BAME task force writes to government, broadcasters on 'cultural problems' in TV industry

A newly set up 'BAME TV Task Force' has sent out a hard-hitting letter on “cultural problems within the UK television industry” to the government and the country’s top broadcasters.

“For many years we have stayed silent, due to fear of being blacklisted. But in the current climate we feel emboldened to say something and this time we want to be heard,” the collective of over 700 TV workers said on Friday (19).

The group, representing UK television’s black, Asian and minority ethnic members, slammed racism and listed a set of proposals to tackle discrimination in the letter addressed to Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, media watchdog Ofcom, industry broadcasters such as BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, STV, Sky and UKTV, and platforms such as Netflix, Amazon and YouTube.

The letter said the anti-racism protests following the police killing of George Floyd in the US had “refocused into a discussion on the discrimination, prejudices and hurdles to success that BAME people face in the TV industry”.

“After initially creating a safe space where 200-plus BAME employees, were able to share their stories without fear of repercussions, we soon realised that we all shared toxic experiences where our race had been held against us or held us back,” said the task force, led by mid-level representatives of the BAME workforce in departments such as development, commissioning, casting and journalism.

The group said it sought to “ensure that newcomers to the industry won’t have to overcome these challenges”.

“For years, we’ve heard the buzzword ‘diversity’ – entry level schemes are put in place, targets are set, reports are published - yet little changes. Why?” the letter asked, adding that on- and off-screen issues of racism were often “brushed under a rug”.

“Bullying is never spoken about, never acknowledged, never tackled but we are here to tell you, it is an industry wide problem,” the group said.

“Microagressions are felt daily and this really takes a toll on our mental health, our confidence, our ability to do our jobs”

Discrimination, the task force said, also hampered growth of BAME professionals, noting that “only 9 per cent of people in senior positions being BAME, indicating a lack of progression”.

“There have been attempts made with entry level schemes to address diversity – Creative Access, the Pact Indie Diversity Scheme, Mama Youth, etc – but what’s the point if many of them end up leaving the industry?” the letter asked.

“It’s like there is an almost impenetrable glass ceiling at mid-level.”

The task force’s proposals included:

• An increase in the number of BAME commissioners to 25 per cent across all genres
• A clear place where channels and production companies post their jobs that can be accessed externally
• Increasing the number of BAME talent managers to 20 per cent by the end of 2021
• Setting up an independent body for workplace grievances to encourage employees to report their experiences without fear of repercussions
• Making monitoring mandatory for development and production, broken down into non-editorial and editorial roles
• A new and improved yearly report on the percentages of BAME talent working in various roles
• Mentoring scheme for mid-level workers with networking events, leadership training, an industry mentor, and events for the alumni of the scheme over the following years

The task force said these proposals were “a good starting point for discussion and that they will be a catalyst for real change”.

“However, this means nothing unless there are incentives and consequences put in place to support these proposals,” the group added.

The letter said there were initiatives initiatives in the past, but “more work needs to be done”.

“The BAME workforce is rarely, if ever, consulted,” it stated.

“We want the opportunity to collaborate with you on strategies that will help to eliminate the problems our BAME colleagues face in both unscripted and scripted television.”