The Matrix Project is an effort to document personal factors that undermine powerful journalists’ claims of objectivity and impartiality. Are factors such as an elite education, establishment connections, personal wealth and interests in rival fields compatible with journalistic integrity? 

This page looks at BBC presenter Kirsty Wark. For more information on the database click here.

Education

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Kirsty Wark attended the independent Wellington School in Ayr (source) before studying at a non-Oxbridge university

Revolving Door

Learn about the significance of the Revolving Door.

None.

“Establishment” Connections

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Primary

Kirsty Wark is married to TV producer Alan Clements (source). The two set up a production company together – Wark-Clements – which moved “from start up to a £10m turnover” then merged “with Ideal World to create IWC Media, Scotland’s largest independent producer” (source)

Kirsty Wark generated considerable controversy when she invited then-First Minister of Scotland, Jack McConnell and his wife, to spend new year with her and her husband at their villa in Majorca in 2005.

“Politicians must declare any interests they have before they make a speech in parliament. If Kirsty Wark is such great friends with the leader of the Labour party in Scotland, perhaps she should also be forced to declare her interest,” said Jamie McGrigor, the Scottish Conservatives’ culture spokesman.

“Our families have been friendly for more than 16 years. At no point has that friendship or any other interfered with my ability to do my job in a fair and objective manner,” said Wark (source)

Secondary

Kirsty Wark was also said to be a good friend of Donald Dewar, the Labour Politician and First Minister of Scotland (source)

COMPLAINTS/CONTROVERSY

Wark-Clements were paid £820,000 by the BBC to make a programme exploring the construction of the Scottish Parliament building, which cost £400m and drew widespread criticism for construction delays and overspend.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, this presented a conflict of interest since “Ms Wark was a good friend of Donald Dewar, who led Scotland in the first years after devolution, and of one of his successors, Jack McConnell. She was also a member of the Scottish parliament building design selection panel. Alex Salmond, the SNP leader, claimed that critics of the building project were prevented from appearing on the Wark Clements documentary.” 

The BBC issued an apology to SNP First Minister Alex Salmond in 2007 after a “tetchy” interview with Wark which had an “unfortunate…rude and dismissive” ending (source)

Salary/Indications of Wealth

Learn about the significance of journalists with an unusual level of wealth

Kirsty Wark has a recorded BBC salary of £280,000-£284,999 for 2023 (Source)

As a point of reference, the Office for National Statistics list the average UK salary for 2021 as £26,193.

Summary

Kirsty Wark was privately educated, married a TV producer with whom she set up a multi-million pound business, earns 10 times the UK average salary and counts/counted two Scottish First Ministers as close personal friends.

Impartial? Independent? Holding the powerful to account?

Learn more about the Matrix Project here.

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