Women, minority ethnic groups and disabled people are all under-represented amongst staff according to a report by Ofcom.
The Ofcom report focuses on the five main broadcasters; the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Sky and Viacom. Women account for 48 per cent of employees across the five broadcasters, but all of the five have more men in senior roles than women.
Ethnic minorities make up just 12 per cent of employees overall, lower than the UK population average of 14 per cent.
For disabled people, only three per cent of employees across the five main broadcasters self-report as disabled, compared to 18 per cent of the UK population.
Sharon White, the chief executive of Ofcom, said:
“The information we have is shocking. There is some woeful progress, especially for senior women, disabled people, and people from a black, Asian and minority ethnic background.”
The BBC trails behind on all of the diversity statistics outlined by Ofcom.
It lags behind everyone except Sky on the proportion of women in its workforce, behind Viacom and ITV on women in senior roles, behind Channel 4 and Viacom on BAME staff, and behind Channel 4 on staff with disabilities.
White said she found the BBC’s figures to be particularly “disappointing”.
“The BBC is the UK’s national broadcaster. Whatever the BBC does has a huge impact on the rest of the industry. We would want the BBC to lead the way rather than be in the middle of the pack.”
The broadcaster has set itself targets that by 2020 it wants 50 per cent of its workforce to be female, 8 per cent lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people, eight per cent disabled people and 15 per cent from a BAME background.
Sharon White has also called on the culture secretary, Karen Bradley, to allow Ofcom to force broadcasters to disclose their employment data.
White said it was “unnaceptable” that 57 broadcasters failed to give information regarding the diversity report. All 57 will now be subject to enforcement action, potentially resulting in a fine.
Ofcom has pledged to make broadcasters accountable if they do not promote equal employment opportunities and diversity within their company.
