Opinion: Making space for inclusion and diversity
11/03/2024
By Contributor
Published: March 11, 2024 Updated: March 12, 2024
Radical Moves' River Williams looks at how the broadcast industry can become more inclusive and representative in order to benefit the professionals working within it, as well as the wonderful and unique content it produces
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Over the past few years, the media and entertainment industry has started to take the necessary steps towards inclusion and diversity, both in broadcast content and in the workplace. This being said, there is still some way to go, and it's clear that this shift towards inclusion can only work if all ends of the industry unite on this vision.
Embracing inclusion and diversity in the industry paves the way for a plethora of diverse talent to shine - transforming communities for the better. For the broadcast and media industry, it has never been more important for it to reflect the authenticity of the diverse communities it needs to represent in the content it creates for the audiences it communicates with.
The question is: how can creators, companies and providers start embodying inclusivity in their creative workflows, and most importantly, in the workplace?
The necessity of identity For individuals of all identities, sexualities and cultures, identity is extremely important. Often, being part of a minority group, individuals can be shrugged off for expressing their identities, leading to a lack of representation, which can impact any industry. For many diverse individuals in media technology, it can seem like a constant battle to fight against the traditional construct of identity in the workplace and to have a voice that challenges the identity norm' that has been found in content and the media for decades.
Understanding and recognising the importance of identity to diverse individuals is the first step in a much wider journey the industry is taking to inspire inclusion. With the broadcast and media industry founded on creativity, characters and storytelling, it is vital to consider the wide diversity of talent and identity needed to enrich the content viewers consume.
As broadcasters and industry professionals begin to adopt an inclusive approach towards individuals of all identities, it can start to see a more honest representation of the diverse and wonderfully colourful world that encircles the content it creates.
The importance of representation The broadcast and media industry is driven by creativity, with the potential for thousands of avenues of inspiration from all across the globe. A wealth of identities, cultures and backgrounds contributes towards the content consumed, produced and broadcast on a daily basis - and this is a fact worth celebrating.
For this reason, it is more important than ever for broadcasters, providers and industry professionals as a whole to embrace all types of diversity, including neurodivergence, culture and gender non-conformity, in order to create a safe environment for individuals to thrive. By doing so, it creates a drive to produce content more representative of the audience watching it both present and future.
The next step for industry professionals Within the broadcast and media industry, there are a few ways to incorporate an inclusive and representational approach. Introducing diversity policies into an organisation is a positive way to inspire inclusion. Not only does it provide a chance to educate teams on the necessities of identity, but it also allows industry professionals to recognise an organisation as a safe space for diversity.
In the workplace, professionals can adopt a similar approach and commit to following diversity policies and making a move towards inclusivity on a company-wide scale. A simple way of introducing gender diversity into an organisation is by including pronouns in email signatures, she/her, he/him, they/them etc. to represent company-wide support of gender non-conforming identities. A similar approach can be taken towards neurodiverse individuals, ensuring that the resources and accessibility they need are present in the place they work, such as freedom to use sensory aids, sunflower lanyards, quiet times, and an understanding of where extra guidance may be needed to support their job.
Also, for individuals of multiple faiths and cultures, ensuring that there is flexibility and inclusivity for individuals to make space for their faith is paramount, such as allowing time within work hours for prayer. Encouraging and promoting diverse representation in director and management roles is another great way to represent inclusion in the workplace.
Away from the workplace, broadcast content itself has the potential to inspire inclusion on a global scale with the additional representation for individuals who identify with neurodiversity, global cultures, LGBTQIA+ and more through characters and storylines. For many younger generations, feeling seen, heard and represented in the media is life-changing, especially for gender-non-confirming individuals, those of diverse cultures, sexualities and disabilities. Introducing more inclusive and diverse characters into content; whether it be movies, TV, or even as simple as a short advertisement, can give individuals of all backgrounds and identities the confidence to express themselves and embrace their identity wholeheartedly.
For broadcast and media, making the shift towards an inclusive and representative industry is not only a change that benefits the professionals working within it, but also the wonderful and unique content it produces.
LINK: | https://www.tvbeurope.com/business/opinion-making-space-for-inclusion-... |
See more stories from tvb |
More from TVB Europe
26/04/2024
The Story Collective opens largest film and TV studio in the heart of London
The Story Collective has gradually repurposed the former Mortlake Brewery to include production offices, workshops and sound stages By Matthew Corrigan Publi...
26/04/2024
Richard Perkett joins Amagi as chief product officer
Perkett joins the company following a 25 year career in product management, product marketing, engineering and user experience (UX) across multiple industries ...
25/04/2024
Opinion: charting a cloud driven future
M2A Medias Matt Hughes asks, is it time for news broadcasting to shift to the cloud? By Contributor Published: April 25, 2024 M2A Media's Matt Hughes ...
