Journalism's BIG Problem

So what do YOU think is the worst problem facing UK journalism? Convergence? Dumbing down? UGC?
None of the above. It's diversity - ethnic and social diversity in our own worksforce. The 2002 "Journalists at Work," survey reported that 96% of all UK journalists were white and middle class - things may have improved in the last few years, but it's still an authentic scandal.
Let's start with ethnic diversity.
Very, very, few decisions about any kind of news agenda, story selection, treatment or assignment of reporters, in UK print or broadcast journalism, indeed, in broadcasting, any kind of programme commissioning, are made by anyone with any knowledge of other cultures and ethnic communities, let alone by anyone actually from ethnic origins.
And the consequent, usually ignorant, grossly stereotypical, portrayal of ethnic communities in all forms of media does little to persuade black and Asian parents that journalism is a decent career for their children.
Black and Asian journalists I've spoken to (40+) have some pretty horrifying stories about their experiences in our industry - it's clear that racist attitudes don't stop at the newsroom door.
None of the above denigrates the the investment, time and effort being put into reducing that 96% figure - mainly in broadcast journalism - by the likes of the BBC, ITV News Group, C4 and Sky.
But too many still believe that one-hit policies will solve the problem. They won't. It's here for ever - in fact it's getting worse with growing populations and new sub-texts emerging - eg mixed races.
And what really staggers me is that, at a time when you can't open a business page without reading about falling media finances, the commercial sector simply doesn't seem to grasp the possibilities of the potential markets that ethnic communities represent.
Enough. I'll leave you with a question - two questions actually.
1. What is institutional racism? Here's one answer - it's from Lord McPherson's report for the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry in 1999 - and please don't try to tell me it was just about the Metropolitan Police. "The collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes, and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people."
2. Do we work in an institutionally racist industry? What do you think?
Haven't even started about social diversity - watch this space.
JL