I wonder if former footballer, now golf and soccer commentator, TV presenter and, of course, podcaster, Gary Lineker, felt uneasy when the lists of BBC on-air salaries were revealed for the financial year April 2023 – April 2024 as part of their annual report. On the same day the broadcaster also announced 500 job cuts to “drive the continued transformation” of the corporation. He was No 1 again, earning an unchanged £1,350,000-£1,354,999 (around $2.5 million AUD).

Lineker offers the BBC a diverse portfolio of skills and is hard working and able to pick up new skills, like cooking for example, with ease. How he has time to cook, I don’t know. It does feel like the BBC stating they need to cut £200 million, alongside the 67 highest salaries, was rather inviting the UK public to contribute to who on that list deserved less (or more).

Lineker, and No 2 on the list, BBC Radio 2‘s Zoe Ball (£950,000-£954,999 or AUD$1.9 million down from £980,000-£984,999 last year) who has just returned to work after a period spent caring for her mother, have both chosen to take a lesser salary in the past. Lineker took a £10K pay cut in 2020 to answer criticism from female staff about pay parity. Ball, a £380,000 pay cut during the pandemic, both to save her breakfast role and because she felt it inappropriate to get a pay rise during a time when people were struggling. Her salary, as you can see, hasn’t increased since.

No 3 is Welsh News presenter Huw Edwards. His salary went up £40K to £475,000-£479,999. He was suspended in July 2023, remaining on full pay as per BBC policy and resigned in April this year. Apparently the BBC does not have to disclose the salaries of certain personalities like Michael McIntyre, Graham Norton and Alexander Armstrong who are paid through production companies and would otherwise be very high on the list too.

There are significant similarities here in Australia between transparent earnings of broadcast staff, and the opposite.

The ABC, who are continuing their its own adaptive history, are continuing to pay the consequences, legally, publicly and financially, for the sacking of Antoinette Lattouf, who was only on a five day contract. On the other side of the coin we have ARN’s Kyle and Jackie O who it is suggested are earning, each, a base $10 million a year, for ten years. Who has suggested that amount? Mostly Kyle Sandilands, and by doing so not only added to the hype but an inner assurance that their move onto Melbourne’s KIIS 101.1 earlier this year would be financially worth it for the network too.

$10 million a year is four times what Lineker makes.

While I personally wouldn’t like my wages to be made public like the BBC does, there is a power to openly discussing it, like female staff clearly did with Lineker and, like Kyle and Jackie O, who have most likely set a salary ceiling that is likely to be concrete, not glass. In this current cost of living crisis however, I expect a very strong response from the industry, general public and, most importantly, listeners, to radio network movements over the next six months.

Jen Seyderhelm is a writer, editor and podcaster for Radioinfo.