The U.K. film and TV industry has made headline-grabbing commitments to improving diversity in recent years, but two landmark studies have found that the sector is falling dangerously short of monitoring and evaluating its own initiatives, and is losing an older generation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic workers by focusing too intently on “fresh” talent., the studies examine, respectively, racial diversity initiatives and anti-racism in the U.K. industry.
The report also highlights a “lost generation” of off-screen talent that’s older than those supported by current training and development initiatives, and who struggle to sustain positions in the field. They fall through the cracks of talent schemes, which constantly renew themselves by focusing on new groups of BAME talent instead of helping those who are further along in their careers.
Salmon also said the responses to her interviews overwhelmingly pointed to a lack of accountability in tackling racism and discrimination in the U.K. film and TV industry. “There is a notable absence of an account, analysis or explanation from the various institutions and organizations as to why such schemes and initiatives have produced stagnated or in many instances regressive outcomes for Black and Ethnic Minorities in the film sector,” write Nwonka and Malik.
The lack of data on the progress of diversity initiatives has “hindered cumulative learning,” says Pumfrey. “That’s what we should have been doing — we should have been learning cumulatively about what works and what doesn’t. The lack of accountability means it hasn’t ever felt like an upwards trajectory of progress; it’s felt like an up and down.”
Notes Gilkes-Romero: “The insights we gained show that there have been over 100 diversity schemes in the last 10 years and yet there remains no robust public evaluation of their impact. I find this troubling. Why is this missing? How can there be measurable, demonstrable change without it? The industry clearly needs to put infrastructure in place where Black, Asian and Minority Ethic professionals have access to jobs, and training that unequivocally leads to industry jobs.
Probably because racism and offence are difficult to define and somewhat subjective. What offends me might not offend you and vice versa.
Of course there is no accountability. This is Tory Britain. According to them there is no institutional racism. RaceReportWhitewash
Not surprising, considering it has been mostly an 'old white boys' club' up until very recently😅