The BBC is still perceived to lean towards the ‘middle class’ and be too ‘London-centric’, a new report has claimed.
In a damining independent review of portrayal and representation in BBC content, commissioned by the BBC board, the corporation has been urged to improve the way it connects with working-class audiences and those based outside the capital and the south of England.
It found that perceptions of the Beeb are often lower among those demographics who are also less likely to be satisfied with how they are represented and portrayed.
The review, by former Bafta chairwoman Anne Morrison, and independent media consultant Chris Banatvala, said that power in the organisation is still too concentrated in London and recommended more key decision makers should be located outside the capital.
‘Our audience research found that the perception of the BBC remains that it is skewed towards the middle class and is London-centric – and that the power in the organisation still lies in the UK capital,’ the report said.
‘We found that this has consequences for portrayal and representation.
‘Genuine production, rooted in the location, made by people who understand it in depth was described to us as fundamental to on-air authenticity. We agree.’
The reported added that the BBC’s key decision makers ‘must understand the audience and what will appeal to them – whoever and wherever they are’ and that bosses need to devise a ‘new set of diversity characteristics specifically for measuring portrayal and representation which would include class and geography.’
In order to facilitate these changes, they said that senior editorial staff at the organisation should be located outside London.
They also said that BBC would represent the whole of the country better if ‘at least half’ of all senior TV genre commissioners were ‘rooted in the location’ where Brits are currently more disengaged from its content.
It continued: ‘The genres which bear most strongly on UK portrayal and representation and have the greatest impacts for audiences would be the most appropriate to move to these locations.
‘We also believe that network radio not based in Salford should move elements of its commissioning out of London over time.’
The review also noted that, while there has been some improvement, there are still more men than women featured in BBC news, nations and factual programming, and this is particularly prevalent with older people.
The report said: ‘We would like to see a renewed effort to achieve gender balance in content for contributors and reporters in news and factual programmes.
‘In addition, we found that male presenters significantly outnumber female presenters in the older age groups.
‘The BBC has not been making full use of the data it holds to keep track of this issue. We believe that women on air ought to be able to have as long a career at the BBC as their male counterpart.’
Responding to the review, BBC chairman Samir Shah said: ‘It is vital the BBC authentically reflects the lives of all the communities, classes and cultures across the UK.
‘Decision-making must happen closer to audiences if we want to ensure that everyone feels represented and that the BBC remains an engine for growth within the creative industries.
‘The board welcomes the challenge set out in the report and the actions the BBC Executive want to take in response.’
The BBC Executive has committed to strengthening how the BBC measures the ways in which different audiences are portrayed and represented in its output.
It will also systematically review upcoming content plans to ensure underrepresented audience groups are reflected authentically and use existing and new data to ensure social background, age and geographical representation also help inform the development of on-screen and on-air roles.
The organisation also said: ‘The BBC welcomes the authors’ recognition that significant progress has been made in how it represents all the communities of the UK, including through increased regional investment, a broader and more representative range of voices on and off-air, and a stronger focus on authentic portrayal in commissioning decisions.’
