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BBC Review: Class & Geography Focus Urgently Needed
30 Jan
Summary
- BBC needs to urgently measure class on and off-air.
- Geography and class receive less attention than race or gender.
- More focus is needed on working-class audiences outside London.
A comprehensive review has identified urgent priorities for the BBC, emphasizing a need for greater focus on class and geographical representation. The report suggests that while the BBC has become more inclusive and authentic in its portrayal of UK communities, significant steps are still required.
Key areas for improvement include a more thorough measurement of class representation both on and off-air. The review noted that geography and class have been given considerably less attention compared to race, disability, and gender representation. This imbalance needs to be rectified to ensure a more authentic connection with all audience segments.
Furthermore, the review stressed the importance of better connecting with working-class audiences and those residing outside of London and the South East of England. It recommended monitoring the geographical background of presenters and contributors as a diversity characteristic and holding commissioners accountable. The report also indicated that portrayals of working-class communities sometimes rely on themes of poverty and crime, with an absence of positive role models.
