Tom
Watson MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, commenting on
Ofcom’s report into broadcasting diversity, said:
“Today’s
report proves that British broadcasting has a diversity problem.
“Women
and people from BAME backgrounds are underrepresented, particularly in senior
roles, but the most shocking fact is that just 3 per cent of the broadcasting
workforce has a disability, compared with 18 per cent of the population.
“Data
can be an important driver of change, but that data needs to be comprehensive.
The huge gaps in diversity data that Ofcom have found are unacceptable, but we
also need to collect data that paints a broader picture, and that means
collecting data on social class too.
“Our
television represents who we are as a nation and those who work on and off
screen should represent the whole country, not just part of it.”
Ends
Notes
to Editors
· Ofcom’s report
out today can be found here: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/features-and-news/diversity-uk-television-industry
·
Labour released its Acting
Up report over the summer which looked at access and diversity in the
performing arts. One of the key recommendations was an improvement in diversity
data collection and monitoring. The full report and executive summary is
available here: http://www.tom-watson.com/actingup
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