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http://www.guardian.co.uk/media-diversity/variety-anxiety
Variety Anxiety
The media industry has taken significant steps towards greater diversity, but how accurately does it really reflect the multicultural make-up of modern Britain
Joseph Harker
The Guardian
We all want more diversity, don't we? For the last decade, roughly since the Macpherson inquiry identified institutional racism in Britain's largest organisations, media companies have accepted the need to better reflect the society they serve, and to encourage recruitment from Britain's minorities - be they based on race, sexuality, or disability - and from women.
In that time a number of schemes have been drawn up, aimed at encouraging non-traditional groups to apply: these have included internships and traineeships, and opening up the system of recruitment so that it moves away from the traditional old boys' network. (Traditionally, though, it's actually been more an old Home Counties public school Oxbridge boys' network).
There have definitely been some changes in the intervening years. In advertising and among TV presenters there has been a notable increase in the numbers of black and Asian faces. Famously, this year saw the first all-black edition of EastEnders. There has been some specific gay and lesbian programming; and people with disabilities have featured on mainstream shows such as Big Brother.
But not everyone is happy with the concept of diversity. Last year, BBC non-executive director Samir Shah told the Royal Television Society: "The fine intentions of equal opportunities - and they are fine intentions - have produced a forest of initiatives, schemes and action plans. But they have not resulted in real change."
Citing the number of black and Asian faces that have appeared regardless of whether they were culturally suited to the roles, he spoke of "the occasionally embarrassing over-compensation in an effort to do the right thing".
The danger many have pointed to is that diversity risks becoming purely a numbers game. Yes, everyone agrees that more minorities are needed across most institutions and at all levels. But diversity in isolation can happen with little impact on how an organisation represents the wider community. If, for example, all the women, black and minority ethnic people, gay and disabled people are from wealthy middle-class backgrounds - and, after all, they would be the most likely recruits - then it is likely they would make only a tiny ripple. Yet some HR director could happily point to figures "proving" the organisation had been transformed.
Think outside the box
Diversity as a box-ticking exercise can also appear distinctly counterproductive. For example, at the end of last month, Evan Davis interviewed super-rich businessman Warren Buffet on Radio 4's Today programme. The next day, by way of contrast, 50 Cent, the notorious gangster-turned-rap star was interviewed. So, was this "mainstreaming diversity", or merely reinforcing negative stereotypes? Bruce Robertson, director of human resources, ITV studios, says: "Transformation of an organisation comes from culture and attitude changes not from box-ticking exercises. Monitoring does, however, play a vital role in making change happen as it provides a tool for measuring progress."
Social class remains one of the great exclusionary factors in the media. Research by the Sutton Trust in 2006 showed that more than half of Britain's top 100 journalists were educated at private schools - and that proportion had increased over the previous two decades. Social class, though, is difficult to define: is it about individuals' wealth? School or university education? Or parental background? Class can't be measured, so it has mostly remained off the diversity agenda.
And even if minorities, especially marginalised groups, were indeed drawn from working-class communities, would they still be able to make an impact? Or would they, joining a powerful corporation as a junior member and with none of their close associates from a similar background - feel the power of the corporate culture forcing them to fit in, to hide their background, and to mimic the customs and practices of those around them?
This April, the Cultural Diversity Network, which brings together 11 different organisations, announced its Diversity Pledge, "a public commitment by independent production companies and in-house producers to take measurable steps to improve diversity". These steps include recruiting fairly; encouraging diversity in output and at senior decision-making levels; and participating in events to promote diversity.
Oona King, head of diversity at Channel 4, is confident that this will make a difference where previous efforts have failed. "For the first time people have to set out measurable steps. With previous pledges, there was no monitoring, and no sanctions." And she warns: "If they don't sign up, we won't do business with them."
Sophie Turner Laing, managing director, entertainment and news, Sky, says: "The intake of bright and talented people within UK broadcasting at a junior level is relatively good. But there is still a definitive lack of black and ethnic minority talent at the top of our industry. The CDN mentoring scheme is helping to address this void."
Whether or not immediate gains are made in top-level representation, key decision-makers have to become more aware of the different needs of both their audiences and their potential staff. Research by the Equate Organisation for Channel 4 in 2007 showed that "White British and ethnic minority viewers differed greatly in their assessment of how well broadcasters reflect multicultural Britain." Most white viewers thought they were doing a satisfactory job. All other racial groups, though, felt that broadcasters' performance in this area was "very poor".
Broadcasters must respond to these perceptions or risk losing their audience in an increasingly fragmented marketplace. Viewers and listeners have to believe they are being heard. And everyone in the creative chain - be they black, Asian, women, gay, disabled, working class - must be encouraged to contribute ideas in the knowledge that they will be considered fairly. Ultimately, the message will therefore focus less on "diversity" and more on creating a culture of inclusion for all.
As King says: "the bottom line is: it's about your talent pool. Nowhere is that message greater than in the creative industries - because for us, talent is money."
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