University News Last updated 21 November 2022
New BBC cuts could disproportionately impact racial diversity and representation across local radio, a media industry leader and Birmingham City University academic has warned.
Marcus Ryder MBE, Head of External Consultancies at the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity (LHC), based at the University, suggests Black and Asian representation across the Corporation’s radio output is likely to be a casualty of proposed restructuring – ahead of a live-streamed and public event to discuss the crisis on Monday 28 November 2022.
Visiting Professor Ryder will join LHC researcher Nina Robinson and Romani journalist, producer and filmmaker Jake Bowers at Birmingham City University’s Parkside building for BBC Local Radio Cuts - Could Diversity Be the Biggest Casualty? – a discussion around how the proposed cuts could impact racial diversity across the public service broadcaster’s local radio network.
Research by Birmingham City University Lecturer in Multiplatform and Digital Journalism Nina Robinson, released in 2021, revealed startling findings from studies into the diversity of senior leaders across BBC Radio News, including:
- BBC Radio News for Scotland not only had no senior leaders of colour but had no journalists of colour working in its newsroom at any level
- No senior leaders of colour working in BBC Radio News for Wales
- Similar to Scotland, BBC Northern Ireland not only had no senior leaders of colour, but had no journalists of colour working in its newsroom at any level
- One BBC Radio newsroom serving a population which is less than 60% White, similarly had no senior leaders of colour, and no journalists of colour working in its newsroom at any level
- Taken as a whole only 6% of the BBC’s Radio News senior leadership across the UK Nations were people of colour and only 8% across their entire News and Current Affairs division irrespective of level
The Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity, based at Birmingham City University, is an independent research body working to promote accurate representation of all sections of society across contemporary UK media.
BBC Local Radio Cuts - Could Diversity Be the Biggest Casualty? takes place at Birmingham City University’s Parkside building at 1815 on Monday 28 November 2022. Limited free places can be booked via Eventbrite.
The event will also be live-streamed via Birmingham City University’s Youtube channel.