’s commitment to disabled programming. But disabled people, who make up 20% of the UK population, are woefully under-represented in the industry, comprising just 7% of all roles, according to research from regulator Ofcom.
Thorne teased one of the report’s major recommendations – a fund to improve access for all UK studios and facilities – and said this demand will likely cause the most controversy. “There’s clearly an appetite for change,” Thorne went on to say. “But the substantial required changes in accessibility are going to be very hard and will require money, obligations and radical thinking. If that radical thinking is done then there is a possibility that the British TV and film industry could be a genuine world leader and that is exciting.”
“We were very clear that we’re not naming and shaming but are trying to get a sense of the industry so we can make recommendations based on facts. Some of the stuff we heard [about disabled people’s experiences] was pretty dark.”
very interesting article. What is key is that broadcasters look to the smaller Deaf-Disabled led companies to lead the way in content that meets this criteria not just large companies with no little Disability “life” experience. Who empower Deaf and disabled creatives.
FilmsSondes