Privately-educated BBC staff occupy third of best-paid jobs at ‘elitist’ corporation
PRIVATELY-educated BBC staff occupy a third of its best-paid jobs — sparking accusations of elitism.
The number on £150,000 or more almost doubled from 37 to 68 in the past two years, the corporation’s figures show.
Yet former fee-paying school pupils make up just ten per cent of staff earning less than £30,000.
One in four £80,000-plus journalism jobs are taken by the privately educated, who make up only 15 per cent of newsroom staff.
BBC boss Tim Davie, on £525,000, went to £43,000-a-year Whitgift School, South London.
Chief content officer Charlotte Moore — on £442,000 — was at Wycombe Abbey girls’ school, Bucks, with its £51,000 -a-year boarders.
Political editor Laura Kuenssberg was also privately educated.
Lee Elliot Major, Professor of Social Mobility at the Exeter University, said: “It’s scandalous the BBC, set up to serve all parts of British society, excludes socio-economic background from much of its diversity work.”
An Ofcom review previously said lower-income audiences felt presenters’ high salaries made the BBC out of touch with ordinary people.
The BBC said: “Figures show 21 per cent of staff are from working class backgrounds.”