By Gabriel Princewill
The whole radio and television industry in the Uk has been called to broaden the geographic and social make-up of its workforce.
It follows the regulator’s annual study of the industry’s diversity revelation that the social class and geographic background of TV and radio workers are poorly understood, The Eye Of Media.Com has learnt.
An insider from the regulatory body told this publication: ”there is a concern that large swathes of talent from the Uk is being marginalised from television and radio due to selective recruitment. We think that pattern needs to change. We are asking broadcasters to make efforts to be more inclusive”
Broadcasters are collecting more information on the socio-economic background of their employees in order to strike the appropriate balance between the drive to recruit the best educated talent in the Uk, without excluding other bright talent that has not been afforded the same privileges in upbringing.
Initiative
The new initiative follows Ofcom’s analysis that TV and radio employees are around twice as likely to have grown up in a professional home compared to the UK population, and twice as likely to have been privately-educated. The regulator says it is seeking to broaden that demography of television and radio employees in search of a fair balance.
Most broadcasters’ workforces are still primarily based in London, even though four-fifths of the population live elsewhere.
The push from Ofcom for a more representative workforce in both television and radio is in response to requests from audiences that they expect to see programmes that authentically portray modern life across the UK, its nations and regions.
Requirement
The regulator is now putting a requirement on broadcasters to reflect the whole society they serve. It is challenging broadcasters to improve their measurement and understanding of social class and geography across their workforce – including how these characteristics overlap and interact with others such as ethnicity and disability.
Vikki Cook, Ofcom Director of Broadcasting Policy, said: “The door to the broadcast industry should be wide open to everyone, regardless of what part of the country you come from, or what school you went to.
“We’re calling on major broadcasters to look beyond London and attract the best talent from a range of areas and backgrounds, so the programmes they make feel relevant to every part of society.”
Bauer has responded to the latest report, with Dee Ford, Group Managing Director Radio for Bauer Media UK saying: “We recognise that there is improvement required in the diversity of Bauer Radio and remain actively committed to this as a core part of our business strategy.
“We are working to ensure that the values of promoting equal opportunities, diversity and inclusion are wholly embedded into the long-term growth of the business, through improved recruitment, education and support.
“This is reflected in our recent appointment of a Head of Organisation Development and Diversity and Inclusion. We understand that Bauer must be a wholly inclusive workplace that reflects, represents and celebrates our diverse audiences.”