So this is how they thank us

1
Media Diversity Institute
________________________________________
Paresh Solanki, Board Director
  Reporting Diversity A Window of
Opportunity  
www.media-diversity.org / Tel [phone] /
Fax [phone]
2
Media Diversity - Opportunity or a Liability?

• "Whoever controls the media--the images
• controls the culture.
• - Allen Ginsberg -

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Tabloid Headlines

• In the UK, the popular tabloids outsell all the
  broadsheets put together. So tabloids have a
  strong influence over messages to the masses.
• Similarly populist television is on the rise and
  makes major impact on people

4
Daily Express, 17 April 2008

• IMMIGRANTS BRING MORE CRIMEThe surge in
  immigration has led to higher crime rates.By Tom
  Whitehead of Labours open-door policy.

5
Search
The Guardian, 16 April 2008

• Migrant crime wave a myth - police study
• Acpo report concludes offending no worse than
  rest of the population

6
MUSLIMS IN THE UK MEDIA London Mayors Report on
Islam, Nov 2007

• No common ground between the West and Islam -
  conflict inevitable.
• Muslims - a threat to traditional British
  customs, values and ways of life.
• The tone of language is frequently emotive,
  immoderate, alarmist or abusive.
• The coverage is likely to provoke/increase
  feelings of insecurity amongst Muslims as well
  as non-Muslims.
• The coverage is likely to be a major barrier
  preventing the success of the Governments
  community cohesion policies and programmes.
• Unlikely to contribute to informed debate amongst
  Muslims and non-Muslims about ways to maintain
  and develop Britain as a multicultural democracy.

7
What does MDI do?

• Mobilizes the power of the news media for deeper
  public understanding of diversity
• Promotes the highest standards of professional
  journalism related to diversity

8
Where do we work?

• Where news media can or have played a destructive
  role in intensifying (any) conflicts
• Old SEE, the NIS, Middle East, Western Africa
• New Indonesia, North Africa, EU/EFTA, CoE
• CoE Anti-Discrimination Campaign ICC

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Why do we work with Media?

• Media have the power to change attitudes
• Can be a bridge between majority and marginalized
  groups
• Can be a tool for strengthening human rights and
  promoting diversity
• Can be a forum for dialogue
• Can confront irrational prejudices and challenge
  extremist political agendas

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What kind of journalism?

• RD Responsible journalism
• Fair, accurate, inclusive, balanced, sensitive
• RD vital in promoting understanding of/between
  different groups

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What can journalists do?

• mirror existing diversity help all members of
  their communities become visible and heard
• help eliminate stereotypes and representations
  that foster conflicts and social divisions
  responsible journalism
• look for the common ground that all groups share

12
MDI Activities

• Media monitoring (15 countries)
• Mid-career diversity training and professional
  development (2000 trained)
• Diversity reporting initiatives (hands-on
  production)
• Diversity Reporting Journalism Education and
  Curricula Development (14 unies)
• Media assistance for CSOs and marginalized
  communities (over 700 trained)

13
Embracing Diversity per se then Media Diversity?

• Michael Ignatieff
• Liberal democracy based on principals of
  exclusion, not inclusion.
• The vote initially extended only to white,
  property-owning males.
• This struggle is still going on
• North-American concepts Melting Pot Salad
  Bowl.
• EU concepts Integration.
• UK concept Balancing Multiculturalism with
  Integration.
• French concept Civic assimilation.
• Others

14
Public Vs Commercial Media

• Legal obligations for public service media
  inclusiveness
• BBC makes viewers feel it is in tune with
  their lives
• Commercial media business case for diversity

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Ethnic Minorities

• Race is regarded amongst the
• 5 most important issues in the UK today
• (Others - Crime, Education, Race, Education,
  Defence)
• BBC Audience Research 2004.

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The Media Vs Ethnic Minorities

• Media is obsessed with ethnic minorities.Negative
  ly!
• In national print media, asylum, social issues
  and crime account for 57 of all ethnic minority
  coverage (BBC).

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Ethnic Minorities

• British Population is 60 million (Census)
• White 91.2
• Asian 4.8
• Black 2.2
• Mixed Race 1.4
• Other Ethnic Groups 0.4

18
Ethnic Minorities

• The PERCEPTION 0f ethnic minority population is
  over 23 of population
• - (BBC Research)
• Actual figure is 9 (non-white)
• Census

19
The Pressures Ethnic Power !

• The Media Market is commercially very competitive
• Ethnic Minorities are worth billions in revenue
• Some UK cities will soon have minorities who are
  in the majority
• Take up of digital satellite and cable is much
  higher amongst minorities and on the Sky Digital
  platform there are over 40 ethnic channels. If
  terrestrial channels do not offer choice to
  minorities, they will go elsewhere causing
  segregation
• As ethnic culture is cool, many ethnic talent are
  now part of the mainstream. These include
  programmes like Kumars at 42, Goodness Gracious
  Me and Babyfather.

20
The BBCs Vision

• Be the most Creative Broadcaster in the World
• To lead in the cultural change for a rich and
  diverse UK Greg Dyke, DG 7/4/ 2000
• Diversity is a central business objective, not
  just a Human Resource component.
• There has to be a fair representation and
  portrayal of minorities on screen.

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Ethnic Minority Targets

• 12 of staff to be from minority communities.
  Currently it is 10.
• Senior management target to increase from around
  2 to 4 .
• Targets are NOT Quotas, they are objectives, and
  are set using all available data
• Objectives set for fair representation of
  minorities in mainstream TV, Radio Websites

22
Producer Guidelines

• The book which all programme makers sign up to
  and it has guidelines on how to deal with all
  programming issues, including minorities

23
The BBC Internationally South Asians

• BBC Worldwide transmits to Indian sub continent
  via satellite - Financial Benefit
• BBC World commissions from Indian companies for
  Indian audiences - Indian production staff
  benefit
• BBC Worldwide has bought Asian magazine titles
  and key events rights
• BBC World Service transmits in 43 languages
  including in Asian languages, and recruits Asian
  staff

24
Digital Revolution

• Technology now makes is much easier to access
  content in numerous ways and Communication is no
  longer about access, but about getting noticed

25
The Pressures Internationally!

• Digital Revolution means that the powerful
  western media is no longer as powerful
• Al Jazeera is expanding and setting up bureaus in
  UK, USA Malaysia. Other major Asian networks
  are following

26
Digital Stations

• 1991 19
• 1996 60
• 2001 194
• 2002 236
• 2003 294
• 2004 379
• 2005 416

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Types

• Shopping 47
• Entertainment 44
• Sport 37
• Documentary 34
• Adult 29
• Children 24
• Ethnic 18
• Religion 6