Astute Radio – written evidence

We appreciate the opportunity to provide evidence to The House of Lords Select Committee on Communications, inquiry into women in news and current affairs broadcasting on television and radio.

Astute Radio believes that any examination of a gender imbalance and the root of how to address this, is a positive step.   We therefore welcome this Call for Evidence.  Our comments have been prepared based on available research.  We have also prepared our comments based on consultation with individuals and organisations, interested in and involved with diversity and inclusion, including within radio.

Overall, we believe the evidence suggests gender balance in radio has progressed slowly over the last 50 years in the UK.  There is concern about the impact this will have on female engagement in social, economic and political discourse and activity.  Also, we believe that a lack of gender balance in radio affects the career aspirations of women who wish to work in media, including the more technical roles.  The lack of positive role models for women and girls in the media can also have a negative effect on the way females and males perceive women – gender stereotyping can limit their ambitions and potential.  We believe these concerns and implications are worse for minority women, who are severely underrepresented.

Based on our research, addressing the gender imbalance is a long term, strategic imperative requiring systematic changes.  Simply replacing males with females within each media organisation as a short term measure, is in our view, neither practical or advisable.  Rather, in pursuit of an industry-wide solution, we believe job creation, flexible working and career pathways, are the answer.  We also recommend greater support for niche media organisations such as Astute Radio, as they can create jobs and can address the gender imbalance within the industry as a whole in the short and medium terms.

Our detailed comments are attached to this letter. 

Call for Evidence:   The House of Lords Select Committee on Communications, inquiry into women in news and current affairs broadcasting on television and radio.

Data

1. What data exist (both in terms of absolute numbers and ratios) on gender balance in news and current affairs broadcasting for a) presenters, b) reporters, c) editorial roles, d) behind the scenes production roles, and e) guests invited as experts or authority figures?

There is a disparity in the representation of women working in the radio sector versus women involved more directly in production and broadcasting.  Please note, our research is particularly concentrated on women in radio, especially minority women.

Creative Skillset reports that 46% of the UK radio workforce is female, compared with 39% of the Creative Media workforce and 46% across the wider economy (A Skillset Report for Sound Women October 2011: p3)[1].  This varies from 47% of those working in broadcast radio to 30% of those in independent production for radio (p5). 

In the radio industry, women dominate the radio workforce in occupations associated with administration rather than editorial or front line broadcasting (ie:  “other” occupations), Women therefore, remain relatively voiceless.  Creative Skillset identified the following breakdown of roles women undertake in radio (p3):

• HR, finance, IT and secretarial/admin (classed as “other” occupations) (83%)
• Legal (75%)
• Distribution, sales and marketing (64%)
• Business management (61%)
• Production (53%).
• Studio operations (10%)
• Engineering and transmission (9%)
• Editing (1%)

Data from the Broadcast Equality and Training Regulator (BETR) provides a profile of the radio workforce by grade (A Skillset Report for Sound Women October 2011: p6) [2].  There is a clear fall in representation of women as they move up the hierarchy – this fall is more pronounced than within the television workforce. In the broadcast radio workforce:

• 42% of managers are female
• 34% of senior managers are female
• 17% of those operating at board level are female

Regarding female experts, Feminista UK reports that in the UK men typically outnumber women as “experts” by 4:1 on major television and radio programmes. [3]  Furthermore:

• Just 23% of reporters on national daily newspapers in the UK are women with only 1 female editor of a national daily.
• Only 24% of news subjects (the people in the news) across global news channels are female and only 6% of stories highlight issues of gender equality or inequality.
• Women are under-represented in the creation of news. Only 22.6% of reporters on national daily newspapers in the UK being women.

Underrepresentation of women and BAMEs in radio

Astute Radio’s specific interest is minority women in radio, especially those from Black Asian Minority Ethnic backgrounds (BAMEs).

We have found when women and minority women are given opportunities in radio, they are generally not in prime time or in areas of influence.[8]

2. How do these data break down by age?

One of the most consistent findings across Creative Skillset’s most recent workforce surveys[9] has been the relative under-representation of women aged over 35 in radio. There is a particular lack of women in the 16-24 and 50+ age bands when compared to men (p8)

Creative Skillset found that 50% of women are aged 35 or over compared with 60% of men. Even adjusting for increased levels of female new entrants in recent years, it is likely that women have been leaving the industry before or during middle age (p3). 

