New BBC original shows will now have to be more diverse, on-screen and off. BBC Studios Production has announced the formation of an inclusion rider. Effective immediately, all new BBC-commissioned works will need to have at least 20% representation of “Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic (BAME) background, having a lived experience of a disability, or being from a low-income background.” This applies for both on-screen talent and production crew.
“As the UK’s biggest producer of content, my ambition has always been that BBC Studios Production leads the way in levelling the playing field for anyone wanting to join and thrive in our industry,” said Ralph Lee, BBC Studios’ director of content, in a statement. “These initiatives are by no means a magic bullet and we’re also doing a lot of work on culture and education to make our teams more inclusive. The talent in front of and behind the camera will give perspectives that will shape our content, making it more authentic and universal in its depiction of our audiences—and ultimately its appeal with them.”
CAA Names New Head of Diversity and Inclusion Department The inclusion rider applies to all new BBC and third-party U.K. commissions. It also dictates that at least one senior-level position on a show’s production team be filled by someone from a marginalized background. LGBTQ+ representation is also part of the rider, but only for on-screen talent, since according to BBC Studios, off-screen diversity has already exceeded 20%. The rider will apply to both scripted and unscripted content.
This is just one of several efforts that BBC Studios has made to foster diversity. It also announced a new year-long Trainee Assistant Producer Programme, to develop new producers. It’s partnering with ScreenSkills on a mentoring program for underrepresented talent at the assistant producer or script editor level or above. It also announced that it will create a short film that will be shown in schools, covering all the behind-the-camera roles in production, to inspire young people to pursue a career in entertainment.
In January 2021, BBC Studios will launch its Diversity & Inclusion Plan, which will present measures on how to build a more inclusive workplace.
The demographic data of BBC Studios is published annually as part of BBC’s annual report. According to the most recent report, for 2019–2020, BAME individuals made up around 15% of BBC Studios staff members. BBC Studios plans to measure the progress of its inclusion rider.
Considering that “Doctor Who” introduced its first Black iteration of the character earlier in the year, played by Jo Martin, perhaps a person of color could soon lead the popular BBC show.