25/04/2024
Czech mates
The writer and director of a hit Czech series tell Robert Shepherd about their approach to portraying real-life Pakistani kidnappings on the small screen, while...
25/04/2024
Molinaire Creative Group opens new Liverpool facility
Notorious DIT will work with the Liverpool Film Office to increase opportunities for regional talent By Matthew Corrigan Published: April 25, 2024 Updated:...
23/04/2024
Creative UK launches manifesto calling for more investment in creative R&D; revised approach to trade and exports
Entitled Our Creative Future, the manifesto calls for radical new action' t...
23/04/2024
Audiotonix secures landmark' investment
The company has secured investment from private equity firm PAI Partners, which also holds a stake in outside broadcasting company EMG By Jenny Priestley Pub...
23/04/2024
James Cameron backs Marlow Film Studios proposal
Cameron also said he recognised Marlow as a potential UK and European base for his new company, LIGHTSTORM 3D By Matthew Corrigan Published: April 23, 2024 ...
23/04/2024
IBC launches 2024 Innovation Awards with new categories
The five categories cover Content Creation, Content Distribution, Content Everywhere, Social Impact and Environment & Sustainability By Matthew Corrigan Publ...
23/04/2024
Pascal Fratellia leaves Olympics role at EBU
He played a central role in securing key broadcast rights, including the FIFA World Cup 2018 and 2022 By Matthew Corrigan Published: April 23, 2024 He pla...
22/04/2024
Ross Video expands graphics portfolio with Bannister Lake Software acquisition
The Chameleon solution provides access to real-time data from a range of sources, enabling users to construct tickers, L-bars, snipes, web widgets and full fram...
22/04/2024
What happened in Vegas: 2024 edition
TVBEuropes editor Jenny Priestley highlights some of the main talking points at this years NAB Show By Jenny Priestley Published: April 22, 2024 TVBEurope...
19/04/2024
How 1185 Films created the VFX on new horror, All You Need Is Death
Simon Wilkinson, head of VFX at 1185 films, talks about the technology behind the newly-released horror By Matthew Corrigan Published: April 19, 2024 Updat...
19/04/2024
Could Sony be preparing a bid for Channel 5's parent company?
The global electronics company is said to be considering joining forces with investment firm Apollo Management to bid for Paramount Global By Jenny Priestley ...
19/04/2024
EBU report highlights contribution of free-to-air sport broadcasting
The report broke the economic footprint of EBU member sports broadcasting into three main areas By Matthew Corrigan Published: April 19, 2024 The report b...
18/04/2024
How today's storage and memory decisions underpin future creativity
Ann Keefe, Regional Director - UK and Ireland at Kingston Technology, explains how storage and memory decisions made now are underpinning creativity in the futu...
18/04/2024
Escape Studios obtains UKVI licence to support international students
The newly acquired UKVI licence enables Escape Studios to recruit and retain international students By Matthew Corrigan Published: April 18, 2024 Updated: ...
18/04/2024
NAB 2024 popular among first time visitors
Attendees from more than 163 countries were present, including 34 delegation buying groups from around the world By Matthew Corrigan Published: April 18, 202...
17/04/2024
Colorfront showcases upgrades across product range
Colorfront has introduced AI vision-analysis tools to assist master QC operations with detecting framing anomalies, dead pixels, bright titles and sparkles By ...
17/04/2024
Meet the Founder and director
By TVBEurope Staff Published: April 17, 2024 Updated: April 18, 2024 Rory Springthorpe, founder and director at outside broadcasting company Vivid Broadc...
16/04/2024
Adobe previews generative AI tools to streamline professional video workflows
New generative AI tools will enable users of Adobe Premiere Pro to streamline editing all videos, including adding or removing objects in a scene or extending a...
16/04/2024
Atomos appoints Daniel Moore as new chief technical officer
Moore has led the development effort for over 20 products in the AV space By Matthew Corrigan Published: April 16, 2024 Moore has led the development effo...
16/04/2024
UNIT deliver picture post and colour grade for new BBC1 drama series
Coles enhanced colour separation, adding shape and depth to the characters through the use of a soft highlight and shadow roll off, and embracing the natural te...
15/04/2024
SiliconCore adds to XR range with new 1.2mm XR LED Display
SiliconCores patented Common Cathode driver chip delivers frame rates of 240 Hz and a refresh rate of 7680Hz, enabling slow motion, multi-camera view and multip...
15/04/2024
Naphtali Cave joins MOOV
The UK-based virtual studio, sports and events graphics company has appointed Naphtali Cave into a newly created role to drive technical innovation and creativi...
13/04/2024
Blackmagic Design unveils game-changer' URSA Cine 12K
The company has also unveiled DaVinci Resolve 19, which adds new AI tools, as well as over 100 feature upgrades By Jenny Priestley Published: April 13, 2024 ...
