U.K. Crew Union Bectu Release Results of Racism in Broadcasting Survey, Pens Open Letter to Regulator

variety.com:

K.J. Yossman British crew union Bectu has released the results of its latest survey, which shows that racism is still prevalent in the broadcasting industry.Conducted in partnership with the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity, the survey also found that reporting mechanisms were “largely ineffective.”Among the findings of the survey were that 61% of global majority respondants had experienced racism at work and 59% had witnessed it. (The term “global majority,” Bectu explain, means “People who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and or have been racialised as ‘ethnic minorities’.

In using this collective term, we recognise that these ethnicities are often defined in the UK as ‘minority,’ but that globally, they make up the majority.”) In a statement, Bectu also said “little progress has been made” in establishing an independent racism reporting body in the broadcasting industry.The union has also penned an open letter to broadcasting regulator Ofcom, in which they call on the organization to “publicly lend your support to our campaign and join us to put pressure on UK broadcasters to work with unions and formulate an independent reporting body.”It has been signed by industry leaders including Marcus Ryder, chair of Campaign for Broadcasting Equality Simon Albury and Jake Wiafe from YouTube documentary channel Real Stories.The full letter can be read and signed here.“Our findings confirm that reporting of racism in the broadcasting sector, and the handling of reports, remains inadequate and it’s clear that reform is desperately needed,” said Philippa Childs, head of Bectu, in a statement.