AttItudes to Women In the BBC In the 1970s – not so much a glass ceiling as one of reinforced concrete

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Abstract
The BBC was in its earliest days considered an ‘enlightened’ employer of women. By the early 1970s, when feminist aspirations had led to wider awareness of workplace equality issues, the BBC was no longer in the vanguard of change. A confidential internal report on the position of female staff in the corporation highlighted very limited scope for advancement and the widespread discrimination and hostile attitudes towards women. Yet despite repeated analysis of the problem over subsequent years there was little progress towards meaningful opportunities for women. A sea change was taking place in the expectations of younger women, yet within the corporation complacent attitudes about the process needed for any real change abounded among senior management. Despite some piecemeal adjustments it took another decade after the initial report on the limitations for women in the BBC before any serious engagement with the problem became evident.

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