survey of broadcasters and independent production companies found.

Dame Janet Smith, who led the independent inquiry into Jimmy Savile and the BBC, said low reporting rates reflected the ‘culture of fear’ in the industry.

She told an Edinburgh International TV Festival debate in London yesterday that BBC employees were afraid to be seen giving evidence to her review.

She said the prevalence of short-term contracts in the media made staff worry they would lose work if they complained.

Naked Attraction presenter Anna Richardson told the debate that a female producer told her to ‘look f***able’, and criticised the industry for not making progress on sexual harassment for a decade.

But Channel 5 News editor Rachel Corp said ITN had introduced an independent hotline for complaints this week, following the Harvey Weinstein sex scandal.

The industry-wide survey, commissioned by Channel 5 News and the Edinburgh International Television Festival, received 315 responses from employees and freelancers at broadcasters and independent production companies.

Only 35 per cent of respondents said they trusted their employer to deal with any incidents of bullying and sexual harassment properly.