We at Astute Radio, also believe that minority women have a double burden to bare.  For example, Radio 4’s inaugural Women’s Hour Power list[10]  found that “93% of the list are white and the average age is 53. About half went to private school and at least two of the top 10 joined the Queen in being born into business (Ana Botin and Elizabeth Murdoch). There were few campaigners or journalists and, perhaps more surprisingly so soon after the Olympics, no competing sportswoman.”  This is not representative of the diversity of women. 

Eve Pollard, the chair of judges of Radio 4’s inaugural Women’s Hour Power list stated that in “some areas things were actually getting worse for women...[emphasis added] What this list does is shine a light on those sectors where too few women are getting to the top," she said.  Ms Pollard highlighting politics (22% of MPs), FTSE companies, the military (12% of all officers) and journalism [emphasis added]”.  Furthermore, “there is just one female editor of a national newspaper and that's Dawn Neesom of the Star.”  Therefore, the state of gender bias in radio mirrors that in other creative industries.

3. What other research helps to paint a picture of gender balance across news and current affairs broadcasting? What concerns arise from the facts presented by this research?

There are many global organisations undertaking research that supports the data provided in question 1 and 2, above (eg: UNESCO, Governance and Social Development Resource Centre (GSDRC)).  In the UK, at the grass roots level, unlike Astute Radio, few radio stations are run and organised by women.  Many technical industries which support radio, such as sound engineering, either do not seem to attract or encourage women to participate.  This may be related to the gender imbalance challenges currently experienced within Science Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) industries.  Underrepresentation and barriers for progression for women, are openly acknowledged as problematic in STEM industries.

Concerns about evidence supporting the gender imbalance in radio include:

• The lack of role models, especially for minority women:  A lack of role models affects the confidence and career progression of women.  Where women do not see themselves represented, in an industry, it is very difficult for them to aspire to that particular career or see themselves as “expert potential”.  Without these role models, young women and specifically young, minority women who sometimes have limited exposure to certain careers, do not know the choices available to them.  Role modelling is especially important for minorities, who can sometimes lack positive representation in the media.

• Lack of engagement:  Our research shows that radio listenership is split evenly between men and women.  Gender imbalance risks marginalising and sidelining women in issues that affect them.  Debates and engagement about British society, healthcare, politics, education, aged care etcetera, may result in exclusion of female voices on the very issues that affect them most.  Currently, the major political parties are concerned about the lack of female engagement in political debate.  One major reason identified is politicians do not reflect their constituents, especially women and minorities. If commentators do not reflect their audience, how can they engage or represent a the population?  Diversity and inclusion research finds that products and businesses representing their consumers are more successful. 

• Misrepresentation:  Inappropriate representation and information disconnected with the views and experiences of a diverse range of women, limits the development and aspirations of women.  Stereotyping and underrepresentation is a barrier to civil, cohesive society where everyone is given the same opportunities.  Without role models, where will the female broadcasters of the future develop their skills?  Who will sponsor and mentor women in business, if stereotypes and underrepresentation reinforce outdated views about female potential in certain careers?  In business, one of the challenges of the leaking female talent pipeline is that many women disappear because sponsors and mentors (who are mainly men) unconsciously favour those in their own image (ie: younger men).  It is ironic that in an industry that broadcasts and reports on EU and UK directives encouraging women to develop a presence and voice in business, itself experiences gender imbalance.

• Ageism:  Edging out of older women may mean a loss in talent, experience, role models and training opportunities for younger women in radio.  With an aging population, it is imperative that the voices of older women are heard and that they continue to contribute to the social discourse affecting their lives.  Women also tend to live longer than men.  Redressing the gender and age imbalance in radio can help better reach the audience and engage the aging population.

• Missing opportunities for greater economic and business benefits:  Related to the arguments about gender balanced boards for FTSE companies, a greater gender balance in radio and broadcasting, can produce better economic outcomes for the UK.  The UK Government has produced reports showing that companies with more women in FTSE 350 companies experience lower turnover, better performance and better outcomes for customers, which is positive for the UK economy.[11] 

• Lack of access to jobs and on-the-job training: Women, especially minority women who want to develop their radio skills as they progress, experience barriers to progression.  What will or should women aspire to if there is no hope of success?  How will this loss of intellectual and economic capital affect Britain’s GDP and future prospects for world class broadcasting?  In this globalised economy, it is imperative to maintain a competitive advantage by addressing any future potential barriers to skills development and representing a more diverse population.  This lack of opportunity, we believe affects young women’s ability to move from education to work and progression.  A further issue for minority women can include barriers to social mobility due to a lack of jobs and opportunities for progression.

