UK Newsrooms Face 'Apartheid' as Black Journalists Remain Marginalized Despite Diversity Promises
A new report from the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity has exposed what one respondent described as an "apartheid newsroom" in British journalism, revealing a stark disconnect between diversity rhetoric and reality. The study highlights a DEI backlash in the industry, with Black journalists continuing to face significant barriers to recognition and advancement.
The Press Awards Shortlists Tell a Troubling Story
Look no further than the Press Awards, which claim to showcase "the best of national journalism in the UK." An examination of the individual awards shortlists reveals a glaring absence of Black journalists. Several categories, including news reporter of the year, feature only men, demonstrating that diversity was clearly not a priority in the selection process.
As head of journalism and strategic communications at Goldsmiths, University of London, this situation makes my heart sink. Our journalism programs attract talented young people from all racial backgrounds, and we work diligently to equip them with the necessary skills and critical thinking to succeed. We teach our students to critically engage with tokenistic diversity practices while emphasizing that visible representation alone does not guarantee structural change.
Historical Context and Repeated Disappointments
The prestigious Press Awards ceremony takes place on May 21, just four days before the sixth anniversary of George Floyd's murder. While that tragedy occurred in Minnesota, the resulting calls for racial reckoning reverberated across British newsrooms and other sectors. Yet we have experienced this pain and disappointment before.
After the racist murder of Black British teenager Stephen Lawrence, journalists and editors were urged to reflect on racial equality within their own institutions while reporting on the institutional racism uncovered by the Macpherson report within the Metropolitan Police. In 2020, we found ourselves once again engaging in ritualistic discussions about racial diversity when Meghan Markle highlighted the racist treatment she endured from the British press.
The Consequences of Exclusion
While the share of Black UK journalists increased from 0.3% to 1.3% between 2015 and 2023, they remain severely underrepresented compared with the 4% Black population in the UK. White journalists are overrepresented, making up 86% of UK journalists compared with 83% of the working population. They also hold the power in major news organizations.
We may see more people of color reading the news and featured in picture bylines, but top editors in Britain and other dominant global news markets, such as the United States, remain disproportionately white. The most underrepresented group in Britain are women of color, who are notably absent from leadership positions in newsrooms and as protagonists in content.
Why This Matters for Democracy
Exclusion matters critically during this increasingly polarized moment when algorithms can ignite far-right riots, lighting a fuse beneath baseless rumors as happened after the horrific Southport murders. The characteristics and experiences of those who manage newsrooms matter significantly. They influence who gets hired, retained, promoted, and nominated for awards.
For years, numerous studies have highlighted that a lack of diversity in journalism means audiences receive at best a distorted view of their country and the world, and at worst a completely inaccurate picture. From the Scottish independence referendum and Brexit to the 2011 riots and Grenfell tragedy, a lack of diversity among journalists has led to some of the biggest stories of our time either being inadequately reported or missed entirely until tragedy strikes.
The Persistent Gap Between Promise and Reality
There is much talk about diversity, but still only a handful of this year's 61 Press Awards judges are Black. Journalists of color earn less than their white peers on average, and Black journalists report higher levels of stress at work. Engagement with news is declining, particularly among historically disenfranchised groups who already have low trust in news due to persistent underrepresentation and misrepresentation.
Skewed reporting can skew public attitudes, and deficiencies in news coverage weaken civic participation and a democracy already in crisis. For all the promises past and present, the playing field remains anything but level. Isn't it time we tried harder, as a society and a profession, to make it so?
