NCTJ Report Shows Progress Made In Diversity Of Journalists

A new report from the National Council for the Training of Journalists examining the characteristics of UK journalists has shown progress within the diversity of journalists in the industry.

Joanne Butcher, NCTJ chief executive, said: “Our research programme, including reports like this, is vital to present the facts, highlight the real issues and measure progress. It is also important that we take action.

“We know we need to do more and that is what we are currently debating at the NCTJ and with our partners. Expect to see greater investment and the introduction of more interventions designed to make a difference.”

The research showed a decrease in the proportion of journalists from white ethnic groups, now at 87 per cent, down from 92 per cent in 2020.

The report also showed an increase in the number of journalists who reported having a work-limiting health problem or disability, rising to 19 per cent from 16 per cent in 2020.

The findings also revealed a good gender balance within journalism, with the proportion of women in senior journalism roles at 49 per cent.

The report also showed that more needs to be done to increase the proportion of editors from non-white ethnic backgrounds, as well as prioritising issues surrounding social classes.

Luke Jacobs, regional editor, South East, Reach plc, said: “It’s really encouraging to see an increase of people from non-white backgrounds entering the industry. The most interesting thing will be about retention. How do we keep those people in the industry?

“That’s half the battle. Half the battle as managers is to ensure these staff members stay with us. It’s about being proactive to keep these figures at this level and to improve them as well.”

The NCTJ have also laid out key features of their current equality, diversity and inclusion action plan, chiefly, working with universities to increase the proportion of students from outside the higher social class backgrounds; encouraging employers to examine their recruitment and career development practices; increasing the number of their projects and partnerships, notably the Journalism Diversity Fund, and facilitating the take up of non-graduate entry routes into journalism.

The research is based on 2021 Labour Force Survey (LFS) data. Click here to read the full report.