Media Industry Fails to Represent the Audiences it Desperately Needs to Keep. Lack of Diversity Holds the Industry Back.

Australia’s television news media has a problem, and it won’t come as a surprise to audiences, or indeed our national media organisations themselves.

Australian broadcast media has an obvious, and in my view an indefensible and damaging lack of diversity in the people responsible for telling, framing and producing stories for television news and current affairs. The absence of diversity itself aside, the lack of measuring cultural diversity in the media industry means there isn’t even a starting point to improve.

Media, as an industry is losing on all fronts – audiences, revenue, innovation and capacity to keep up with modern business. While media organisations focus on digital disruption and changing consumer preferences as the problem, the solution is likely to be found in what’s happening, or not, amongst media executives and boardrooms.

Latest Media Diversity Australia research released this week shows more than 75% of television presenters, commentators and reporters have an Anglo-Celtic background. Just 6% of presenters, commentators and reporters have an Indigenous or non-European background. Keep in mind, this is in a nation where around 58% of Australians have an Anglo-Celtic background, 21% have a non-European background, 18% have a European background and 3% have an Indigenous background.

As mentioned, this comes as no great surprise to many. Asked to poll their opinions on diversity in television news and current affairs, 70% of television journalists surveyed said the representation of culturally diverse men and women in the media industry is either poor or very poor.

Equally as concerning however, is the lack of diversity in the decision makers; those behind the camera who frame the stories we’re told and decide what leads each bulletin, and what doesn’t pass as worthy for the nightly news.

The Media Diversity Australia research revealed an astounding 100% of free-to-air television national news directors have an Anglo-Celtic background. And each and every one of them is a man. The boards of commercial news organisations are also dominated by male, Anglo-Celtic members.

The on-air under-representation of Australia’s proud cultural diversity means one of the most important pillars of the media fails one of its most important tasks: to accurately hold a mirror to the nation.

While these statistics are fact, they make very little sense at all. It is plain to see that by employing a diverse range of presenters and producers, our media organisations are more likely to reflect the audience they serve, which in turn is likely to generate better engagement with this diverse audience, which in turn is likely to lead to higher viewership, ratings and advertising revenue.

Diversity is a fundamental pillar to business success in modern Australian organisations –broadcast media being so far behind doesn’t bode well for tackling the significant challenges the industry faces in competing successfully in an increasingly disrupted commercial environment.

Macquarie Group, the Australian-headquartered global financial services giant, is led by a UK-born, Sri Lankan-raised woman in Shemara Wikramanayake. Her appointment to chief executive officer in 2018 speaks to Macquarie’s understanding of the fundamental role workforce diversity plays in its success.

The firm has developed and implemented a workforce diversity policy to ensure it meets its commitment to build a workforce which reflects all aspects of diversity to bring a range of perspectives to the table, and create a workplace where people feel respected for their uniqueness. Additionally, Macquarie is focused on providing and supporting commercial and development opportunities for under-represented people in the community.

Apart from being the right thing to do, Macquarie says there is a significant payoff for striving to improve diversity in its workforce.

“There are clear benefits of workforce diversity for Macquarie,” the firm’s workforce diversity policy reads.

“These include greater access to talented individuals, enhanced creativity, innovation and risk management and meeting the expectations of our clients, communities and regulators.

“Our commitment to workforce diversity is part of ensuring our business remains contemporary, relevant and sustainable.”

But I don’t need Macquarie to tell me through their diversity policy what an awe inspiring and brilliant leader they have in Shemara – as a leader, thinker and strategist. The scoreboard tells the story.

Macquarie aren’t the only business doing it right either.

“At Deloitte, we view diversity and inclusion as central to our ability to execute on strategy,” Deloitte says in its diversity and inclusion material.

The big four consulting firm says that through years of findings by its Human Capital Consulting practice, it has learned that “at the intersection of diversity and inclusion lies an area rich with fresh, innovative ideas and creativity – which drives a better employee experience and ultimately – better outcomes”.

Which is why it is focused on maintaining a culture of inclusion, a responsibility it entrusts in everybody from its senior executives to newly onboarded graduates.

Macquarie and Deloitte are just two examples of businesses that have stepped up to the plate and delivered when it comes to diversity, and they’re reaping the benefits.

They represent businesses operating in a global environment that requires significant innovation to remain competitive. Why the Australian media haven’t followed the lead of more successful industries is a good question.

Apart from the strong business case, improving diversity in television news and current affairs is simply the right thing to do, and surely that should be enough.

#mediadiversity #diversityandinclusion #mediadiversityaustralia