Broadcasters will ask potential new staff about their parents’ jobs, it has emerged.
Bosses at the BBC, Channel 4 and ITV all agreed with communications regulator Ofcom to question job candidates on the subject.
The questions are said to be an attempt to ensure more diverse backgrounds among those working in broadcasting – but critics will view them as social engineering which could exclude some of the best candidates. In recent months all new recruits have been asked: ‘Please tell us about the occupation of your main household earner when you were aged 14.’
The broadcasting industry has long been known for its dynasties and famous siblings. Radio 2 host Zoe Ball (right), 47, is the daughter of presenter Johnny Ball (left), 80
A report by Ofcom, released yesterday, said of the decision: ‘There was consensus that the best single indicator was found to be the question which asks the individual what their parental occupation was when they were aged 14.’
The regulator said details of parents’ jobs would be a ‘key indicator’ which would help to collect data on a person’s social and economic background.
Companies will report back on their findings by next year and Ofcom says it will assess whether this has helped to ensure people from more diverse backgrounds are getting into broadcasting.
Its boss Sharon White warned there was a ‘long way to go’ before broadcasters truly represented the people of Britain.
As part of the drive, the BBC has been conducting one-to-one interviews with employees from low-income backgrounds to understand their career progressions and experiences in the industry.
The report, titled Diversity and Equal Opportunities in Television, also found that more than half of staff at the BBC described themselves as ‘not religious’.
In 2016, 39 per cent of workers at the Corporation said they were ‘not religious’. For 2017 to 2018, the figure jumped to 54 per cent. This was partly due to the fact that more information was collected. It also looked at the issue of ethnic minorities, but found that since last year, there has been ‘no improvement’ on hiring from those groups at senior levels.
The BBC’s workforce is 13 per cent made up of ethnic minority groups , compared to 18 per cent at Channel 4 and 15 per cent at Sky. ITV’s figure, at 9 per cent, is the lowest.
And there has been just a small increase of women in top jobs, despite heightened scrutiny on the issue. Broadcasters now have 41 per cent of women at a senior management level, below the UK average.
Ofcom said: ‘TV viewers want to see programmes that authentically portray their lives, reflecting the UK’s diverse communities, nations and regions.
‘A crucial means of meeting those expectations is for broadcasters to ensure their workforces reflect the UK’s society.’