UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 15 DECEMBER 2023
Diversity statements in job advertisements to attract Black and Asian candidates into mainstream news organisations are failing to have any impact and in some cases are counterproductive, according to a new report from the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity (LHC).
The LHC report warned media companies that they must take a different approach to recruitment as a matter of urgency if they are serious about increasing racial diversity in newsrooms across the UK.
Marcus Ryder, former Head of External Consultancies at the LHC before accepting a role as CEO of the Film and TV Charity earlier this year, was a key figure in the research project.
“People from all backgrounds must feel valued in an organisation,” said Ryder, a leading expert on media diversity. “That starts with the job advert.
“What we have learnt from conducting this piece of work is that job advertisements are so much more than just a vehicle to attract a broad range of candidates. They are the first step in a diversity, inclusion and equality journey for many and therefore carry immense importance.”
The research was carried out by Ryder and Dr Aurora Herrera on behalf of the Network for Black and Asian Journalists (NBAJ), a loose umbrella group comprising journalists and diversity professionals form media companies including, NewsUK, ITN, The Guardian and Reach plc.
Among its recommendations, the LHC report said that job advertisements alone are not enough to achieve diversity and inclusion goals in mainstream media.
That’s because potential candidates from Black, Asian and Global Majority backgrounds lack faith in mainstream media’s diversity record and are reluctant to apply.
“Companies must therefore also look at their output and diversity policies as a whole and explore different ways to increase trust and confidence in Black, Asian and Global Majority journalists to actively want to work for them,” added the LHC report.
Diane Kemp, Director of the LHC, said: “We know there are significant numbers of journalism students from Black, Asian and Global Majority backgrounds gaining professional credentials.
“The fact that some mainstream news organisations struggle to recruit them highlights an issue that needs to be addressed if we are to create truly diverse newsrooms.”
The full report can be found here.