Look Who's Talking

Look Who’s Talking Cultural Diversity, Public Service Broadcasting and the National Conversation Mukti Jain Campion Guardian Research Fellow Nuffield College Oxford Look Who’s Talking Cultural Diversity Public Service Broadcasting and the National Conversation A report by Mukti Jain Campion Published by Nuffield College Oxford October 2005 This report is also available online at http://www.nuff.ox.ac.uk/guardian/lookwhostalking.pdf Summary Public service broadcasting has a vital role to play in mediating the National Conversation and in helping the diverse communities of the UK to learn about each other. To do this effectively it must reach as much of the population as possible and be trusted to portray all groups accurately and fairly, particularly those who are currently marginalised in society. However, there is a widespread recognition that broadcasters have been slow to make progress on what has become known as cultural diversity, reflecting the full variety of people and perspectives that make up Britain today. This report sets out to examine the reasons why. Based on the views of over one hundred programme-makers across the broadcasting industry who have personal and professional experience of the barriers to achieving diversity on air, the report highlights the ineffectiveness of existing industry approaches. It examines in detail the many aspects of the programme-making process which can marginalise voices outside the mainstream of society, from commissioning and production to scheduling and promotion. It demonstrates the value of a diverse programme-making workforce and explores why there are still so few people from minorities in senior creative or editorial roles. It reveals how people throughout the industry frequently feel powerless and frustrated because they cannot talk openly about the problems they face. In its final sections, the report draws on the experience of programme-makers to identify practical ways forward. It proposes a new framework for making programmes that are inclusive and authentic in their representation of diverse voices, and makes recommendations for holding public service broadcasters to account in achieving this. Acknowledgements I am indebted to many people for their support over the past year. ▫ The Scott Trust and Nuffield College, Oxford who awarded me the Guardian Research Fellowship 2004/05 to carry out the research which forms the basis of this report and of the Annual Guardian Lecture delivered on October 31st 2005. The Fellowship is a wonderful scheme to bring journalists and academics into contact with each other and to allow the study of some aspect of the industry in which the journalist has worked. I have enormously enjoyed being part of the academic community of Nuffield College and the opportunity it has provided to discuss issues of, for example, social justice and social capital with the many top political scientists and sociologists here. The discussions and seminars have greatly informed my understanding of many issues underpinning my own research. Warden Sir Tony Atkinson and his wife Judith have been the perfect hosts: creating a college atmosphere that was informal yet abuzz with intellectual exchange. I would like to extend heartfelt thanks to all the fellows, staff and students at Nuffield who made my Fellowship so pleasurable and stimulating. The year has also provided numerous university-wide opportunities to attend media seminars and meet top journalists, broadcasters and politicians from all over the world. I would particularly like to thank Dr David Butler at Nuffield and Paddy Coulter and Jenny Darnley of the Reuters Foundation who have included me in these activities alongside the Reuters Fellows. In respect of my own research project, Dr Yuen Foong Khong and Dr Edmund Chattoe have been a particularly valuable sounding board throughout my time at Nuffield, providing reassurance and encouragement in appropriate measures. Elaine Herman was a star, helping me transcribe over sixty hours of recorded interview material and claiming she actually enjoyed it! Jane Roberts generously offered to proof read my report for which I am very grateful; any remaining errors are my own. Bursar Gwilym Hughes has been supportive throughout, particularly in helping to ensure that my report reaches as wide an audience as possible. ▫ All the programme-makers and contributors across Britain who gave their time to be interviewed. This report is very much a tribute to their passion and concerns. ▫ My wonderful family who are long-suffering in lending me to causes that take over our lives but this year also had to give up the TV remote control so I could do my couch research! It has been a very eventful year for all of us and I am richly blessed to have their loving support. Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................ 3 Why does cultural diversity in broadcasting matter?........................................... 8 Why has progress on diversity been so slow? ..................................................... 13 What’s wrong with the programmes we have?................................................... 25 What’s stopping more cultural diversity on the airwaves? ............................... 40 Does it make any difference who makes the programmes?................................ 55 Why is there not more diversity in the people making programmes?............. 68 Is there institutional racism in the broadcasting industry?................................ 81 Why don’t we talk about it?.................................................................................... 90 How can we make it better? ................................................................................... 92 Who is going to ensure it gets better? ................................................................. 122 The Vision Thing .................................................................................................... 125 About the author .................................................................................................... 126 Appendix................................................................................................................. 127 References................................................................................................................ 129 Introduction 2 Introduction The mass media is constantly creating a narrative of the nation that none of us can see where it’s going or see the shape of it. But what we are concerned to do is to sustain an effective dialogue. That seems to me the great challenge: how do we maintain a dialogue across the fragments that are now part of our nation?1 It should be the arena of our shared public conversation on who we are and what kind of world we want to hand on to future generations...on this much depends, not least the future of Britain as a free and gracious society.2 The BBC makes programmes for the whole TV audience: it’s a national conversation.3 The notion of a National Conversation has become popular in recent years as a way of envisaging how we “speak” to each other on issues of national concern and form an understanding of the other people in our society. An effective National Conversation is considered essential for a healthy democracy and public service broadcasters increasingly see themselves as playing a vital role in mediating that Conversation. Channel 4 will contribute to the democratic debate as the place where interrogative and free spirited minds can both enrich and challenge the assumptions of modern Britain, and connect to its past and future.4 We also believe the BBC is an important builder of social capital, seeking to increase social cohesion and tolerance by enabling the UK��s many communities to talk to themselves and each other about what they hold in common and how they differ.5 These descriptions of the role of public service broadcasting extend beyond the famous Reithian mission “to inform, educate and entertain”. They lay claim to a higher civic purpose to promote a democratic and inclusive society. But if the mission now is to build social capital and connect people to each other, important questions arise about the nature of the National Conversation that public service broadcasters are mediating through their programmes. Who is setting the agenda for this Conversation and how? What topics get discussed? Whose voices are heard and whose remain silent? Is there an onus on broadcasters to ensure everyone gets an equal chance to participate? These questions have become more urgent in the light of growing concerns about citizenship, national identity and the segregation of communities along economic and ethnic lines. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, the future of public service broadcasting is also under scrutiny as the BBC approaches the renewal of its current charter and ITV considers its post- analogue future when it may no longer have to comply with its existing public service obligations. It therefore seems an appropriate time to take a more detailed look at how the actual practice of programme-making can fulfil the high-minded aspirations described by public service broadcasters above. Introduction 3 Background I have been making public service television and radio programmes for nearly twenty-five years, first within the BBC and subsequently as an independent producer. Like most people who have had the privilege of working in this industry, I am a passionate advocate of public

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