BROADCASTING industries are facing a “worrying” loss of diverse talent with more people leaving TV and radio than joining, according to the regulator.

In its five-yearly study of Diversity and Equal Opportunities in UK Broadcasting published yesterday, Ofcom said broadcasters are struggling to retain talent in the aftermath of the pandemic, with more women in particular leaving the sector than joining.

It said media firms now had a much better understanding of the makeup of their workforce, and there had been a general improvement in representation of minority groups over the last five years.

However, the lack of diversity among senior decision makers remained significant, and disabled people continued to be underrepresented across the industry – a proportion expected to fall over the next five yesrs. Ofcom called on broadcasters collectively to put a much greater focus on retaining senior, diverse talent.

“Broadcasters have an obligation, as a condition of their licences, to take measures to promote equality of opportunity in employment,” it said.

“This also helps people to work in broadcasting who otherwise might not have a chance to do so.”

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Ofcom said that while broadcasters are more representative of the country’s ethnic diversity – minority ethnic groups in 2017/18 made up 6% of the radio workforce, compared to 10% now – this was still below the working population benchmark of 12%.

In TV, 16% of staff are from minority-ethnic backgrounds, up from 13% over the same period.

It said the serious lack of diversity was apparent among senior decision-makers, and “broadcasters appear to have focused on entry-level recruitment at the expense of retaining and progressing their diverse talent”.

Disabled people make up only 6% of senior managers, but it said the situation was more promising in TV, where minority ethnic colleagues make up nearly a fifth of all those promoted.

There was also a lack of socio-economic diversity, with a lack of data and what the available data show.

“Where we have data, it shows that TV employees are almost twice as likely to have had parents in professional occupations (59% compared to the UK benchmark of 33%) and to have attended private school (13% compared with a UK average of 7%),” said Ofcom.

The watchdog said it expected broadcasters to work together and with their production partners to create a more inclusive sector for everyone, which included a greater focus on retention as well as recruitment.

Vikki Cook, Ofcom’s director of broadcasting policy, said: “Broadcasters have made progress hiring a wider range of talent. For example, there are twice as many people working in radio from minority-ethnic backgrounds as there were three years ago. But for the first time, more people are leaving the industry than joining, particularly women, while disabled people remain significantly underrepresented. And because companies have focused on entry-level recruitment, there still isn’t enough diverse talent in senior roles.

“So we’re calling on broadcasters to slow the revolving door and focus on retaining and progressing talented people from all walks of life.”

Natasha Hirst, chair of the NUJ’s Equality Council, said: “This is a woeful performance from the broadcasting industry.

“Improving diversity requires a long-term commitment and a full understanding of the barriers that prevent workers from under-represented backgrounds from entering and progressing their careers in broadcasting. Glossy policies and lip-service about inclusion are an insult to all of us.”