32 to 1 - Ofcom's diversity in numbers

Last week I gave a speech to a room full of people interested in diversity in the media. It was a wonderful event in which I was able to talk to senior TV execs from the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 some of whom have championed media diversity for over forty years. I was also able to talk to young media professionals who are just starting off their careers with fresh ideas and approaches to the issue of diversity.

The exchange of ideas and experiences was truly enriching and I am sure will form the basis of several blog posts to come, as well as possible campaigns for new policy suggestions that broadcasters, media regulators and politicians may want to adopt in order to increase diversity.

But just the act of breaking bread (or more accurately sharing a drink) with fellow media professionals who all want to increase diversity in our industry was rewarding in itself and I sincerely hope that similar events can be repeated soon.

The speech I gave primarily focused on the ethnic diversity of the UK media regulator Ofcom and afterwards a lot of people asked me if it was available online. I have tidied it up, taking out the usual introductions that are in such speeches and elaborated a little on the figures I quoted.

Enjoy…

"Ofcom is the body that is charged with making sure that broadcasters abide by their licenses and fulfill the requirements set out for them to broadcast in the UK.

Ofcom for example officially set out the minimum amount of programmes broadcasters have to produce outside of London. They set out the minimum amount of news and current affairs, high quality drama and other genres they have to do.

And with regards to diversity Ofcom are officially in charge of making sure the BBC specifically meets its new - since 2016 - Charter commitment to diversity.

On Thursday (28^th March) the BBC announced it had exceeded its targets on meeting diversity for BAME, LGBTQ and Disability. And for women the BBC was only 2% behind hitting its target of 50%. The BBC is not the only media organization to “hit” their diversity targets - all the broadcasters regularly hit their self-defined targets. Good news for everyone including Ofcom.

But here’s the rub. Even though the BBC says it’s met these targets, people like me, and many of you here today know there is a problem. Diversity, on and behind the screen is still not working.

Now, over the last 10 years - that’s just over a third of my career and starting from when I was still inside the BBC - I’ve been working with industry figures like Simon Albury and Sir Lenny Henry and Angela Ferreira to challenge this status quo and come up with new solutions to address how to increase diversity.

We’ve proposed ring-fencing money for diverse programmes, just like money is ring-fenced for children’s programmes. We’ve proposed centres of excellence with real money behind them, like they have for Nations and Regions.

We’ve proposed simply creating a definition of what the industry means by diversity so people can agree on what should be measured and how success can be judged.

So why have none of these simple solutions been picked up? Why does it sometimes feel like we’re talking to thin air? Like our solutions are falling on deaf ears?

So I’ve been looking a bit more deeply at Ofcom – as this would be the organization that would create a definition or impose ring-fenced funds on an organisation.

Ofcom has a number of advisory boards and sub committees to represent different groups, raise important issues and make sure Ofcom is doing a good job.

There is the Content Board which “represents the interest of the viewer, the listener and citizen”. There is Consumer Panel “set up and maintain effective arrangements for consultation with consumers”. And there are four other boards to represent “interests and opinions”, specific to people living in the four Nations (England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland).

There are a number of other boards and sub-committees but none represent the interests of the viewers, consumers and citizens in the same way.

I’ve done a little research on who are on the different boards.

Altogether there are 32 people members on the 6 different major boards.

Now all I did was a Google image search on each member and did a little background research and so it was not an exact science, but of those 32 people how many do you think are Black Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME )?

(For those of you reading this who were not at the speech I paused for dramatic effect at this point as people shouted out suggestions - you had to be there :)

The answer is one.

Only one person of a BAME background advises Ofcom on whether they are doing a good job.

Currently just one out of 32 people can give a BAME perspective on whether independent prodcution companies are being treated fairly.

Only one out of 32 people can give a BAME perspective on the quality of programme content.

Only one out of 32 people can give a BAME perspective on whether the policy solutions suggested by the likes of Lenny Henry have any merit.

Now ideally I believe there should be a Diversity Board on the same level as the four Nations boards to represent the specific interests, issues and concerns of specific groups such as women, BAME disabiled and LGBTQ+ people. After all the UK’s BAME population alone is almost as large as the popyulations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland combined.

But even if you do not agree with the creation of a new board I think very few people would think 1 out of 32 is good representation. 

Now I know some of you will quickly point out that the head of Ofcom is a black woman – the very competent Sharon White - but let us take a step back and think about this:

No one would have dreamt of saying; “Well Ed Richards – Sharon’s predecessor - grew up in Portsmouth so we don’t need an England board, and we don’t need to worry about  the advice on out of London productions.” That would be nonsense.

