A strategic view

Friday's proceedings in Samira Ahmed v The BBC featured non-programme-making-but-clearly-diverse Director of Strategy Gautam Rangarajan giving evidence, as QC Rachel Crasnow manned the defence barricades.

He talked about a "charter-defined separation" (love to identify the reference) between news programmes such as Newswatch and entertainment shows such as Points of View. “Newswatch requires a trained, experienced journalist, able to ask difficult questions of senior executives,” he said. “Broad audience appeal is not necessary, as the programme is commissioned for a specialised channel with small audiences.”

In the first sign of a 'process' in setting pay, he said pay for top on-air roles was determined by the long-term impact they have on the BBC's audience and its core editorial impact, known as Band F positions. Mr Rangarajan said Newswatch and Ahmed did not meet the Band F criteria, and was placed at the top of Band E. 

He noted Samira's work outside news was mainly on arts formats:“Arts tends to be lower on the news agenda for audiences, and arts output on average tends to attract smaller audiences than the entertainment genres that Jeremy has presented. Samira has not broadcast regularly at peak times on television, nor regularly presented original programming on the BBC’s main TV channels. Jeremy . . . has been broadcasting at peak times on BBC One for a number of years.”