06 Informed Equality


Repping diversity and inclusion in the industry


Ashitha Nagesh and Faarea Masud reflect on their experience as NUJ equality reps.


underrepresented in our industry. We make up about 18% of the general population, but only about 12% of UK journalists are from ethnic minority backgrounds. When I started working for newspapers back in 2014, this number was far more dire – about 6%, compared to the 94% of the journalism industry that was white. And representation in the industry


Ashitha Nagesh Te work of equality reps has never been more important in our industry. Tere was a long-awaited spike in commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) issues six years ago - followed by, unfortunately, a deep and sustained plummet. Te term DEI has been tainted over the years with divisive narratives about “culture wars”, and these days is met with defunding, disillusion, and eye rolls. Despite, or maybe because of this, the work of equality reps in the workplace is now particularly vital. Equality has always been at the


heart of my work, both as a union rep and as a journalist. I’m currently a Senior Reporter for BBC News, mainly focusing on long-form features for our digital platforms. Before this, I was the BBC’s Community Affairs Correspondent, specialising in telling stories that matered to ethnic minority communities across the UK. Ethnic minorities are


is only one part of the picture. Minority ethnic journalists, for example, report feeling belitled in the newsroom, or pigeonholed in terms of the stories they are expected or allowed to cover. Disabled journalists, meanwhile, make up about 22% of the industry, roughly in line with the general population; this may seem encouraging on the surface, but according to the NUJ, they are overwhelmingly concentrated in lower-paid and freelance jobs. Similarly, LGBT+ journalists are overrepresented in the industry – making up about 11% of newsrooms, compared to between 4% and 7% of the UK population; but a 2021 report from the NUJ found that about a third of LGBT+ colleagues had faced bullying, harassment or discrimination at work because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Age and class discrimination are still prevalent in our industry too, while journalism still has a wider gender pay gap than other UK industries. All of this is why, when the opportunity


presented itself, I became an equality rep – because I feel these issues at my core. I care deeply about both the BBC and the wider journalism industry, and want it to thrive; but it can only do that when the people actually producing the journalism


are treated with respect and integrity at work, and are given the confidence and security to tell the stories that mater to them without being pigeonholed into doing so. As an equality rep, part of your role will of course be dealing with casework for people who are alleging discrimination – whether that’s bullying and harassment, a pay inequality issue, or an unfair redundancy. Another part is oſten about wider equality efforts in the organisation, working with HR to improve working conditions for minority staff. And then there are cuts, and the need to make sure that certain minority groups aren’t being disproportionately affected – something that will now, unfortunately, form a large part of our efforts at the BBC, with the swingeing cuts that have recently been announced. All of this work is crucial, so that NUJ members from minority groups feel that we are representing them properly. Tis work is important, fulfilling, and essential to the future of both our industry and our union.


Faarea Masud I’m Faarea Masud, a business journalist who writes daily breaking news articles for the BBC national news website from its HQ in London. I became an equality rep because I


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