BBC North America editor Jon Sopel has not agreed to have his pay cut, despite the BBC reporting he had
BBC North America editor Jon Sopel had not agreed to have his pay cut when the broadcaster published reports saying he was one of six prominent men in the organisation to have his salary reduced.
It follows outcries over gender pay disparity at the organisation following China editor Carrie Gracie’s resignation.
Mr Sopel had only heard about the prospect of pay reduction 24 hours earlier.
The veteran broadcaster, who is currently reporting from the Davos summit, did not know his name would appear in news reports.
He is willing to negotiate his salary, but does not understand how his name had been released following only one ‘private conservation’ on the matter, the Times reported.
Others prominent men named taking pay cuts were Nick Robinson, John Humphrys, Jeremy Vine, Huw Edwards and Nicky Campbell.
The BBC is also targeting Andrew Marr and Eddie Mair to take hefty salary reductions.
It is not known how BBC online journalists obtained Mr Sopel’s name – but it was not announced by management and the accuracy of the BBC’s reporting were raised at the broadcaster’s morning news meeting.
There could be further embarrassment for the corporation as leaking private salary discussions may be a breach of employment law.
The Times today reports that the BBC online story was rewritten to remove the names and said the corporation was still ‘in discussions’ with Mr Sopel, however the BBC website this morning still named the North America editor as one of the men that was taking a paycut.
Speaking to the MailOnline, a BBC spokesperson said: ‘Like with any story, the BBC news website is updated as the story moves on such as individuals making public statements about their pay.’
This morning, a BBC spokesperson added the corporation was ‘in conversation’ with it’s highly paid male presenters and that they still ‘understand Sopel’s pay will be reduced’.
They added a lot will be happening next week regarding a pay review and that they are not commenting on the Times report or when the Sopel agreed to the pay cut.
A spokesperson said: ‘We are very grateful to Huw Edwards, Nicky Campbell, John Humphrys, Jon Sopel, Nick Robinson, and Jeremy Vine, who have agreed that their pay will now be reduced.
‘These are great journalists and presenters, who have a real connection with the audience. We are proud to have them working at the BBC.
‘The final details of some of these changes are still being discussed, and there are further conversations that the BBC will have with others in due course.’
Jeremy Vine, John Humphrys, Huw Edwards and Nicky Campbell have all agreed – either formally or in principle – to reduce their salaries, the corporation reported.
Radio 4 Today presenter Nick Robinson has also agreed cuts, while the BBC is targeting Andrew Marr and Eddie Mair to take hefty salary reductions as well.
Radio 2 host Jeremy Vine (left) is one of the highest paid stars, earning up to £750,000 a year. John Humphrys (right), on up to £650,000, has offered to take a third voluntary pay cut
Mr Marr and Mr Mair are currently two of the biggest earners in the BBC News department, taking home the best part of £1million between them.
According to insiders, bosses are planning to cut salaries amid concerns that they are dramatically out of kilter with the rest of the corporation – but there is no suggestion anyone has been forced to take a pay decrease.
Mr Marr, 58, is paid between £400,000 and £450,000 for hosting two shows a week – Start the Week on Radio 4 and his political discussion programme, The Andrew Marr Show, on BBC1 on Sundays.
His contract is up for renewal later this year, meaning that BBC would be able to impose a cut on Mr Marr with or without his blessing.
A senior insider said: ‘It marks negotiation point’. Meanwhile Mr Mair, 52, receives between £300,000 and £350,000 a year as the host of Radio 4’s daily show, PM.
The BBC has also asked News at Ten anchor Huw Edwards (left) to take a sizeable reduction to his pay packet of between £550,000 and £600,000 a year. Radio Five Live presenter Nicky Campbell (right), who earns up to £450,000 a year, told his listeners he had taken a pay cut
It is not clear whether the BBC will be able to force him to accept a pay cut, or whether he is a permanent member of staff – in which case the broadcaster would need to win his agreement.
The BBC would not comment on the negotiations – although a source confirmed that it is in discussions with a ‘range of news presenters’ about their pay.
BBC presenter Andrew Marr is paid up to £450,000 for hosting two shows a week
‘The news market is very different than ten years ago. The reality is that some of the deals we have done in the past have not stood the test of time,’ the source added.
Today, BBC Radio Five Live presenter Mr Campbell, who was revealed last year to earn between £400,000-£450,000 a year, told his listeners that he had taken a pay cut.
