Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú appoints new diversity exec
Channel 4's former Editorial Manager of Cultural Diversity, Mary FitzPatrick, has today been given the newly created role of Editorial Executive of Diversity for Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú television.
Mary will take overall responsibility for reviewing and tracking on-screen content including the portrayal of black and minority ethnic and disabled people. Part of Jana Bennett's team (Head of Television), Mary will work closely with channel controllers, commissioners, in-house and independent production companies to improve on-screen
portrayal and diversity on Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Television, including offering valuable advice to programme makers during the course of the development and production of
programmes.
Jana Bennett said: "The creation of this important new role reflects our commitment to putting audiences at the heart of what we do at the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú."
For more details read the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú press release.
Comments
Just one time. One time when someone appoints a diversity person. Just one time ... it would be nice to have a disabled person rather than one from an ethnic minority. Let me be petty and divisive for a second (but you know you feel it too) THERE'S MORE OF US THAN THEM! It bothers me too that so-called 'respect for ethnic minorities' is really all about 'defence against them bombing us again'. It doesn't sit right with me and it's not real respect. And I also find it repulsive that 'black oriented TV' appears to be translated as 'programmes for thickos'. Diversity all round has gone awry. Help me with my conspiracy theories and self-loathing all who read.
Basher,
If you want help with your conspiracy theory then think about this. Why don't the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú simply have black, Asian and disabled people making their programmes, rather than an advisor telling white non-disabled people what to do? And why is the advisor black? - because if your diversity is just going to be all spin and no substance then race is a much more pressing issue. Simple really.
I would encourage Mary Fitzpatrick to focus on getting more people with personal experience of impairment upstream of the programme making process over the monitoring of the output downstream.