Equity is under attack — the media industry must not stand for it
Opinion
Recent attacks on DEI impact the sector’s creative potential, its financial sustainability and its ability to connect with modern, diverse audiences. Some good work is being done, but there is much more to do.
The media industry stands at a critical juncture in the wake of damaging narratives surrounding DEI policies making headlines in the current geopolitical climate.
We are the stories we tell ourselves and there is an ever-growing demand for authentic storytelling. Yet the UK sector continues to grapple with systemic inequalities that limit both the talent it recruits and the content it produces.
These attacks on DEI are not abstract — they directly impact the industry’s creative potential, its financial sustainability and its ability to connect with modern, diverse audiences.
As we start to see better representation on and off screen, the damaging bias across many marginalised communities remains. If we continue to ignore the perspectives of badly represented groups, we risk alienating vast swathes of our audience and stifling the very innovation that drives creative success.
With Gen Z — today’s largest and most diverse generation — becoming the dominant consumer demographic, the need for media that authentically reflects the diversity of society has never been more urgent.
But the industry’s response remains insufficient.
Talent crisis: A narrow workforce
The challenges of recruiting and retaining diverse talent in the media sector are longstanding, with the creative industries still largely dominated by a narrow demographic.
In the UK, just 2.8% of senior roles are occupied by black professionals. Additionally, only 12% of workers in film, TV and radio come from a working-class background, according to the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre.
Lack of diversity directly affects the quality of content produced. A homogenous workforce creates a narrow creative vision that risks alienating broad segments of our audience, as was highlighted in Shirish Kulkarni’s News for All research into mainstream news outlets.
Representation matters: The impact on output
It’s not just about talent — it’s about the stories that get told and by whom.
Audiences are turning away from traditional media that fails to represent them, seeking platforms that offer stories they can relate to. If the media sector overlooks this demand, it risks losing relevance with an entire generation.
Diversity in storytelling isn’t about ticking boxes — it’s about producing engaging, complex narratives that reflect the world as it truly is.
The road ahead
I work with Media Cymru, one of the UK’s leaders in stimulating media innovation, and we have a commitment to that innovation being responsible.
This involves consideration of the social, cultural, environmental and ethical impacts of all the investments we make. We always ask: will this make the world a better place? The initiatives below are laying the foundations, but there is still much to do.
To address the challenges ahead, the media industry in Wales and beyond must adopt a more inclusive approach to both talent recruitment and content creation, requiring a commitment to long-term change and not short-term fixes.
Here are some key steps.
Reimagining recruitment and retention: It’s not enough to simply open the doors — we must ensure these individuals thrive and aren’t abandoned in toxic environments.
Adopting inclusive hiring practices at all levels, a living wage, offering mentorship and fostering supportive workplaces are essential to retaining diverse voices such as Boom Cymru and Rondo Media’s Open Door initiative for working-class entrants to the media.
Commitment to training and development: The entire industry must undergo ongoing training to address unconscious bias and develop cultural competency.
Industry events such as the Accessible Futures Summit led by the University of South Wales highlighted the real impact of failing to learn as a sector, as well as the many success stories when diversity is embraced, including Bad Wolf’s wheelchair-friendly design of the Tardis.
Creating inclusive workplaces: Retaining diverse talent requires improving workplace culture.
Research such as the Wales Screen Workforce Survey shows many women aged 26-50 are considering leaving the media industry due to workplace cultures that fail to support them, particularly when it comes to caregiving responsibilities.
More flexible and empathetic work environments are critical. Unquiet Media’s Exceptional Minds toolkit to support neuro-inclusive thinking on and off screen is an invaluable model to create these spaces.
Fostering collaboration: There are too many silos. Collaboration across industries, institutions and communities is key, such as Gritty Talent’s Inclusion Accelerator programme, where sector leaders come together to tackle inequality within the Welsh media sector.
Budget lines for accessibility: All productions must have dedicated budget lines for ensuring accessibility. The world-leading work done by Whisper TV in building the inclusive Cymru Broadcast Centre in Wales to deliver the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games is a case in point. Accessibility isn’t an afterthought — it must be integrated into the planning and funding of every production.
More than a social obligation
The lessons are clear: the future of the media industry depends on its ability to embrace diversity and inclusion.
This isn’t just about meeting a social obligation — it’s about creating a more innovative, resilient and profitable sector. The key to success lies in adopting inclusive practices at every level, from recruitment to content production to workplace culture.
By shifting the way we think about inclusion, we can foster an industry that reflects the society we want to build. Because diversity is a strength, not a burden.
The time to act is now. If we embrace this challenge, we can set a new standard for the entire industry — one that will drive both social progress and creative excellence.
Sally Griffith is a research and development producer at Media Cymru, which has a mission of making Wales a green, fair, global and economically sustainable hub for media production and innovation