TV’s New Year’s Resolution: Breaking Down Socio-economic Barriers
2024 is coming to a close and with that, we close the door on what has been a significantly challenging year for many working in TV & Film. Despite some positive general developments - narrowing pay gaps and growing diversity in leadership roles - one of the sector’s most enduring challenges remains.
It’s no secret that the TV, film and wider creative industries are nowhere near as inclusive of those from less privileged, or ‘working class’ backgrounds, as they could or should be. In fact, research shared with Channel 4 in May revealed that just over 8% of creatives working in TV, film and radio are from working-class backgrounds - compared to the 60% that come from middle or upper-class backgrounds.
That’s a huge disparity, but far from a new phenomenon. Data from 2018 showed how heavily skewed the TV sector is towards socio-economic privilege. If anything, this year’s industry-wide downturn, compounded by the cost of living crisis, will have exacerbated the socio-economic disparity that already existed.
And when talent can’t get in (or get on), they take their creativity elsewhere.
As a sector, we’re already experiencing a skills gap, changes in audience habits and serious competition from emerging platforms and media formats - to name a few challenges. Loss of experienced talent and barriers to entry and progression for such a large demographic is something TV simply can’t afford at such a pivotal time.
While socio-economic background has not been one of the UK broadcasters’ legacy diversity targets, at Gritty Talent we like to ensure our clients have a broad understanding of diversity and inclusion. So often, socio-economic background intersects with other identity characteristics to create compound barriers. It underpins so much of our lives that it seems intrinsic to the industry’s commitment to representation and inclusion. So why is TV still struggling to attract and retain talent from less privileged socio-economic backgrounds?
Early Barriers to Entry in TV
Access to the TV industry often starts with education, but sustained underfunding of state schools and reduced offerings for creative subjects are limiting prospects for students from underserved communities. This dam to the talent pipeline’s entry point stifles the volume and diversity of talent in the creative industries from the start.
A lack of integration between the education system and the rapidly evolving skills required for creative technologies, like virtual production and AI, is already creating additional barriers. There are also additional pressures from parents - 89% of whom would advise their children against working in the industry because they perceive it as an unsustainable career.
Even for those pursuing TV careers, unpaid internships and low-paid entry-level roles disproportionately exclude individuals without financial support. High living costs in production hubs such as London and Manchester only add to these challenges, making it difficult for less-privileged talent to gain essential experience.
Systemic Challenges in Career Progression
Progressing in the industry presents its own hurdles to individuals from less-privileged backgrounds, who often face cultural and financial barriers that restrict access to leadership roles. Even when people from less privileged backgrounds enter senior occupations, they earn an average of 16% less than those from privileged backgrounds.
The perceived cultural ‘fit’ plays a role in career progression. Talent from less privileged socio-economic backgrounds are likely to be subject to bias (unconscious or otherwise), particularly if they have an accent based outside of London. Educational background, interests and physical presentation are also big factors in how people perceive others and are often taken as signs of socio-economic background.
Defining Socio-economic Background
Indicators like parental occupation/household income, type of school attended, whether you got free school meals, and self-reporting are often used to determine socio-economic background. While these are mostly relevant indicators, no formalised, single approach has been agreed upon by the sector, making data collection difficult. Without accurate data, it’s hard to understand the issue and find actionable solutions.
This lack of clarity combined with the stigma around socioeconomic background makes getting professionals to accurately report this information to their employers even harder. If you thought that revealing information about yourself would hinder your career, would you do it?
Removing Socio-economic Barriers to Careers in TV
Moving into 2025, a collaborative approach between broadcasters, industry bodies, production companies and professionals will be essential to understanding and breaking down barriers. A great first task would be agreeing on a definition of socio-economic background, which could be achieved with the help of knowledgeable organisations like the Sutton Trust, Creative Diversity Network and Gritty Talent - as well as talent on the ground.
From here, we can expand data collection across the TV industry to capture socioeconomic data as we have done successfully for other characteristics. Through this, we can better understand the gaps in representation, create relative actionable steps and keep track of progress, year-on-year.
Actively championing less-privileged socio-economic talent is key, and a review will be needed to further understand the barriers that prevent them from building a career in TV. That being said, unpaid internships need to become a thing of the past. We can’t expect to discover the volume of new, diverse and passionate talent necessary to keep TV thriving if we’re expecting people to work for free for weeks, if not months, at a time. That will also mean investment into the regions and setting up talent-focused hubs - as Channel 4 has done in Bristol and Leeds.
Importantly, we need to re-establish the link between the education system and the creative sector and advocate for creative subjects. Ukie - the trade body for the UK games and interactive entertainment industry - has started campaigning for a Digital Creativity GCSE to ensure young people develop essential creative and digital skills.
For those already building a career in TV, career progression and opportunities need to feel achievable. Leadership and development programmes aimed specifically at those from less privileged backgrounds are a great way to offer individuals with the skills and experience additional support for growth. By evolving the makeup of decision-makers, we make space for a broader range of perspectives and help dismantle cultures of exclusivity - ultimately leading to a richer, more innovative industry.
Creating a Culture Shift in TV
We need a significant cultural shift around how we view and engage with socio-economic disparity. That might seem easier said than done with such a nuanced topic, but it doesn’t have to be a struggle. Unconscious bias training and EDI consultancy help demystify the intricacies of diversity and inclusion.
We offer these services at Gritty Talent, and both are included in our comprehensive Inclusion Accelerator programme. These services are designed to give you the knowledge and confidence to navigate and holistically engage with EDI in business - embedding inclusion into the fabric of your organisation through a mix of practical, theoretical and data-driven approaches. Want to know more? Get in touch here and let’s discuss how we can support you.
Looking Towards 2025
Despite some of the challenges, we’re seeing signs of progress and we know that change is coming.
Diamond Data has expressed a desire to start collecting data and reporting on the socio-economic background of TV’s workforce. Ofcom has acknowledged that focusing on socio-economic disparity will be critical in improving broadcasters’ understanding of their workforce and its interplay with other characteristics. As of 2024, it has started reporting on ‘working class’ contributions.
BBC Studios has taken a huge step and reported on the socio-economic pay gap for the first time this year. Similarly, Channel 4 has outlined a plan to have 40% of their workforce from ‘non-professional’ backgrounds by 2030.
The ‘Impact Unit’ was also launched earlier this year following James Graham's MacTaggart Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival back in August. An extension of the TV Foundation, the Impact Unit aims to:
Create a pan-sector working group in September that will be open for applications
Contribute to developing measurements and monitoring, which speak to the specifics of the sector
Highlight the organisations on TV that are class-confident, and establish a set of expectations that employees can consider in career planning
Recognise the TV Festival’s own role in dismantling barriers to networking and connections
Introduce a Social Mobility Bursary for the TV Festival to start in 2025
Report on progress at the next TV Festival in 2025
The groundwork has been laid. As an industry, we have the experience and the resources to make a difference over the next 12 months, but it’s no good talking about it anymore. Let’s push for action and deliver on the intent to truly understand the barriers that stop so many from getting in and getting on. It’s not just about doing the right thing, it’s about ensuring the longevity and success of the UK TV industry.
