Channel 4
Diversity is at the heart of Channel 4. It’s imperative to both our public service and commercial ambitions. There are three strands to cultural diversity at Channel 4: specific multicultural programming, which is the responsibility of all commissioning editors across all genres; reflecting ethnic diversity in mainstream shows and industry wide training. In 2007, we committed £1.5million over 3 years, to the training of ethnic minorities across the industry.
2007: Channel 4 has encouraged a greater awareness and commitment to cultural diversity amongst its staff and suppliers.
Programming: The strategy in 2007 has been to commission successful multicultural programmes at the heart of the schedule such as: Britz, Exodus, The Last Days of the Raj, Ghosts, The Last Slave, It’s a Free World, Batty Man, Comedy Lab: Ain’t It Funny Being Coloured, My New Home, Dispatches: Undercover Mosque, Dispatches: Woman Only Jihad, Dispatches: Immigration The Inconvenient Truth, Sharia Court, Boyz To Men, Darcus Howe: Is This My Country, God’s Waiting Room, Dispatches: Between The Mullahs and the Military, Amir Khan: Make Me A Man, Sharia Street, Empire’s Children ,The Great African Scandal, Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up? Funny Cut: Ginger and Black
Channel 4 has also reflected multiculturalism in its mainstream programming, on shows such as Skins, Big Brother, The Secret Millionaire, Wife Swap (Muslim Exchange) Deal or No Deal, The IT Crowd, Born Different, How to Look Good Naked, Embarrassing Illnesses, My Child Genius, Meet the Natives and Millionaires’ Mission.
Channel 4’s multicultural talent includes presenters such as: June Sarpong, Robert Beckford, Sorious Samura, Gok Wan, Saira Shah, Alexa Chung, Faisal Islam, Tazeen Ahmed and Krishnan Guru-Murthy.
To improve representation on screen and in production teams, diversity is monitored in each commissioning department. This prompts commissioners and independents to ensure that they are accurately reflecting modern Britain.
Chanel 4 also has a guide to Diversity Casting on its website. The link is below:
http://www.channel4.com/corporate/4producers/commissioning/documents/Guidetoimprovingonscreendiversityapril07.pdf
Chanel 4 also has an ethnic minority contributors directory that all Independent Companies can use as a resource:
http://www.channel4.com/corporate/4producers/commissioning/documents/DirectoryofEthnicContribMarch07.pdf
Suppliers: All C4 commissioning Editors are tasked with focusing independents on the importance of onscreen diversity - be it in content or casting. C4 audits the onscreen presence of ethnic minorities and the ethnic origin of all its production teams. These results are fed back to Channel 4’s suppliers. C4 key suppliers are also involved in their training schemes.
Training: Channel 4 has committed £1.5million over 3 years, to the funding of ethnic minority training across the broadcasting (including new media industry). This includes three ethnic minority Deputy Commissioning Editors working annually at the channel. Over the last three years Channel 4 has funded more than a 120 people including 10 on an entry-level researchers’ scheme. Now in its fourth year, Channel 4’s Researcher Training Programme has trained more that 40 researchers, with the majority still working in the industry.
Channel 4 also runs a bursary scheme for two students on City University’s MA in News and Television Journalism. One is for a Pakistani and the other is for a Black Caribbean student, with a further six months paid work experience in the Channel 4 newsroom.
We have a dedicated Diversity and Talent team to nurture ethnic minority talent. We offer impartial career advice and support, and fund individual training and development opportunities for black and ethnic minorities working in the industry.
2008
Channel 4 is in the process of reviewing its role and purposes as a public service broadcaster for the digital age. Diversity will be key element of the new vision and the Channel is consulting extensively with stakeholders about what its unique contribution and approach should be. Channel 4's new vision will be announced in the new year.
•Channel 4 will commit £6.5million to training in 2008, and £1.5million over the next three years specifically to the training and support of ethnic minorities in the television industry.
•Recruit 3 Deputy Commissioning Editors into commissioning.
•Recruit 10 trainees to Channel 4’s Researcher Trainee Programme
•Incorporate New Media Companies into our Researcher Trainee Programme
•All members of Channel 4’s Executive Board will have a diversity objective for 2008
•Publish Trevor Phillips research on about broadcasting’s role in our increasingly cultural diverse society. Organise events and discussions so the findings can be used across the industry.
•Audit the on screen diversity targets and share the results with commissioners and suppliers. Each commissioning department will continue to provide support for ethnic talent and a point of access for ethnic minority companies and ideas.
•Issue new brochure to Indies with best practice on ethnic minority recruitment and casting.
•Host regular networking events for ethnic minority professionals working in the media industry.
•Black and Asian owned companies will be encouraged and supported within 2008 Company Development Fund
•Diversity & Talent Manager will work to advance the careers of the best ethnic minority talent.
•Channel 4 is employing an outside consultancy firm to review its’ diversity practices and this data will be used to further strengthen employment practices at Channel 4.
Our 2008 programme highlights include:
Fallout
My New Home
A high profile documentary looking at the Young British Muslims
A doc drama about gangs in Birmingham
A landmark documentary on the Quran.
Car Bomber
Wilfred (Emmanuel- Jones) Goes to Westminster
