TV’S MOVES TO GREATER DIVERSITY
INCLUSIVITY
inclusion strategy, with annual targets, the superindie is encouraging a mindset. Anyone new to a management role at Banijay takes the ScreenSkills inclusive recruitment module and its unconscious bias training. “You have to reach a point where you never miss an opportunity to think ‘what’s the inclusion approach?” “I really think that the key thing is
professionalising recruitment,” says Lambourne, who is aiming to shift away from a café culture for hiring. The pandemic has been a positive driver, with Zoom replacing coffee and a chat. “Zoom democratises recruitment,” says Lambourne. Any online interview is more likely to require a formal reply to a crafted job description, with a set of questions, and there’s less geographic bias. At production staffing agency Talented
People – whose clients include Optomen TV, Crackit Productions and Voltage – joint md Kimberly Godbolt feels her clients’ pain. “It’s hard, especially when it’s senior staff, because historically we’ve been rubbish at encouraging and nurturing people from diverse backgrounds. It’s an extra effort…. It’s difficult to find people at the right time with the right skillset. You have to go the extra mile, meet them speculatively, stay in touch.” Broadcaster guidance about inclusion is far
from straight-forward. “Companies are confused as to who counts as diverse. Does someone being Jewish or gay count as diverse? Does someone with mental health problems count as diverse?…. Everyone is still learning all the time and honestly there’s no answer. It’s all about human conversation.” Going forward, Godbolt says that the signs are positive. “We are listened to much more now,” she says.
The view from the top Lack of inclusivity becomes more marked in senior
roles. Ofcom’s report noted that “broadcasters appear to have focused on entry-level recruitment at the expense of retaining diverse staff and enabling them to progress.” Broadcasters have responded by building seniority and leadership into diversity targets, while more training is being targeted at bringing talent through, or across from other industries. Channel 5’s Seneviratne has championed a
Channel 5 series producer scheme. “It’s a pivotal position in the industry to make change,” she says. Critically, series producers make hires. Over two years - collating and encouraging talent, backing extra experience - they’ve seen 30 promotions, at all levels towards series producer. Mentoring schemes have mushroomed
THE FOCUS ON DISABILITY
Both Ofcom and the industry diversity monitoring body the Creative Diversity Network have reported a decrease in the numbers of disabled people working in the TV industry. They make up around six per cent of the workforce, in the context of 20% of the population declaring a disability. CDN executive director Deborah Williams says: “the biggest gap is disability and just the pitiful representation of disability and lack of deep considered understanding about what disability inclusion means for the industry and how things have to change.” The Creative Diversity Network has a Disability Hub to support its Doubling Disability campaign, which includes resources for producers. While
industry skills body ScreenSkills, working in partnership with Underlying Health Condition, is investing in the training of access coordinators to support the hiring and working life of disabled professionals in television. Organisations such as Bafta- winning Triple C and Deaf and Disabled People in TV are creating awareness and support. And, despite low points, there are spots of best practice. Banijay group indie Dragonfly TV is behind acclaimed BBC drama Then Barbara Met Alan, the story of two cabaret artists and disabled rights campaigners, which featured more than 30 disabled cast and crew. Everyone hired was asked about access requirements and the BBC ran a disability awareness training course.
Summer 2022
televisual.com
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Then Barbara Met Alan
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