Author: Greenlight Digital (i): Contact: greenlightdigital.com
Published: 2020-11-25
Table of contents and important points:
How exactly minorities are represented in jobs in the television industry compared to their presence in the UK workforce and national population.
While 18% of the UK workforce is employed, currently only 5% of off-screen posts and 8% of on-screen roles are occupied by someone who identifies as disabled.
According to Currys PC World, there have been many calls over the past few years to improve diversity and inclusivity within the television industry, both in front of and behind the camera.
Main digestion
Currys PC World, based on its new study, assessed how precisely minorities are represented in jobs in the television industry, compared to their presence in the UK workforce and in the national population.
According to Currys PC World, there have been many calls over the past few years to improve diversity and inclusivity within the television industry, both in front of and behind the camera. This refers to providing equal opportunities for all population groups and ensuring that people of all races, genders, sexualities, disabilities and age groups are fairly represented in the TV content created and in the industry itself.
Opportunities in the TV industry
Research on diversity in the UK television industry in 2019 found how exactly minorities are represented in jobs in the television industry compared to their presence in the broader UK workforce and national population.
In terms of race, ethnic minorities make up 12% of the UK workforce. The data suggests that it is accurately presented off-screen, which is 12% of the behind-the-scenes jobs, and over-represented on-screen, filling 23% of the on-screen roles. However, this data could be misleading, as only 9% of senior television jobs are occupied by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people, suggesting that there may still be a way to make sure that the odds are really equal are.
Unfortunately, it is a similar situation for people with disabilities.
While 18% of the UK workforce is employed, currently only 5% of off-screen posts and 8% of on-screen roles are occupied by someone who identifies as disabled. However, that has increased from just 3% of off-screen jobs in 2016, so there are signs of improvement.
Unfortunately, the industry can also be age-related: over-50s make up 31% of the UK workforce, but only 21% of off-screen TV jobs and 25% of on-screen TV roles. It’s better news for women, however, as women are now represented both on screen (52%) and off screen (54%) according to the total workforce.
Finally, when it comes to sexuality, the outlook is mixed, with non-heterosexual men better represented than non-heterosexual women. While individuals who identify as LGBTQ + (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and others) make up 2% of the workforce (excluding those who have not disclosed this information), 9% of off-screen jobs and 6% of the on-screen roles are filled by queer men, and 2% of the off-screen jobs and 2% of the on-screen roles are filled by queer women.
The graphic shows the percentage of diversity in the TV industry and the representation of data cards from various minority groups.
Presentation on the screen
Of course, the casting of minorities in TV roles is a different question than whether they are presented fairly on screen. In the past, the television industry was largely run by white men, which limited their ability to add variety to the stories they told. However, with the diversification of the workforce, TV companies can tell new stories from the perspective of different people from different backgrounds.
There is evidence of growing minority representation on screen in UK television broadcasts. The BBC’s I May Destroy You received high praise for its open, positive portrayal of women, people with a BAME background, and sexuality.
Indeed, UK broadcasters have committed to taking measures to diversify their content and workforce.
- The BBC has allocated £ 1 million to produce “diverse and inclusive content” over a three-year period. They also set a binding goal that 20% of off-screen talent must come from underrepresented groups.
- ITV has also set the target that 15% of managers and employees should have a BAME background by 2022.
- Channel 4 has made diversity a part of Parliament’s responsibility and a strategy called “4 All The UK”. They introduced diversity guidelines for commissioned content in 2015, and 89% of programs met these goals in 2018 – the highest level ever.
- Sky enters the pay-TV arena and claims to have “exceeded” its goal of 20% BAME representation for both senior executives and on-screen talent.
- Viacom (owner of Channel 5 and MTV) also has a relatively strong diversity experience: 20% of employees have a BAME background.
Facts and statistics
- Only 9% of senior TV jobs are occupied by BAME people.
- Over 50s make up 31% of the UK workforce, but only 21% of off-screen TV jobs and 25% of on-screen TV roles.
- Women are now represented both on-screen (52%) and off-screen (54%) in proportion to the total workforce.
- While 18% of the UK workforce is employed, currently only 5% of off-screen posts and 8% of on-screen roles are occupied by someone who identifies as disabled.
- While individuals who identify as LGBTQ + make up 2% of the workforce, 9% of off-screen jobs and 6% of on-screen jobs are occupied by queer men, and 2% of off-screen jobs and 2 % of the on-screen roles are filled by queer women.
The BBC, Channel 4, Sky and ITV are committed to taking measures to diversify their content and workforce
(i) Source / Reference: Greenlight Digital. Disabled World makes no guarantees or warranties in connection therewith. Content may have been edited for style, clarity, or length.
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Journal: Disabled World. Language: English. Author: Greenlight Digital. Electronic publication date: 2020-11-25. Last revision: November 25th, 2020. Reference title: “Diversity in the television industry”, source: Diversity in the television sector. Summary: How exactly minorities are represented in jobs in the television industry compared to presence in the UK workforce and national population. Retrieved on December 3rd, 2020 from https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/discrimination/tv-diversity.php – reference category number: DW # 443-13900.
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