(An extract from the book “Access All Areas - the diversity manifesto for TV and beyond” by Lenny Henry and Marcus Ryder) Now, before we get too carried away about the BAFTAs, I just want to clear up one common misconception. This is not a story about how I want more disabled, Black and working-class luvvies receiving awards and handing them out to each other. This was not an #OscarsSoWhite moment – the hashtag launched in 2015 to try to get more people of colour receiving awards. I’m not saying it is a bad campaign, but it is not what has driven me to fight for more diversity – I can’t sta ..read more

Six Principles for Responsible Journalistic use of Generative AI and Diversity and Inclusion Generative AI (GAI) programs, such as ChatGPT and Bing, are increasingly entering UK newsrooms as a tool for British journalists. The use of AI in journalism raises specific challenges when it comes to the issue of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and there are still ongoing discussions whether Generative AI can be used ethically and effectively in newsrooms. These guidelines are not to endorse the use of Generative AI in newsrooms but are intended to raise issues that should be considered with sp ..read more

Celebrating Windrush is my love letter to my fellow black people across the UK, but to my fellow black Londoners in particular. I was born and raised in London. In 2007 my career took me to Scotland, followed by China and then Malaysia, before I eventually returned to London in late 2021. In all my time away the thing I missed the most was my black British community. London is home to the majority of black people living in the UK — from Brixton to Peckham, and from Ian Wright to Malorie Blackman, I believe we are a large part of what makes this one of the greatest cities in the world. Today ..read more

Back in 2012 the then Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, better known as Prince Charles and Camilla, visited the BBC Scotland Studios in Glasgow to celebrate 60 years of BBC Scotland television. I was head of BBC Scotland Current Affairs programmes at the time and I was duly lined up with other executives in the newsroom to greet them and say a few words about the work we do. After they met staff in the newsroom they filmed a special edition of the weather report in which Charles and Camilla took turns in presenting the forecast. What I remember most about the royal visit was not what happened ..read more

Children’s films should not ignore the more difficult parts of our history, just because adults feel uncomfortable addressing them. The question is: How do we make films for children of all races that acknowledge the horrors of historical events such as slavery, while making sure they are free to imagine a wonderful world unencumbered by racism and are not defined by it? On Sunday I watched the new live action version of Disney’s The Little Mermaid with my six-year-old son. The visual effects are stunning and the casting is brilliant. If you are not aware, and at this point you would lite ..read more

ChatGPT is an existential threat to media diversity. To understand why it is important to understand why is diversity in the media and creative industry so important. And who better to ask than Chat GPT itself:  Question to ChatGPT's Open AI - Why is media diversity important? Answer by ChatGPT's Open AI - Media diversity is important for several reasons:    1. Representation: Media diversity ensures that different voices, perspectives, and experiences are represented. It allows for a more accurate reflection of the diverse societies in which we live. When medi ..read more

In 2001 President George Bush famously addressed Congress, just ten days after the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers, and said 'You are either with us, or with the terrorists'. It was an oversimplification of geopolitics that with hindsight proved to be incredibly harmful - the consequences of which we are still untangling. Complexity and difficult political decisions are rarely well served by reducing them to simple binaries. Similarly when it comes to the UK’s complex media landscape I am tired of simple binaries. In recent weeks all too often debates around the future of institutions such ..read more

Irrespective of your view on the Israel-Palestine conflict currently raging, there are important issues and lessons for diversity on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter beyond the conflict itself. Social media platforms often seem like neutral spaces. They simply host uploaded content. However, they and the people employed by them, are making editorial decisions constantly. These decisions include, for instance, which hashtags to promote and/or block, which content to promote and/or block, which users should be promoted and/or blocked, and in a broader context what entire issu ..read more

The new government report on racism in the UK is a threat to how we report on race, racism and diversity, and the idea of journalistic impartiality. After 24 years of working at the BBC the principle of journalistic “due impartiality” is baked into my very core. It is how I try to approach all my journalism, even after I left the corporation, and it is how I believe you build trust between media organisations and the general public.  The recent government backed report on racism in the UK by the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities presents an existential threat to how journalists ..read more

The current furore around Diane Abbott MP and accusations of antisemitism, in which she equated the prejudice Jewish people face with the prejudice faced by redheads, hold important lessons for journalists covering the issues of diversity, inclusion, equality, racism and (of course) antisemitism. To explain, let me start with a story. A few years ago I was talking to a young black girl about the prejudice women face. She earnestly turned to me and said “I understand it, it’s like racism against women”. I fought back a laugh and replied, “yes, it’s called 'sexism'.” The beauty of th ..read more