BBC says a QUARTER of staff will come from poor backgrounds by 2027
BBC says a QUARTER of its staff will come from poor backgrounds by 2027 after Nadine Dorries slammed corporation’s ‘snobbish approach’
- The BBC is aiming to have 25% of their staff come from lower-class backgrounds
- Nadine Dorries said the BBC ignores kids from working-class backgrounds
- The broadcaster said it will make its workforce more representative by 2027
The BBC will aim to make 25% of its workforce come from poorer backgrounds by 2027, after the Culture Secretary jibed about its current ‘snobbish approach’.
In its annual plan, published today, the BBC said: ‘By 2027 we want 25% of our staff to come from a lower socio-economic background’.
The broadcaster has set itself ‘ambitious goals’ to improve its diversity and socio-economic mix, including increasing the proportion of women, those from an ethnic and minority background, those with a disability who work for the BBC.
Previously Nadine Dorries denounced the BBC, painting it as ‘elitist’ and full of people ‘whose mum and dad worked there’.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries previous slammed the BBC for its ‘snobbish approach’ in hiring staff. Today the broadcasting corporation announced it will aim to have 25% of its staff from lower socio-economic backgrounds
The BBC (pictured) released its annual plan today, which detailed plans to hire a more diverse workforce by 2027 and how
Speaking in October last year, Nadine Dorries said: ‘North West, North East, Yorkshire, if you’ve got a regional accent in the BBC it doesn’t go down particularly well.
‘They talk about lots to do with diversity but they don’t talk about kids from working-class backgrounds.’
The BBC will work to achieve its 2027 goal, when its present royal charter ends, in part though growing its apprenticeship scheme.
They have made a commitment to bring 1000 apprentices into the organisation by 2025.
BBC Chair Richard Sharp (pictured) said the annual plan highlights the challenges and opportunities in the current media market
The annual plan was published just two months after the announcement that the licence fee will be frozen at its current price for two years from 22/23 and then rise in line with inflation for the following four years.
The corporation acknowledged the licence fee ‘is a privilege’ but said it will be left needing to find £285m in annual savings by 2027/28.
Although details of potential cuts were not shared as the plan said the BBC was in a ‘strong financial position’ for the year ahead because of existing savings measures.
More detail on future cuts will be announced in May.
The broadcaster’s strategic priorities for the next 12 months are: strengthening impartiality; creating distinctive, high-impact content; transforming the BBC’s digital offer and capability; accelerating commercial and global growth; delivering reforms, getting closer to audiences across the U.K., and managing the impact of the first year of the new licence fee settlement.
Richard Sharp, BBC chair, said: ‘Our plan highlights the challenges and opportunities in the media market.
‘We will continue driving changes to our public service and commercial operations to fulfil our duty.’
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