The amount of money BBC news personalities are making from outside speaking engagements has increased dramatically, with Nick Robinson, Naga Munchetty, and John Simpson among those who have reaped the rewards.
In three months, Ms. Munchetty took home up to £50,000 from freelance employment.
The BBC Breakfast presenter, who receives an annual salary of roughly £365,000 from the company, participated in five events that paid her between £5,000 and £10,000.
Robinson, the anchor of the Today show and a BBC employee making nearly £270,000, got two payments totaling more than £10,000 for various events.
Veteran broadcaster Simpson, newscaster Clive Myrie, Europe editor Katya Adler, and HARDTalk presenter Stephen Sackur, who earned this sum twice, were among others who also received a payout in the top category of “above £10,000.”
Additionally, payments of between £5,000 and $10,000 were made to Simpson and Myrie separately.
According to BBC statistics, the external events gravy train is once again in motion.
From two in the quarter from July to September of last year to seven in the most recent numbers, which cover the months of October to December, there were more payouts above £10,000.
The total amount paid to BBC journalists for freelance work almost quadrupled.
In the quarter from July to September, 88 occurrences were reported, while the most recent data shows 161.
According to the BBC, 86% of the external events in the most recent data were “payments of £5,000 or less” and 50% were “below £1,000.”
According to a spokeswoman, “Every event is authorized in accordance with our editorial criteria and we announce the externally paid-for work of on-air journalists for transparency.”
None of the current hosts of BBC Radio 4’s Today show, according to 58% of Mail+ readers who participated in a survey, is their favorite.
They decided on the late Brian Redhead instead. In a survey of more than 2,900 readers, Nick Robinson, 59, who has hosted the program since 2015, received 19% of the votes, making him the most well-liked presenter currently in the role.
Amol Rajan, 39, did not win over the audience, receiving just 2% of the vote.
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