According to a report from UK broadcast regulator Ofcom, reproduced by Broadband TV News, broadcasters face a ‘worrying losses’ of diverse talent, underlining that more people are ‘leaving the TV and radio industries’ rather than joining for this reason.
British regulator’s published a five-year look at “Diversity and Equal Opportunities in UK Broadcasting”, which discovered that companies are struggling to retain talent in the aftermath of the pandemic, with more women in particular leaving the broadcasting business than joining due equality issues.
Ofcom said that TV and radio firms are understanding of the makeup of their workforce, and representation of minority groups has generally improved in the last five years. At the same time, the lack of diversity among senior decision makers remains significant, and disabled people continue to be underrepresented across the industry. In that sense, UK’s watchdog is calling on broadcasters collectively to place ‘much greater focus’ on retaining and progressing senior, diverse talent.
Vikki Cook, Ofcom’s director of broadcasting policy, said: ‘We expect broadcasters to work together – and with their production partners -to create a more inclusive sector for everyone.
That includes a greater focus on retention as well as recruitment. We are calling on broadcasters to further improve data collection- including on promotions; report the success or failure of diversity initiatives more transparently; engage meaningfully with their staff networks; and consider setting retention targets’.