How gender imbalance in media can reinforce stereotypes

Astute Radio is particularly concerned about the way women, especially minority women, are represented in the radio and the media, generally.  Emma Watson’s address to the UN on 21 September 2014[12]  highlights the unconscious biases and stereotypes that can limit the potential and aspirations of women and men held to stereotypes.  The following data highlights some of the implications of having a gender imbalance in the media:[13]

• Women reporters are more likely to report women as the subjects of their stories than are men.  Women are more likely to challenge, and less likely to reinforce, stereotypes in their reports than male reporters.
• 46% of global news content (which experiences gender imbalances) reinforces gender stereotypes, almost eight times higher than stories that challenge such stereotypes (6%).
• 50% of women in a survey of 327 reported experience of sex discrimination in the last 5 years and 23% had experienced sexual harassment in that period.[14] 

Based on the research, Astute Radio believes that more gender balance in media will help in challenging gender stereotypes and provide different, more empowering role models to women and girls, especially minorities. 

We do not believe that simply replacing talented and skilled men with women within media organisations, is the answer.  At Astute Radio, we believe that job creation is the answer.  For example, as a new player to the media landscape, we can address the gender imbalance within the industry.  Research in other countries consistently shows that where women work in media organisations such as Astute Radio, both society and the economy are impacted positively (see question 12 below).  Studies have found that platforms such as Astute Radio, which are community media initiatives run mostly by women, allow women to be seen as producers and contributors of content, not just as consumers. Greater involvement of women in technical, decision making, and agenda-setting activities have the potential to promote a balanced and non stereotyped portrayal of women.[15]

We believe that overall, there are positive moves towards participatory community initiatives, such as Astute Radio.  For example, we are currently working with the Greater London Authority to challenge stereotypes.  We are also working on an initiative to identify and challenge some of the systematic reasons for the lack of support of minority women in radio and creative industries.  However, for sustainable change, there needs to be more support in place, both in terms of funding and opportunities for collaboration with government.

Regulation

4. What legal and regulatory obligations affect broadcasters in relation to gender balance in this genre? To what extent are those obligations observed or circumvented?

The Equalities Act 2010 includes a person’s sex as a protected characteristic.  This means that people cannot be discriminated based on gender when they are applying for jobs.  Many employers also have equal opportunity policies which try to enforce an equality framework in hiring decisions.  However, in our understanding, there is no industry specific regulatory obligations that affect broadcasters in regards to gender balance.  Listed companies do have best practice targets for women on boards and the BBC has been aiming to have 50% representation of women in its breakfast programming in its local radio stations.  OFCOM, the UK’s broadcasting regulator does not, to our knowledge, impose any regulatory obligations in regards to gender balance.  Various bodies in the radio and broadcasting industry are encouraging gender balance on a voluntary basis and many broadcasters have signed equality pledges.  We do not support quotas, however, we do recommend annual reporting of the characteristics of experts used by mainstream and significant broadcasters.

From a regulatory and compliance stand point, organisations tend not to prioritise best practice or good practice guideline, unless there are clear obligations or economic consequences.  Without a clear motivation or accountability, good intentions do not always result in real action.  An “If not, why not” reporting requirement might be appropriate to compel media organisations to report on their gender and BAME representation.  This approach can also allow the consumer to signal their preferences by making choices about their listening habits.  This “If not, why not” approach has been used in other industries such as accounting and has allowed relevant information to be made publically available for investor and public scrutiny. 

Self-regulation

5. What, if anything, are broadcasters doing voluntarily to try to achieve gender equality in this genre?

In addition to the voluntary pledges made and targets set (as mentioned above in question 4), we note the following programmes through which broadcasters are voluntarily trying to achieve gender equality:

• BBC expert days – women are invited for media training if they meet certain criteria as set out by the BBC

• Creative Diversity Network - forum, paid for by its member bodies. CDN aims to bring together organisations, which employ and/or make programmes across the UK television industry to promote, celebrate and share good practice around the diversity agenda.  Please note that the CDN is not a regulator and is accountable only to the CEOs of each member organisation.[16]

• Networking organisations – The BBC in particular works with the voluntary networking organisation, Sound Women, to promote the advancement of women in radio.  Astute Radio is discussing possible collaborations to advance the representation of minority women in radio as our remit is to offer jobs and a platform for minority women.

