The ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ is launching ambitious new creative diversity commitments to increase diversity and inclusion within programme making teams, and ensure that the stories told on-air are authentically reflective of audiences across the UK.
This includes raising representation targets for TV production teams across ethnicity, disability, and socio-economic diversity from 20% to 25% across all production roles.
The ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ will also invest a minimum of Β£80 million annually in content that meets the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔβs creative diversity criteria for TV and Radio. Crucially this investment will focus on aligning diverse on-air storytelling with stronger off-air representation in senior production roles and leadership within production companies.
The Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity (LHC) is also , including a set of recommendations. The original commitments saw Β£243 million invested over the last three years β more than double the original Β£112 million commitment from April 2021 to March 2024 β to drive diversity and inclusion both on and off air.
In addition, the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ has published new Inclusive Production Principles to foster an inclusive culture on each and every production.
These include:
- Hair & make up: Productions will provide specialist hair and makeup stylists to work with afro textured hair and a variety of skin tones.
- Accessible productions: Ensuring the industry-wide TV Access Project guidelines are embedded, including access coordinators, accessibility of set locations and post-production houses for all productions.
Under the new commitments, productions will be asked to outline their plans to deliver the 25% target and how they will apply the Inclusive Production Principles as part of the commissioning process.
Charlotte Moore, ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Chief Content Officer, says: βWe are committed to backing British storytelling and I recognise the important role diverse-led indies play in telling these authentic stories.
βBy increasing our investment in diverse content and enhancing our off-screen diversity targets, we aim to create a more inclusive environment that authentically represents and resonates with all audiences.
Jessica Schibli, ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Head of Creative Diversity, says: "Our previous commitments set an industry benchmark. Building on the insights gained over the past three years, our new creative diversity commitments go further to deepen our dedication to making meaningful and lasting changes both on and off air, particularly in senior roles off-air which influence the creative output. We are focused on leading the way in representation, inclusion and authenticity, to ensure that the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ continues to be impactful in serving all audiences.
βI would like to thank the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for its review as part of our journey to ensuring that the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ is for everyone. This has been an important report for us and the industry, which alongside other key inputs, has contributed to the aims and ambitions of our new commitments.β
The ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ commissioned the LHC to examine the external impact of the previous commitments and how they have been received by the production sector.
The LHC drew up its list of recommendations after conducting desk research, analysing data provided by the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ and carrying out surveys and interviews with stakeholders and academics.
Research lead Panayiota Tsatsou, Professor of Media Diversity at Birmingham City University (BCU) where the LHC is based, says: βThe report pulls together rich evidence and offers a series of recommendations that inform the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔβs future work on creative diversity.
βWe believe this research creates a solid ground for future initiatives and conversations on media diversity that will make a difference to the industry.β
Professor Diane Kemp, Director of the LHC and Professor of Broadcast Journalism at BCU, adds: βThe research is invaluable not just for the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ but the wider media industry.β
The ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ will continue to support production teams that reflect the diversity of our audiences and diverse-led production companies, partnering with communities and organisations, including through Elevate and the Small Indie Fund.
This includes collaborating with independent production companies, broadcasters, and streamers to lead pan-industry interventions, such as the TV Access Project.
The Corporation will maintain transparency and accountability by continuing to report annually on performance through a refreshed Diversity Commissioning Code of Practice.
NP