So called progressive Britain has been slipping behind many other western countries for a while now and the BBC, being a state broadcaster, is the obvious litmus test for it. LGBTQ staff have walked out over BBC’s behaviour sinking attitudes and now black and ethnic minority staff have followed suit. Disappointing. Britain is no longer the forward thinking hopeful place it once was. It has become nationalistic, xenophobic and homophobic.
British exceptionalism and racist attitudes means Brits will downvote this because they can’t possibly acknowledge that other countries might have better attitudes. Britain is not leading the way.
At least learn to spell colour right before criticising the British Broadcasting Corporation.
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The creeping racism and transphobia coming out of the newsroom will destroy the BBC. Working for the public good is the only thing that attracts staff who could easily get paid double by private sector employers.
Downvote if you like, reality doesn’t care.
I expect all of our new friends on this sub will love this.
>Among the experiences she recounted are having to ask a white male colleague to send emails on her behalf because hers were often ignored; being repeatedly confused with other women of color in her department; being patted on the head and spoken to condescendingly by a white male colleague; being left off the nominations list when a project she had initiated and worked on was put forward for an award; and repeatedly being denied opportunities to move from a junior to senior journalist position over 10 years of being at the BBC.
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>In one case, she was told a role she was working in was junior level and could not be upgraded to senior despite her experience and extensive responsibilities. However, after she moved to another department, the role was taken over by a white journalist who was given a senior title.
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>…
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>In particular, Davies’ determination to ensure that employees’ political views are “left at the door” — so as to prevent any impugnment of the broadcaster’s neutrality — has led to confusion says Philippa Childs, head of crew union BECTU.
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>“There is now confusion among our members about what they can and can’t do and what they can and can’t say, because of controversy around attending anti-racism events like Black Lives Matters protests, or LGBT+ events like Pride parades,” Childs tells Variety. “I think they feel a bit uncertain, and a bit cowed, which does not make for a healthy work environment.”
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>Byrne gives one example, when she was forbidden from using a Black History Month hashtag on a BBC social media post because her editors thought it wasn’t impartial. “It’s a celebration of culture, it’s not [political],” Byrne points out. “But there’s a mix-up because at the top of the business it is all essentially white; they are unsure of what diversity is and where that tips over into impartiality, and it’s just causing more damage.”
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>One male BBC journalist echoed Byrne’s comments. “So, you’re telling me that it’s impossible for me to attend an event in remembrance of Black people and people of color who’ve lost their lives in custody?” he tells Variety. “You have deliberately confused the Black Lives Matter, the political organization, with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter as a social movement.”
Read the whole article and still have no idea what they would like changed….
8 comments
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So called progressive Britain has been slipping behind many other western countries for a while now and the BBC, being a state broadcaster, is the obvious litmus test for it. LGBTQ staff have walked out over BBC’s behaviour sinking attitudes and now black and ethnic minority staff have followed suit. Disappointing. Britain is no longer the forward thinking hopeful place it once was. It has become nationalistic, xenophobic and homophobic.
British exceptionalism and racist attitudes means Brits will downvote this because they can’t possibly acknowledge that other countries might have better attitudes. Britain is not leading the way.
At least learn to spell colour right before criticising the British Broadcasting Corporation.
[removed]
The creeping racism and transphobia coming out of the newsroom will destroy the BBC. Working for the public good is the only thing that attracts staff who could easily get paid double by private sector employers.
Downvote if you like, reality doesn’t care.
I expect all of our new friends on this sub will love this.
>Among the experiences she recounted are having to ask a white male colleague to send emails on her behalf because hers were often ignored; being repeatedly confused with other women of color in her department; being patted on the head and spoken to condescendingly by a white male colleague; being left off the nominations list when a project she had initiated and worked on was put forward for an award; and repeatedly being denied opportunities to move from a junior to senior journalist position over 10 years of being at the BBC.
>
>In one case, she was told a role she was working in was junior level and could not be upgraded to senior despite her experience and extensive responsibilities. However, after she moved to another department, the role was taken over by a white journalist who was given a senior title.
>
>…
>
>In particular, Davies’ determination to ensure that employees’ political views are “left at the door” — so as to prevent any impugnment of the broadcaster’s neutrality — has led to confusion says Philippa Childs, head of crew union BECTU.
>
>“There is now confusion among our members about what they can and can’t do and what they can and can’t say, because of controversy around attending anti-racism events like Black Lives Matters protests, or LGBT+ events like Pride parades,” Childs tells Variety. “I think they feel a bit uncertain, and a bit cowed, which does not make for a healthy work environment.”
>
>Byrne gives one example, when she was forbidden from using a Black History Month hashtag on a BBC social media post because her editors thought it wasn’t impartial. “It’s a celebration of culture, it’s not [political],” Byrne points out. “But there’s a mix-up because at the top of the business it is all essentially white; they are unsure of what diversity is and where that tips over into impartiality, and it’s just causing more damage.”
>
>One male BBC journalist echoed Byrne’s comments. “So, you’re telling me that it’s impossible for me to attend an event in remembrance of Black people and people of color who’ve lost their lives in custody?” he tells Variety. “You have deliberately confused the Black Lives Matter, the political organization, with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter as a social movement.”
Read the whole article and still have no idea what they would like changed….