Good for Olenka Frenkiel who has spoken out about the way older women are treated by the BBC. An award-winning reporter with over 30-years experience, she was forced out of the organization but refused to sign a gagging clause. Two years later, Frenkiel is finally able to speak out. This story is featured on the front page of today's Guardian, I know making a stand against ageism and sexism is not easy, but we need more women like Olenka Frenkiel and Miriam O'Reilly (who won an employment tribunal against the Beeb) to tell it like it is. And we need the BBC to set a better example.
More on the story here.
This is a very important issue, and a bit shocking, too. I also read the Guardian article, and was particularly struck by the journalist telling how she took unpaid maternity leave... Or that having a child was somehow unexpected in her job. Now I feel that my pampered Scandinavian world view got a nasty reminder that we still need feminists... I know, we all take our own cultural norms as standard, and coming from a country were middle-aged news anchors of both sexes are not just normal but the norm, does not exactly prepare me for a different reality...
ReplyDeleteSo all these over 50 women who call themselves 'reporters' or 'journalists' didn't want to cause a fuss?!?!?! And finally after a oouple of years speak out?!?! Obviously the BBC needs women with a lot more moxie. If you need an example of an over 50 woman with the guts of a cat burglar, look at Sharyl Atkisson, she's no candy ass...the boys at CBS tried to muzzle her and she's putting their dick in a sling!
ReplyDeleteI think the world is just going to have to realize that there are a lot of us over 50. We want to be represented in the media, in arts, in science, in business. We are not a passive bunch. We are awesome and we know it. So look out!
ReplyDeleteThe Globe and Mail, a Canadian newspaper, had an article today stating that 65 is the new 16. Well, I wouldn't quite say 16, but women over 50 are still vital, beautiful and worthy of notice.
ReplyDeleteTiina - things are a lot fairer and more equal in Scandinavia, wish it was more like that over here!
ReplyDeleteGSL - good for her! I don't think Olenka Frenkiel was able to speak out before now, she's been going through a tribunal.
Only goes to show how far we have to go and......it pains me to say this, how little real progress has been made. If the world of journalism struggles with women of a certain age, God help everywhere else. I do think though that women have to take some responsibility and not be so accepting of the crumbs thrown to them.....heavy stuff for a Sunday!
ReplyDeleteWe have so far to go! Great article, i am passing it around.
ReplyDeleteIt's so sad that this is still an issue. I'm sick of seeing old men continue their fading careers at the BBC and other media channels well into their dotage while women get sidelined at the first sign of a grey hair. Get real BBC, and represent the true demographic of this country. Time to ditch the dreary male dinosaurs in favour of a few older, wiser and far more interesting ladies.
ReplyDeleteI don't generally watch daytime TV, but have caught the odd Loose Women, which I think degenerated into sheer stupidity. However, I tuned in the other day, merely to watch Lynda Bellingham's last appearance and was heartened to see that the line-up had changed for the better: to the older presenters, who displayed a much more mature and sensible approach. They are much more watchable. Please learn, BBC.
ReplyDeleteIt's just appalling to read how the BBC seems to be systematically pushing aside their over-50 female reporters. Bad form, BBC. Good for Olenka for standing up and speaking up!
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