As a new report reveals career ‘apartheid’ in newsrooms, I and many others wonder if the fine promises will ever bring genuine change
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here’s a generally accepted ethical requirement for news organisations to reflect society, both in terms of the content they produce and the people who produce it. Unfortunately, this is just not happening. Look, for example, at the new study released this week by the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity revealing a DEI backlash in British journalism, with one respondent describing their office as an “apartheid newsroom”. Look, too, at the Press Awards, said to showcase “the best of national journalism in the UK”, and notably the individual awards shortlists. Search for the Black journalists in them. You’ll struggle. Diversity was clearly not a priority: several categories, including news reporter of the year, feature only men.
As the head of journalism and strategic communications at Goldsmiths, University of London, this all makes my heart sink.
Our journalism programmes attract talented young people from all racial and other backgrounds. We work hard to equip them with the skills and critical thinking required to succeed in the industry. We heed the saying “you can’t be what you can’t see”, while also teaching our students how to critically engage with the forms of tokenistic diversity this sentiment can lead to, including the sham that visible representation leads to structural change.
