BBC

Diversity

Diversity for the BBC is a creative opportunity to engage the totality of the UK audience. That includes diverse communities of interest, as well as gender, age, ethnicity, disability, religion and faith, social background, sexual orientation and political affiliation.

Delivering on our commitment to equal opportunities and diversity is important to the BBC for a number of reasons. For example, the audiences that we serve are increasingly diverse.

We are:

  • A public service broadcaster funded by a licence fee paid by all sections of UK society.
  • Committed to reflecting the diversity of the UK audience in its workforce, as well as in its output on TV, radio and online.
  • Legally obligated to comply with current legislation, e.g. around the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).
  • Working towards achieving our own workforce targets. These are currently under review by the Diversity Board, which is chaired by the BBC Director-General.
  • A member of the major industry networks on disability and ethnicity, as well as of the main UK employer forums which bring together organisations committed to driving progress on diversity.

Our diversity policy can be viewed in full here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/policies/diversity.shtml

Portrayal

The BBC has set tough targets to improve the on-screen portrayal of disability and we think the representation is getting better. Coming Down the Mountain, a feature length drama on BBC One, looked at the unusual relationship between two teenage brothers one played by Tommy Jessop an actor with Downs Syndrome.

Never Better is a black comedy on BBC Two following the story of a recovering alcoholic who's trying to get his life together. Desperados on CBBC followed the fortunes of a soccer-mad boy who joined a wheelchair basketball team after suffering a horrific injury.

BBC Sport continues to report on disability sport events including the Paralympic World Cup from Manchester and wheelchair tennis action from the 2008 Wimbledon Championships. There will also be extensive action broadcast from the Beijing Paralympics later in the year.

Ouch!

More than a thousand users of www.bbc.co.uk/ouch, the disability website, started an online petition when its podcast chat show came to the end of its pilot run. As a result, the podcast is now back on air.

Employment

We are pleased to announce that a third phase of Extend is currently advertised on various publications nationwide. There are a few more imaginative placements across the BBC.

Please follow this link for further details: http://www.bbc.co.uk/jobs/extend