12/04/2024
Filming in extreme conditions: Mammals production team reveal all
Producer/directors Stuart Armstrong and Will Lawson detail the specialist cameras used to capture the footage for the series Dark and Cold episodes By Matthew ...
12/04/2024
Cinedeck partners with Paramount to create MTV integrated delivery platform
Cinedecks new ConneX Hub master tool leverages Adobe Frame.io and the companys ConneX products By Matthew Corrigan Published: April 12, 2024 Cinedeck'...
12/04/2024
Nikon completes acquisition of RED
The acquisition aims to enable the development of distinctive products, while leveraging the business foundations of both Nikon and Red By Matthew Corrigan P...
12/04/2024
Alison Pavitt joins Blue Lucy
She joins joins Blue Lucy after a number of years at Pebble By Jenny Priestley Published: April 12, 2024 Updated: April 15, 2024 She joins joins Blue Lu...
11/04/2024
Setting a new standard for storage
EditShare's new EFS NVMe storage solution allows creative professionals to deliver their 4K and 8K projects with unprecedented levels of performance and thr...
11/04/2024
It took 20 years to get here': Filmlight debuts media access tool
Nara can natively decode and playback a wide selection of media without the need to transcode to proxy files By Jenny Priestley Published: April 11, 2024 U...
11/04/2024
UK MPs call for freelancers' commissioner for creative industry
The Committee has recommended the establishment of a cross-departmental Freelancers Commissioner By Matthew Corrigan Published: April 11, 2024 Updated: Apr...
11/04/2024
Preserving TV's technological heritage
Jenny Priestley meets a group of enthusiasts who are working to preserve TV technology from across the decades, including cameras, OB trucks and telecine machin...
11/04/2024
Rise Academy announces new leadership, London Summer School to return
Andy Beale, Lisa Collins and Jackie Howes will lead the charity By Jenny Priestley Published: April 11, 2024 Andy Beale, Lisa Collins and Jackie Howes wil...
11/04/2024
Editor's choice: Ten things to look out for at 2024 NAB Show
From artificial intelligence and an autonomously AI-powered humanoid robot, to an immersive golf experience and our first proper look at Sphere, this is whats o...
10/04/2024
VFX house UNIT moves into new London home
UNIT will now have numerous VFX suites housing Flame, Flame Assist, Nuke and Nuke Studio, while the lower ground floor will house MCR, QC and Open Studio workin...
09/04/2024
Workflow solutions provider ERA expands into London
The office is equipped to embrace a hybrid way of working so teams can collaborate no matter where they are based, added the company By Jenny Priestley Publi...
09/04/2024
Limecraft and OOONA form AI subtitling partnership
The collaboration aims to provide content producers with streamlined subtitling processes through the use of AI and automation, enabling them to extend the reac...
09/04/2024
Harmonic concludes current market conditions' do not support video business sale
The company has also announced the appointment of Nimrod Ben-Natan as CEO, effec...
08/04/2024
Santiago Solanas announced as new Dalet CEO
Following a 30 year career at technology firms including Sage, Oracle, Cisco, IBM and Microsoft, Santiago Solanas replaces departing CEO, Carl Farrell, who will...
08/04/2024
Grass Valley highlights innovation at NAB Show
The technology provider for the live media and entertainment industry is marking its 65th anniversary with a cluster of breakthrough camera and switcher enhance...
08/04/2024
TVBEurope April 2024 issue out now
With a busy calendar of sport plus elections in both the UK and US ahead, the April issue focuses on the latest advances in live production. We meet the sound d...
08/04/2024
Opinion: Why trade shows can and must evolve
#GalsNGear founder Amy DeLouise explains how media technology trade shows can take intentional steps to fully reflect the full diversity of people who are part ...
08/04/2024
New London office for Advanced Systems Group
Opening in May and located in Aviation House, in Londons Holborn district, the new ASG UK headquarters will have the flexibility to adapt to future expansion B...
05/04/2024
Administrators appointed to Winnersh Film Studios Limited
A release says the other legal entities within the Stage 50 group are not currently in administration and continue to trade as normal By Kevin Emmott Publish...
04/04/2024
Ripley: The Sounds of Silence
Theres a lot going on in the darkness. Kevin Emmott meets sound mixer Maurizio Argentieri to find out why it was so important to amplify the silence in the Netf...
04/04/2024
VVC delivers less pain for the grain
The Media Coding Industry Forum is exploring ways to develop end-to-end film-grain management for modern digital environments By Kevin Emmott Published: Apri...
04/04/2024
IBC announces this year's Accelerator Programme
More than 180 organisations have participated in the Accelerator Programme since 2019, and it has delivered POCs for 35 projects By Kevin Emmott Published: A...
04/04/2024
New CEO announced at Viaccess-Orca
Kohler has over 20 years of international experience in senior management roles at Orange By Kevin Emmott Published: April 4, 2024 Kohler has over 20 year...