So ladies and gentlemen, here is my new solution to increasing diversity throughout the television industry.

To use the Latin term; “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” ("Who guards the guards?"). If we want Ofcom to do a better job at increasing diversity we need to look at the diversity of who are advising them, overseeing them and even judging them.

We need, at the very least, to increase the diversity of Ofcom’s existing boards, and ideally have a new specific board on diversity. If we believe the other boards are essential for Ofcom to come to the right decisions about England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland, then changing the diversity on the boards and even creating a new board is equally essential for Ofcom to come to the right decisions about diversity."

Footnote – there is one BAME person on Ofcom's advisory panel on spectrum which is a technical panel on how broadcasting signals and media networks are used.

I have also created a list of all of Ofcom's advisory and oversight committees for people to look at a break down of the gender and ethnic diversity of each one (I have excluded the executive Policy and Management board as this is the managment board that the other boards are meant to oversee and advise) I stress this was done purely through Google image searches and research into the biographies of the various members - if I have made mistakes I would be thankful to Ofcom or anyone else to correct them:   

Ofcom Board

Ofcom's main decision making body is the Board, which provides strategic direction for the organisation.

It has a Non-Executive Chairman, Executive Directors (including the Chief Executive), and Non-Executive Directors.

The Executive runs the organisation and answers to the Board.

The Ofcom Board meets at least once a month (with the exception of August). Agendas, summary notes and minutes are published regularly on the Ofcom website.

10 members
3 women

1 BAME (Sharon White)

Ofcom Content Board

The Content Board is a committee of the main Board and it sets and enforces quality and standards for television and radio. It has members representing each of the countries in the UK, and includes members with extensive broadcasting experience. It is charged with understanding, analysing and championing the voices and interest of the viewer, the listener and citizen.

13 members

5 women

1 BAME (Monisha Shah)

Communications Consumer Panel (CCP) (Advisory Committee for Older and Disabled People)

The Communications Act 2003 requires Ofcom to set up and maintain effective arrangements for consultation with consumers. These arrangements include the establishment of the Communications Consumer Panel, an independent body with the function of advising both Ofcom and others.

9 members

3 women

0 BAME

Ofcom Risk and Audit Committee

The Risk and Audit Committee is responsible for ensuring the maintenance of appropriate and adequate audit processes and the governance of the internal audit and external audit programme

It is a sub-committee of the Ofcom Board and is chaired by a non-executive member of the Ofcom Board..

3 members

2 women

0 BAME

Nominations Committee

The Nominations Committee is chaired by the Chairman of Ofcom. All non-executive Ofcom Board members are members of the Nominations Committee.

Remuneration Committee

The Remuneration Committee has oversight over all matters relating to the remuneration of the Chief Executive and members of the Executive Committee (together called “the senior management team”).

7 members

2 women

0 BAME

Advisory Committee for England

The Advisory Committee for England advises Ofcom about the interests and opinions, in relation to communications and postal matters, of persons living in England.

The Committee usually meets five times a year. The Committee’s minutes are provided to the Ofcom Board.

6 members (4 + 2 members from other committees)
3 women

1 BAME (Monisha Shah)

Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland

The Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland advises Ofcom about the interests and opinions, in relation to communications matters, of people living in Northern Ireland.

8 members (6 + 2 members from other committees)

3 women

Advisory Committee for Scotland

The Advisory Committee for Scotland advises Ofcom about the interests and opinions, in relation to communications matters, of persons living in Scotland.

6 members (4 + 2 members from other committees)

5 women

0 BAME

Advisory Committee for Wales

The Advisory Committee for Wales advises Ofcom about the interests and opinions, in relation to communications matters, of persons living in Wales.

7 members (5 + 2 members from other committees)

2 women

0 BAME

Community Radio Fund Panel

Section 359 of the Communications Act 2003 makes it possible for a fund for community radio operators to be set up, and for Ofcom to administer it and “make such grants as they consider appropriate” to community radio licensees.

3 members

2 women

0 BAME

Ofcom Spectrum Advisory Board (OSAB)

The Ofcom Spectrum Advisory Board (OSAB) provides independent advice to Ofcom on strategic spectrum management issues.

8 members

1 woman

1 BAME (Wassim Chourbaji)

UPDATE - 25/06/2019

It was announced today that Aaqil Ahmed (former head of BBC Religion)has been appointed to the England Advisory Committee - increasing the BAME representation to two.