After a news story about male presenters was read out, the Scottish broadcaster confirmed he was also on the list, telling his co-presenter ‘you’re not going to interview me are you?’ He added: ‘It’s all very civilised and collegiate.’
If Mr Marr and Mr Mair accept the new deals, they will be in good company.
The Mail revealed on Thursday that Mr Humphrys has offered to take a third voluntary pay cut amid the ongoing gender pay row.
The veteran broadcaster was paid between £600,000 and £650,000 last year, according to the BBC’s pay disclosures.
He has already agreed to give up £120,000 of that sum, and could surrender another £80,000 in the current round of discussions.
Mr Humphrys said today: ‘I’ve been at the BBC for an awfully long time and I’ve been paid very well and I’m not exactly on the breadline.’
Asked if the cut would make a difference to his day-to-day life, he said: ‘I don’t think I’ll be selling matches in the street or whatever…. I’m being facetious. I’ve been very well paid for a very long time.’
Eddie Mair, 52, receives up to £350,000 a year as the host of BBC Radio 4’s daily show, PM
Meanwhile, the BBC has also asked News at Ten anchor Mr Edwards to take a sizable reduction to his pay packet of between £550,000 and £600,000 a year.
The cuts for male stars come as the BBC braces itself for the next public shaming in its gender pay row.
Director general Lord Hall will be hauled back in front of MPs next week to answer claims by Ms Gracie that the BBC has a ‘secretive and illegal’ pay structure.
The BBC is also poised to publish its long-awaited review of pay for on-screen staff.
The BBC’s North America editor Jon Sopel received £200,000-£250,000 last year
The PWC report will examine pay at all levels of the corporation, and not just amongst the 96 stars whose pay details were disclosed last summer.
However, a phalanx of BBC presenters has already warned Lord Hall that they are likely to publicly reject the findings.
Mr Mair’s spokesman could not be reached for comment.
Mr Marr said yesterday that he ‘understands’ the need for pay cuts but has not been informed of the plan.
‘I’ve had no communication of any kind whatsoever. Even the BBC, if they had decided something like that, would have told me,’ he said.
Last year, the broadcaster published a list of its top earners, setting out the pay for staff on more than £150,000, revealing a shocking gap in the earnings of its most well-known male and female presenters and actors.
Radio 2’s Chris Evans topped the list on more than £2 million while the highest paid woman was Claudia Winkleman on between £450,000 and £499,999.
Mr Humphrys said at the time: ‘I have taken a couple of sizeable, very large, very sizeable pay cuts just recently. How much? I don’t know… Would I chop my salary in half? Maybe I would, I don’t know.’
The BBC’s China editor Carrie Gracie resigned from her role in protest at unequal pay, and called for men and women at the corporation to be paid the same
Radio 2 host Mr Vine was one of the highest paid stars, earning £700,000-£750,000, while Mr Sopel received £200,000-£250,000.
Ms Gracie revealed she had been earning £135,000 before the BBC offered her a £45,000 rise, which she rejected.
Downing Street said today that while pay policy was a matter for the BBC any move to address the gender gap would be welcome.
A Number 10 spokesman said: ‘What the Prime Minister has said is she wants there to be equality of pay.
‘Any moves from the BBC to continue to take that seriously would be welcomed.’
A BBC spokesman told MailOnline today: ‘We are very grateful to Huw Edwards, Nicky Campbell, John Humphrys, Jon Sopel, Nick Robinson, and Jeremy Vine, who have agreed that their pay will now be reduced.
‘These are great journalists and presenters, who have a real connection with the audience. We are proud to have them working at the BBC.
‘The final details of some of these changes are still being discussed, and there are further conversations that the BBC will have with others in due course’
Earlier this month, controversial off-air comments made by Mr Humphrys about the equal pay row were heard in a leaked recording.
The broadcasting veteran was heard to say he could hand over more than the entire salary of his colleague Mr Sopel, and still be ‘left with more than anybody else’.
Mr Humphrys told ITV News he backed equal pay, stating: ‘We are in habit, Jon and I, of winding each other up and the purpose of this jokey – I emphasise jokey – exchange was a bit of mutual mickey-taking, and that is all it was.’
The BBC said at the time it was ‘committed to getting its pay structures right’ and that it was conducting a ‘comprehensive analysis’ of presenter pay.