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BBC Media

BBC prioritises diversity in commissioning guidelines

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By John Glenday, Reporter

October 18, 2016 | 1 min read

The BBC is to place greater emphasis on diversity in its commissioning guidelines going forward with producers who fail to reflect ethnic minorities, the disabled or LGBT people in danger of being bumped down the queue by editors.

New guidelines published by the broadcaster ask producers to come up with detailed proposals to improve representation of minorities on screen and behind the camera, with commissioning decisions potentially being affected by any lack of progress in this area.

In a further tightening of its rules the BBC is also asking programme makers to end the practice of offering unpaid internships and offer paid training to people with diverse backgrounds instead.

The guidelines state: “We now expect each commission to be doing everything it can to meet these guidelines. The positive steps you plan to take to address under-representation will be factored into commissioning discussions ahead of productions being green-lit.”

Driving the new agenda is a desire on the part of BBC bosses to remain relevant to all license fee payers.

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