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Diversity:
Ofcom prioritises actions over words
John Boyega as Leroy Logan in Small Axe, made by BBC Studios and Amazon Studios
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BBC
Vikki Cook responds to Marcus Ryder’s article in our last issue by outlining what Ofcom is doing to improve minority ethnic representation in television
he thought, back in January, that 2020 was going to be a challenging year now feels like the understatement of the century. Shortly after the pandemic took hold in the UK, we slammed into lockdown and everyday life as we knew it was upended. Covid-19 dominated every headline. Viewers tuned into the news in record numbers as reports of its merciless spread and millions of victims shook us to the core. But then came the horrific story of another victim who was also shown no mercy. The deplorable killing of George Floyd, in May, sent shockwaves through our society. The subsequent outpouring of hurt and anguish on to the streets of cities across the globe rightly forced every one of us to sit up and listen. It triggered long-overdue conversations about the inequality that persists throughout modern life. Within Ofcom, our Race (Raising Awareness of Culture and Ethnicity) network led many discussions and held a mirror up to the organisation, which revealed just how much more we have to do. We will continue to talk. We will continue to listen. We will prioritise actions over words. Broadcasters played a vital role in keeping this debate in the public eye. Alongside daily coverage, they aired hard-hitting and thought-provoking dramas and documentaries. Like so many industries, broadcasters have struggled in achieving greater diversity and equality in their workforces over the years. Since joining Ofcom four years ago, I have overseen our diversity and inclusion work within the broadcast sector. Before that, I spent more than 20 years working at the heart of broadcasting. It’s an industry full of brilliantly creative people and is increasingly diverse – but not enough. The reaction to George Floyd’s killing highlights how the debate around diversity in the media industry goes to the heart of the wider conversation about social inequality. Broadcasters must work harder to be leaders of change. The UK is a rich mix of cultures and identities that people rightly expect to see reflected on-screen and within creative industries. We know, from our extensive audience research, be it our representation and portrayal review, our review into news and current affairs or our current review into PSB,
