±«Óãtv

The ±«Óãtv is committed to continuing to build an increasingly diverse and inclusive organisation and output. The Code of Practice embeds diversity throughout the ±«Óãtv’s commissioning processes. 

Established in 2018, it covers the commissioning of content across ±«Óãtv TV, radio and online services in the UK. The Progress Report 2019/20 sets out our achievements and learning during the Code’s second year, as well as next steps.

The stakes for inclusive representation are higher than ever before. The challenge for the creative industry is great but not insurmountable. Once we unequivocally accept that there is no monopoly on creativity we can actively seek the diversity required for our industry to thrive.

As the United Kingdom’s largest public service broadcaster the ±«Óãtv is uniquely positioned to help as we look at how we can build back better to ensure that diversity and inclusion is baked into our processes.

This is a challenge that the ±«Óãtv is committed to meeting, both within our own ranks and with our partners, to foster greater inclusion throughout the wider creative sector. As a global public service broadcaster – committed to inform, educate and entertain – we understand our responsibility to share stories and experiences of all of communities that make up the rich and diverse fabric of the United Kingdom.

For underrepresented groups there have been narrow entry routes and a lack of opportunities and recognition for those few that manage to squeeze themselves through the door. This has resulted in missed opportunities to showcase the full range of talent available in our sector. Ultimately, this can lead to losing market share through failing to connect with an increasingly diverse audience. This is unacceptable and more importantly preventable.

We know what we want to achieve; creativity that thrives because of diversity of thought, delivers innovation, enhances performance and content that reaches the widest audience possible. But what is our route and how do we get there? We cannot do this without the enthusiasm and full participation of our global programme-making supply chain.

The ±«Óãtv’s Diversity Commissioning Code of Practice is a cornerstone of that process of progress and change.

The Code sets out what the ±«Óãtv will do when commissioning content across all genres to ensure our content accurately represents and authentically portrays the diverse communities of the whole of the UK. It embeds diversity throughout the ±«Óãtv’s commissioning processes to include: TV, radio and online services in the UK to accurately represent and authentically portray the diverse communities.

The real winners and leaders in the creative industry will be those who not only seek diversity but insist on it.

The highlights

The progress made since the Code of Practice was launch in 2018 has only just started explained the ±«Óãtv's Head of Creative Diversity Miranda Wayland. “We are incredibly proud of this year’s report which will further underpin both our £100 million investment and the 20% off-screen diversity target for all new commissions coming into effect on 1st April 2021," she said. "We look forward to evidencing the Code’s impact on greater representation both on and off screen in next year’s report.”

Next year's report will build on the following initiatives that have been highlighted in the 2019/20 progress report:

Small Indie Fund
In January 2020, the ±«Óãtv launched its small indie fund which ring-fenced £1 million per year to support small independent British businesses. Companies which are selected for participation get a commissioning mentor and a bespoke support package, and 25% are diverse-led companies.

±«Óãtv 50:50 The Equality Project
The ±«Óãtv’s 50:50 Project inspires and supports content makers to represent women and men equally. The voluntary system of self-monitoring is the ±«Óãtv’s biggest ever collective action to increase women’s representation it is content. Despite the coronavirus lockdown in the UK, the data from the second 50:50 challenge in March 2020, strongly indicated that cultural change is taking hold at the ±«Óãtv, and that it is sustainable.

Two-thirds of datasets reached 50% women contributors during March 2020, which was a 9% increase on the previous year. Of teams who have been part of the initiative for at least two years, 78% reached this target during the challenge month. Such is the success of the project, it is now being expanded to increase disability and ethnicity representation.

±«Óãtv Children’s Commissioning Guidelines

The commissioning guidelines held by ±«Óãtv Children’s reflect the priority of diverse representation and authentic portrayal. Suppliers are asked to develop proposals which reflect diversity at their heart, feature story lines and strands which reflect diverse issues, and reflect diverse communities incidentally. These guidelines have helped produce successful diverse programming from football drama Jamie Johnson to Waffle the Wonder Dog.

The impact

The Forge Entertainment Executive Producer Mark Pybus explained that in Dark Money the principles of the Code of Practice were essential.

Pybus said: "Whilst race and class undoubtedly inform Dark Money, the joy of Levi David Addai’s characters and scripts is that they explored issues of identity in a very real and human way in what otherwise could easily have become a sensationalised story."

He continued: "Care and sensitivity in our casting was essential, particularly with the opportunities that were offered up for new diverse talent, in order to achieve a similar authentic feel in the central cast for the show and to make sure we accurately reflected modern Britain."

Meanwhile, Managing Director of Tiger Aspect Productions Damian Kavanagh expressed his pride for Man Like Mobeen. He said: "The show deftly balances laugh out loud moments with Mobeen and the residents of Small Heath and actually having something to say about the world they inhabit."

Kavanagh continued: "The ±«Óãtv trainee scheme on the last series provided a rare opportunity for a brand new generation of talent to get their first steps on the ladder in TV production and will help to enrich the creative talent pool which is key to the future health of our industry."