Broadcasting union Bectu has threatened to boycott a new diversity monitoring initiative being launched by the BBC, Channel 4, ITV and Sky, claiming the broadcasters are not being transparent enough about sharing data to make it work.
The joint industry campaign, called Project Diamond, was unveiled in November, stating it would provide “detailed consistent and comprehensive monitoring and reporting of diversity”.
The project is set to be up and running by the end of June and broadcasters are due to provide information on the gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation and any disabilities of staff working on-or off-screen on all UK-originated productions.
However, Gerry Morrissey, the general secretary of Bectu, has written to the the chief executives of ITV, Sky and Channel 4, and the director general of the BBC, saying that union members from ethnic minorities are so concerned about a lack of transparency that the union is considering boycotting the project.
“Please do not underestimate the disenchantment of many black, Asian and minority ethnic community professionals with the broadcasters’ record, which has cost many thousands in lost income and has cost others their career,” said Morrissey. “We do not wish to have to boycott Project Diamond, but as a democratic union we are governed by our members.”
Bectu said there has been “great reluctance” from the broadcasters to link the data collated under Project Diamond to individual broadcasters or TV productions.
The union said it took “much pressure” on the Creative Diversity Network (CDN), which is funded by broadcasters and is running Project Diamond, to even get the data broken down by each broadcaster.
However, Bectu said that for the project to be successful in moving the dial on diversity representation, data needs to be broken down by individual TV production.
“Without such transparency, Project Diamond will not result in any progress on diversity,” said Bectu. “Those [currently] failing to hire BAME workers will continue to avoid accountability for their failure.”
Bectu said the British Film Institute and the Arts Council of England have agreed to higher levels of transparency for their diversity programmes, which it said is proof that broadcasters can, and should, do the same.
Bectu said the CDN has responded to its concerns, and threat of a boycott, agreeing to a meeting.
Amanda Ariss, executive director of the CDN, said Bectu is threatening the boldest diversity initiative in the world.
“Diamond is a groundbreaking diversity initiative: the BBC, C4, ITV and Sky will be collecting diversity data in the same way and publishing the result,” she said. “No other broadcasting industry in the world is taking such a bold and widely supported approach. Diamond is the cornerstone of TV’s strategy for increasing diversity.
“The progress we all want to see can only be impeded by any action that would jeopardise Diamond’s success. We’ve asked Bectu for a meeting to discuss any concerns they may have. So far they’ve not been able to offer us a date but we look forward to a constructive dialogue.”
Earlier this year, Idris Elba gave a speech to a group of MPs saying that a lack of diversity across British television is causing talented performers to be “thrown on the scrapheap”.
Elba, who moved to the US to spark his career having seen a glass ceiling for black actors in the UK, accused TV industry executives of not living in the real world where “talent can’t reach opportunity”.
