University News Last updated 12 March 2015
Mainstream media companies are running the risk of losing their legitimacy unless they put diversity at the heart of their operations.
That was the warning from Professor Diane Kemp, Professor of Broadcast Journalism (pictured far left), at a recent event jointly run by the BBC and the Royal Television Society.
The event, titled 'Making Diversity Pay', was hosted at New Broadcasting House as part of the BBC's 'Relect and Represent Week' and examined the economic arguments for greater diversity in the sector.
BBC Radio 4 presenter Aasmah Mir led a panel of experts featuring former EastEnders producer Barbara Emile and Channel 4 producer Charlie Hanson. The panel concluded that, while broadcasters are making greater efforts to improve diversity on and off screen, much work remains to be done.
Professor Kemp argued that the economic case for diversity was proven. Turning the question on its head, she asked: “What is the cost if you don’t have diversity at the heart of what you do?
"Without diversity, you’re going to lose stories; in terms of news, you’re going to lose experts and fresh angles on life; and particularly for public service broadcasting where you have a licence fee that everybody pays.
"You’re going to lose that legitimacy unless people can see themselves, their lives and their point of view reflected."