date: 18 September 2007

embargo: 00.01hrs Friday 21 September 2007

London's media industries are failing to capture the capital's diverse talent

Training, recruitment and employment practices in London's film and television companies are making it hard for workers from poorer backgrounds and from ethnic minority communities to embark on careers in the audio visual industry, according to a report released by the TUC today (Friday).

Published to coincide with the latest 'Move on Up' event organised by broadcasting union BECTU, the TUC report finds that while over a third of the London workforce is from ethnic minority communities, just eight per cent of workers in the audio visual sector in London are black or Asian.

Key findings in the report - written by the Working Lives Research Institute at London Metropolitan University - include :

over a third of final year students on media-related training courses felt unqualified as a result to get a job in the industry;

most workers in the film and television industries found their job through an informal contact or word of mouth recruitment;

there was a general expectation that new entrants would work without remuneration at the start of their careers;

the industry tended to recruit from within limited cultural circles, with a workforce largely characterized as white and from high-income backgrounds.

Later today (Friday) - at Congress House, the TUC's London headquarters - George Alagiah and Sir Trevor McDonald will open BECTU's 'Move on Up in News', which will give black and Asian professionals the chance to have a series of one to one meetings with top executives and senior journalists from all the UK's major news broadcasters.

The report, supported by the TUC's London office, BECTU and Skillset, says that because of established training and recruitment methods, the media industry in London is failing to represent the communities in the diverse city in which it is based.

As a result, employers working in film and TV in London are not able to take advantage of the whole range of talent on offer on their doorstep. In addition, mainstream media businesses are failing to provide output that truly reflects diversity in the capital.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Many of the young people interviewed during the course of this research complained that their media courses left them ill-prepared for the world of work. To make matters worse, getting a foot in the door is often dependent on contacts within the industry, something that many youngsters from low income or ethnic minority backgrounds simply won't have. That, combined with the fact that many will have to work for nothing for their first few jobs, means it's no small wonder that London's audio visual industry currently looks the way it does.'

Dinah Caine, Chief Executive of Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual industry said: 'More needs to be done by training providers and employers to create effective pathways into the industry for all London communities. Training must be accessible, relevant and keep pace with industry needs. London is a world city and its diversity is a genuine asset in the global economy. Employers have got to get better at taking on youngsters from ethnic minority backgrounds.'

Gerry Morrissey, General Secretary of BECTU said: 'Too many black and ethnic minority workers meet a glass door when it comes to accessing opportunities for employment, commissions and progression in our industry. As a result, employers are recruiting from a pool of talent that is an increasingly small share of what's actually available. This is an unsustainable approach in the current context of international competition in the audio visual sector.

'The Move on Up in News initiative is the direct result of a request from BBC News and ITV News/ITN, and organised in conjunction with the BBC. We very much welcome their commitment to this event and to addressing this issue.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The report 'Institutional barriers to recruitment and employment in London's audio visual industries' is published by Working Lives Research Institute at London Metropolitan University. A copy of the report is available at http://www.workinglives.org/audiovisualemployment.html

- The report was funded by the European Union ESF Objective 3 and co-financed by the London Learning and Skills Council. Its supporting partners including Skillset, BECTU, Southern and Eastern Region TUC, OFCOM, LDA, Asians in Media and the BBC Diversity Network.

- The researchers used a variety of methods to gather information for the report - self-completed questionnaires, telephone and face to face interviews, and focus groups. Participants in the research were final year students on media and other industry related courses, graduates from these courses, plus current workers in the industry as well as employers.

Contacts:

Media enquiries: BECTU Rebecca Wingate-Saul T: 020 7346 0979 M: 07980 881165;

E rwingate@bectu.org.uk

Skillset Rajiv Maharaj T: 020 7713 9812 | M: 07968 010 325 E: Rajivm@skillset.org

TUC Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248; M: 07778 158175; E: media@tuc.org.uk

Press release (900 words) issued 21 Sep 2007