Entertainment

Channel 4 newsreader Jon Snow: I’ve volunteered for a pay cut

The broadcaster said it was ‘a co-operative gesture’ amid the controversy over the gender pay gap.
The broadcaster said it was ‘a co-operative gesture’ amid the controversy over the gender pay gap. The broadcaster said it was ‘a co-operative gesture’ amid the controversy over the gender pay gap.

Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow has taken a “gender pay cut”, the newsreader has said.

Snow, 70, is thought to have been one of the highest-paid newsreaders in Britain.

He told the Daily Mail: “I’ve taken a gender pay cut.

“I did it as a co-operative gesture. I took the cut over two months ago, 25%.

“Alas, contractually, I am not able to disclose my salary then or now.”

Channel 4, which employs Snow, has previously said it is “unacceptable” that the channel has a gender pay gap of 28.6%.

Earlier this year, ITN, which makes daily news programmes for ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, revealed it had a 19.6% gender pay gap.

Cathy Newman, who co-hosts Channel 4 news, tweeted: “ITN has 19.6% gender pay gap and staggering 77% bonus gap.

Channel 4 news presenter Cathy Newman (Yui Mok/PA)
Channel 4 news presenter Cathy Newman (Yui Mok/PA) Channel 4 news presenter Cathy Newman (Yui Mok/PA)

“Shows just how pervasive inequality is. I’m very fortunate to be fairly paid but I will continue speaking out for the many colleagues who aren’t.”

It compares with a report on BBC staff which found the equivalent gender pay gap was 10.7%.

The gender pay gap has been in the headlines since the salaries of top BBC talent were revealed.

Radio 2’s Chris Evans topped the list on more than £2 million, while the highest paid woman was Claudia Winkleman on between £450,000 and £499,999.

Broadcaster John Humphrys (Dominic Lipinski/PA)
Broadcaster John Humphrys (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Broadcaster John Humphrys (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Today programme host John Humphrys volunteered to slash his salary, which has been cut from £600,000 to £650,000 to around £250,000 to £300,000.

He previously told the Press Association: “The BBC is in a very, very different position from what it was all those years ago when I was, like many other people in the BBC, having money pretty much thrust upon us, because there was loads of money in the BBC…

“There was no shortage of cash.”