• Work experience – Internships and work experience programmes targeting women and minorities.

6. How successful are broadcasters’ voluntary initiatives and are they sufficient?

As outlined in Question 4, above, voluntary initiatives are rarely a motivating force for change especially when there is little accountability.  Based on the research evidence, in our opinion, voluntary initiatives are not sufficient.  This call for greater gender balance in radio has been going on for 50 years. Many radio insiders continue to quote the old age argument that “listeners prefer to hear the voices of men”.  These attitudes are difficult to change voluntarily.  We recommend an “If not, why not” governance approach.

7. When participants in news and current affairs broadcasting are chosen on “merit”, what constitutes “merit” and does this appropriately reflect the levels of female expertise in society?

In our view, merit constitutes professional experience and expertise.  Currently, there are many women with merit who are not considered for various reasons.  We do not believe that the current representation reflects the level of female expertise in society nor where there is an opportunity to provide positive role models, that opportunity is always taken.

8. Are there any significant commercial initiatives in response to this issue, e.g. agencies providing contributors, or directories of women experts? Are these initiatives appropriate? If so, what are the barriers to their success?

Further to the initiatives identified in question 5, we believe the most significant commercial initiatives in response to the gender imbalance include community radio stations and start up radio stations such as Astute Radio.    The community radio sector throughout the world is a useful way in which women work in media.  Niche radio stations such as Astute Radio which focus on encouraging and enabling more minority women to work in radio, aim to balance the underrepresentation of women who are considered minorities (eg: ethnic minorities; LGBT; disabled) where challenges and imbalances are even more pronounced. 

Nudge

9. To the extent that voluntary initiatives are insufficient, what effective and proportionate policy levers are available to effect change?

We believe that effective and proportionate policy levers to effect change, includes a best practice code of conduct and related annual reporting requirements.  We need proactive measures that foster gender balance within the industry and encourage governments to create a policy environment that is conducive for women in broadcasting and radio.

As discussed in question 4, we believe an “If not, why not” reporting requirement is appropriate to encourage media organisation to report on their gender and minority representation.  We also believe policy statements outlining the process used to find female experts by media organisations should be made publicly available.  We do not support quotas, however, we do recommend reporting of the characteristics of experts used by mainstream and significant broadcasters.  Within the headhunting industry, reforms have been proposed to improve the transparency of the headhunting process for board appointments.[17]  We believe that this could be a model to use for the identification of female experts.

The recommendation in the Davies Report for increasing the number of women on FTSE company boards has significantly impacted the way companies look at the female talent pipeline.  Since the launch of the Women on Boards Report in 2011, the number of women on FTSE Boards has resulted in a culture change for British business.  This high profile, voluntary approach backed up by an annual review, has resulted in women’s representation on FTSE 100 boards reaching 20.7% (2014), up from 12.5% (2011).  The FTSE 250 has achieved 15.6% (2014), up from 7.8% (2011).[18]  The Davies Report recommends a target of 25% by 2015.

For this reason, Astute Radio believes that annual reviews and reporting requirements are an integral part of any policy change. 

Finally, academic research specifically focussing on the education of journalists might be useful in understanding some of the structural barriers to gender balance in broadcasting.  Consideration of the teaching methods and approaches, as well as ties with industry may provide a greater understanding of the gender imbalance challenge.  Currently, Astute Radio, in collaboration with Loyola University Maryland and Louisiana State University, is investigating and researching diversity within journalism education to identify how educational institutions deal with diversity in media, including gender balance.  One of our aims is to understand how the education of journalists and subsequent hiring decisions affect reporting.

Other genres, especially serious factual broadcasting

10. Are these concerns particular to news and current affairs broadcasting? Does this genre have a particular and different responsibility to reflect accurately the levels of female expertise and authority in society? Do news and current affairs broadcasters have a responsibility to reflect their audiences? How should these values be determined?

These concerns are not particular to news and current affairs broadcasting.  Business and industries such as STEM also experience gender imbalances.  While these concerns are not particular to news and current affairs broadcasting, the nature of the industry is important.  News and current affairs aims to inform, reach and engage large audiences.  News and current affairs can also shape public opinion.  For these reasons, we believe that news and current affairs broadcasting must accurately reflect the levels of female expertise and authority in society.  Many of the reasons for identifying female experts are outlined in our response to question 3.

