BBC China editor resigns over gender pay dispute

The BBC China editor, Carrie Gracie, has resigned in protest over a gender pay gap at the British broadcaster.

Ms. Gracie, who took up the position of China editor four years ago, would leave her post in Beijing over what she calls “a secretive and illegal BBC pay culture,’’ according to an open letter posted on her website.

She said that of BBC’s four international editors, the two who are men earned at least 50 per cent more than their female peers.

“I told my bosses the only acceptable resolution would be for all the international editors to be paid the same amount,’’ Ms. Gracie wrote.

“The right amount would be for them to decide, and I made clear I wasn’t seeking a pay rise, just equal pay. Instead the BBC offered me a big pay rise which remained far short of equality.’’

The broadcaster came under fire July 2017 when a report showed two thirds of its top-earning stars were men and the highest-paid woman earned less than a quarter of the top-paid man’s salary.

Ms. Gracie called on the BBC to “admit the problem, apologise and set in place an equal, fair and transparent pay structure.’’

She said she would be returning to her former post in the TV newsroom, “where I expect to be paid equally.’’

Several BBC presenters showed their support by joining the #IStandWithCarrie hashtag on social media.