Media4Diversity

Although Channel 4 -as a public service television station- is publicly owned it is entirely self funded. Its remit is to innovate and appeal to everyone – different cultures, nationalities, religious persuasions, physical and mental abilities, sexual orientation, races and ages. Founded in the eighties to combat the monopoly of the BBC and ITV, Channel 4 commissions its programmes from over 300 production companies across the UK. ...read more

The BBC is one of the world’s leading media organisations. Its mission is to enrich people’s lives with programmes and services that inform, educate and entertain. They see their audiences as being at the heart of everything that they do. How to reflect and engage these audiences is a BBC priority. The BBC Diversity Centre is responsible for ensuring that the BBC is legally compliant with all antidiscrimination legislation, hard-wiring diversity into the DNA of the BBC through the Diversity Strategy which is comprised of 4 elements - employment, output, audiences, strategy and business planning. In 2006 an Editorial Executive of Diversity was hired to assist BBC Vision (responsible for BBC TV channels) with delivering authentic representation of the audiences they serve. ...read more

The CSA is the French Broadcasting Regulatory Body. In March 2006 a law concerning equal opportunities was passed that specifically discussed diversity in the French media. It gave the CSA authority to monitor diversity in broadcast media and to ban any discrimination in that field. In 2007 the CSA set up the Diversity Working Group to talk with broadcasters and define the most effective ways to improve how the media deal with issues of diversity. The group’s work led 16 of the most watched television channels in France to adopt specific policies to promote diversity and fight discrimination through their programming. ...read more

The Diversity Unit is within the VRT to implement the actions outlined in the Diversity Policy and Charter. The Unit looks at a wide range of diversity issues, particularly those faced by ethnic minorities and people with disabilities. Affirmative action towards minority groups is part of the daily work of the Diversity Unit. ...read more

In 2003 the European conference on media and disability highlighted the need to change the way people with disabilities are portrayed by the mainstream media. It became clear that there was a lack of relevant data on the topic that also needed to be addressed. ...read more

The Programme for International Student Assessment found that, in Germany, children from migrant backgrounds have dramatically less access to education than other children. It also identified a significant lack of engaging radio programming for children between the ages of 3 to 15. Radijojo is a radio station whose programming is entirely made by children, for children. As a nonprofit it carries no advertising and is totally independent. Children from a variety of backgrounds can take classes in media skills, social skills, geography, history and English to name but a few. Programme topics are limitless and can range from documentaries, news, debates and foreign affairs to music, health and business. ...read more

The 3-year Mediam’ Rad project (2005 – 2007) focused on giving more visibility to ethnic media in Europe by building bridges between them and mainstream media with the aim to report and reflect social diversity more equally and accurately. It was noted that ethnic minority media has emerged as another leading group of media professionals. Although an almost invisible force it holds one important attribute; ethnic media are often people with expert knowledge of the issues they write about. More time and research is taken on each topic, ranging from integration, discrimination to intercultural relations. Across France, Italy and the Netherlands one way of highlighting this expertise was by pairing up ethnic media journalists with mainstream media journalists to work together – seeking to change stereotypes and prejudice in the mainstream media and bring them new sources. ...read more

The Panjabi Centre (home of Desi Radio, a community radio station in Southall, London) and The Women’s Radio Group (a specialist training organisation) co-operated to offer radio production training to women from minority groups, particularly those from ethnic minorities, single parents, older women and women returning to work after being full time carers. ...read more

Since 1987 Mira Media has worked with young journalists from ethnic minorities and the mainstream media through establishing itself as an expert on promoting diversity and inclusion in the Dutch media. ...read more

Ethnic media and media professionals with ethnic minority backgrounds are still largely underrepresented in the Italian media. An Italian website, www.MMC2000.net, was launched in 2004, focusing specifically on this problem. The website reports on relevant news throughout Europe, whilst also making available important legislation and codes of conduct in relation to the media and ethnic diversity. ...read more