Low pay? Women are just no good at arguing, says Paxo
JEREMY PAXMAN has waded into the BBC gender pay gap row by claiming female presenters could have negotiated better deals – and joking that they should be ‘jolly glad to get out of the house’. After seeing his audience recoil in horror, the former Newsnight grand inquisitor was quick to add: ‘That was a joke. J.O.K.E.’
But when asked by journalist Ruth Wishart – who was interviewing him at the Edinburgh Book Festival last week – whether it was the fault of female TV personalities that they were paid less than their male colleagues, Paxman did not disagree. ‘I didn’t say that – you said that,’ he replied, before adding: ‘It’s a market. It’s a bogus market, I agree, but it is a market. This is the Kirsty Wark argument about “Would I get more if I had a penis?” People are not negotiating big enough deals if that’s what they want.’
However, one top female BBC presenter was quick to shoot down Paxman’s argument last night by saying: ‘The trouble is that many of us have agents – male in my case – to negotiate on our behalf.’
The Corporation faced a torrent of criticism last month after revealing the pay of its biggest on- screen talent. Nearly two- thirds of its stars earning more than £ 150,000 a year are men, and some women are paid far less than their male colleagues for doing the same job.
Paxo’s former Newsnight colleagues Emily Maitlis and Kirsty Wark were among those who signed an open letter to directorgeneral Tony Hall urging the Beeb to change its ways.
During the event last week, Paxman also claimed the Beeb would cut men’s pay following the furore.
He also declared that BBC salaries were too high across the board. ‘There are really impor- tant jobs out there for which people should be paid better money. But if people can get paid for it, well good luck to them, I say.’
However, the BBC told me last night that they weren’t worried by Paxo’s comments. A source said: ‘Jeremy is entitled to his views. We’ve committed to go further than anyone else and close the gender pay gap by 2020.’
Paxman still presents BBC2’s University Challenge, but he was not included on the earnings list because he is paid through an independent company. During his Newsnight days, he was reported to be on more than £1 million.