Harriet Harman ‘accuses BBC of ageism’

Harriet Harman has accused the BBC of failing to value the older female presenters it employs, which could be seen as discrimination through ageism.

The minister for equality claimed in an interview with The World This Weekend on Radio 4 that figures appeared to show that to be a female news presenter with the BBC a woman must be ten years younger than her male counterpart.

She made the same accusation about IT news presenters.

“I think that the broadcast media finds it possible to value the older man as having experience and wisdom because they’re older but I don’t think they find it possible to value the older woman,” she told radio presenter Mary Ann Sieghart.

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It has been widely reported in recent weeks the BBC is looking to recruit more female presenters aged over 50, following accusations of discrimination.

The media corporation is believed to be in talks with Julia Somerville, 62, Fiona Armstrong, 53, and Zeinab Badawi, 50, about signing a deal.