Yes, we believe news and current affairs broadcasters have a very important responsibility to reflect their audience.  These values should be determined by considering the proportion of the population, and identify where we need greater representation and the role models that can provide positive, aspirational choices for women, especially minority women.  Having more gender balance, can provide more balanced reporting and perspectives.

11. What implications do these questions have for serious factual broadcasting with a high proportion of expert and authority figures?

We believe the implications these questions have for factual broadcasting with a high proportion of expert authority figures, is that they revisit existing policies for expert identification and exposure – whether this is within the context of the Equalities Act 2010, best practice in regard to gender balance or based on the business case for diversity.  We believe that similar to other industries, unconscious bias may be at play.  Authority figures are role models and it is imperative to give confidence and inspiration for girls who may want to become experts in particular fields.  We have spoken with many experts who were influenced to enter their field of expertise because of role models they encountered during their lives, including on television and radio. 

We believe that an effective short term and longer term approach to addressing the gender imbalance, is to provide support and funding for smaller media organisations and start ups, such as Astute Radio which are focused on giving a voice to women.  One of the arguments for the gender imbalance is that there is simply not enough jobs.  We do not believe that removing men to replace them with women is the answer.  Rather, we want more opportunities for women to develop their skills and move up the talent pipeline.  In this vein, we at Astute Radio, believe that job creation is the answer.  Therefore, young media companies should be encouraged and supported to help address the gender imbalance within the industry,

Abroad

12. Does the issue exist in other cultures? If so, is there evidence that any other culture is more successful in representing female expertise and authority both on screen and in the production of news, current affairs and serious factual broadcasting? If so, how?

There is a vast array of evidence acknowledging that the gender imbalance in news and current affairs broadcasting on television and radio exists in other cultures.  There are varying levels of success in addressing the imbalance. 

On 22 September, 2014, the UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka at the second Symposium on Gender in the Media and launch of global study on gender stereotypes in film, at UN Headquarters in New York stated:

“In 1995, 189 governments convening in Beijing, China for the World Conference on Women adopted the Beijing Platform for Action, which has become the international road map for gender equality. It called for more women in decision-making positions in the media, and for codes of conduct to avoid stereotypical and degrading depictions of women. Twenty years on, this call is still as relevant.

This is true also for the news media. Available research shows that almost three quarters of all top management positions are still held by men. The effect of this underrepresentation of women in media decision-making is a lack of inclusion and diversity. Only a fraction of all news stories focus specifically on women, and only a quarter of people interviewed, seen or heard are women.

Our study today confirms this correlation of representation and content, and the way in which leadership by women facilitates significant increases in the number of female characters on screen.”[19]

There is also a vast array of evidence to show that educating, empowering and employing women  in radio not only redresses the negative implication of the gender imbalance in media, but also encourages men (who are predominate in hiring decisions) to reconsider their attitudes towards women.[20]  We have specifically referred to USA and Africa and Asia, in the discussions below.

USA

According to the Huffington Post,[21]  when it came to women’s issues in the USA 2012 election, women remained relatively voiceless on the issues that most affected them.  The study acknowledges that “opinion sections can shape a society's opinions and therefore are an important measure of women's voices in society”. 

Source:  http://www.4thestate.net/female-voices-in-media-infographic/#

In the US http://www.shesource.org/ provides a database of women experts that firstly challenges this assertion and, secondly, provides a practical resource for challenging the bias.  In the UK, there are some database sources such as Media Diversified (http://mediadiversified.org/about-us/) which focuses on black women, and BBC’s Women Experts programme which identify female experts. 

Africa and Asia

The research in Africa and Asia is centred mainly on the use of community radio projects to empower women economically, socially and politically.[22]  In many of these countries, women are largely underrepresented in news broadcasting and radio. Community, and more specifically, women-led radio stations have shown to build the confidence of these women in voicing their opinions and balancing out the voices and opinions that shape policy and public opinion.  For example, these women challenge gender stereotypes and gender imbalance within media, public life and business. 

Based on the overwhelming evidence that more women in radio is beneficial in other parts of the world, we believe that parallels can be drawn about the benefits of having a more gender balanced approach to news broadcasting and radio in the UK.  We highlight that the increased prevalence of women in public and private institutions has helped raised the question of gender imbalance in many industries, resulting in positive outcomes for the economy and society. 

30 September 2014

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