Diversity claims in spotlight

Question marks over the diversity of the BBC’s television commissioning team have emerged after the corporation reported that it had hit all of its 2017 diversity targets.

The ethnic make-up of both the BBC and Channel 4 was in the spotlight this week as both broadcasters published major updates.

The BBC revealed that it had met its 2017 targets for its level of black, Asian and minority ethnic staff, with 14.5% of its workforce identifying as BAME, outperforming its 14.2% target. Meanwhile, 10.3% of its leadership roles, which includes all TV commissioners, are occupied by BAME individuals, against a target of 10%.

However, Broadcast’s own research shows that only six of the BBC’s 67-strong commissioning team are from a BAME background, equating to 9%, with no BAME staff in senior commissioning roles, including controllers or heads of genre. There is also only one BAME member on the BBC’s 13-strong executive board and none on the executive committee.

Broadcast understands that the introduction of a second commissioner development scheme, designed to increase the diversity of commissioners, will grow this to around 11%, bringing it into line with the overall figures.

Campaign for Broadcasting Equality chair Simon Albury condemned the BBC for not disclosing the make-up of the BBC television team, which will not be made available until the broadcaster’s equality information report is published in the summer.

He also accused the BBC of “padding” its overall numbers.

A BBC spokeswoman said: “Basing assumptions on a snapshot of commissioners alone does not fully reflect the diversity of our leaders in this area, which is broadly in line with the rest of the BBC. However, director general Tony Hall made it clear we have more to do.”

Meanwhile, C4 said it had hit or is on track to hit 28 of its 30 diversity targets set in 2016.

Revealed at its annual 360° diversity charter event at the House of Commons , these included launching Project Diamond, establishing an investment fund for diverse indies and working with the Creative Diversity Network to fund seven deputy commissioning editors.

However, plans to establish an industry talent database have been delayed and C4 admitted growing its BAME leadership to 15% by 2020 is “the biggest issue we face” in terms of employee targets.

It also outlined new diversity commitments for 2017, including fast-tracking the careers of 10 “high-potential” BAME employees and offering opportunities for 40 TV directors from under-represented groups.

Speaking at the event, C4 chief marketing and communications officer, and board diversity champion, Dan Brooke said it is important that C4 keeps challenging itself as diversity is “the lifeblood of creativity”. Albury described

C4’s progress as “impeccable” and said the broadcaster is “leading the fight” along with Sky.