The document analyzes the representation of ethnic minorities in media-related subjects at UK universities for the academic year 2007-2008, revealing that 11% of students in these fields were from ethnic minorities, with mixed ethnicity students showing the highest representation. It notes that while some ethnic minority groups are underrepresented in media studies compared to all subjects, the overall student population in media is predominantly white (84.7%). Additionally, it highlights disparities in ethnic minority representation across various media industry sectors, with significant underrepresentation in certain areas, despite higher participation in others.

1. Research
Ethnic Minorities in Media
Workplace

2. Ethnic Minorities
in Media
1
Research Sources and Assumptions
1.1
Source
The data used in this factsheet is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)
student record database. The data covers the academic year of 2007 – 2008.
Definitions of the various subject areas used in this factsheet can be found at:
http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php/content/view/102/136/1/4
1.2
Assumptions
The data used refers to UK domiciled students only; it does not include overseas students
who are studying in the UK.
Students falling under the ‘Unknown’ category have not been added to the White group
or any of the ethnic minority groups. Instead, these have either been disregarded or
represented as ‘Unknown’ in the analysis.
Media related subjects include the following subjects:
o
o
o
1.3
Mass communications and documentation
Languages
Creative arts and design
Definitions
The ethnic minority category groupings are based on Census 2001 categories.
Please note in particular that:
White includes:
White
Irish Traveller
Mixed includes:
Mixed – White and Black Caribbean
Mixed – White and Black African
Mixed – White and Asian
Mixed – other
Other includes:
Other ethnic background
Not Known includes:
Not Known
Information refused
02 I Race for Opportunity (RfO) | Ethnic Minorities in Media

3. Ethnic Minorities
in Media
2
Ethnic Minorities in Media
2.1
Representation of Ethnic Minority Students
in Media related subjects
Our research shows that amongst the various ethnic minority groups studying media related
subjects at UK universities during 2007–08, students of mixed ethnicity had by far the highest
representation (3.0 percent), followed by Indian students (1.7 percent), Black African students
(1.4 percent) and Black Caribbean students (1.3 percent). On the other hand, students from ‘Black
Other’ backgrounds and students of Bangladeshi origins had the least representation among
ethnic minority groups – (see figure 1).
Figure 1: Representation of Ethnic Minority Students Studying Media Related Subjects (2007-08)
1.3%
Black Caribbean
1.4%
Black African
Black Other
0.3%
1.7%
Indian
0.7%
Pakistani
Bangladeshi
0.4%
Chinese
0.7%
Other Asian
0.7%
3%
Mixed
Other
0.9%
Source: HESA Student Record (2007-08)
The total ethnic minority representation of students studying media related
subjects in 2007-08 was
11.0% compared to 84.7% of the White
student population studying media related subjects during 2007-08.
03 I Race for Opportunity (RfO) | Ethnic Minorities in Media

4. Ethnic Minorities
in Media
Ethnic Minorities in Media
We found that all ethnic minority groups, except the mixed ethnicity group, had a lower
representation among students studying media related subjects, than among students
studying all subjects.
Other
0.9%
Other Asian Background
0.7%
1.2%
0.9%
Figure 2: Representation of Ethnic Minority Groups among Students Studying Media
3.0%
Related subjects vis-à-vis All subjects (2007-08)
Mixed Ethnicity
2.1%
Other
0.9%
0.7%
0.9% 0.9%
Chinese
AsianMixed Ethnicity
or Asian British - Bangladeshi
0.4%
0.6%
Asian Background
Other Asianor Asian British - Pakistani
0.7% 0.7%
1.2%
Asian or Asian British - Indian
Chinese
Other Black Background
Asian or Asian British - Bangladeshi
Black or Black British - African
Asian or Asian Black or Black British - Caribbean
British - Pakistani
0.4% 0.3%
0.6%
0.7%
3.0%
1.9%
1.7%
0.7%
0.9%
0.3%
1.4%
3.3%
3.2%
Media
1.3%
1.9%
1.4%
1.7%
Asian or Asian British - Indian
Other Black Background
2.1%
All Subjects
White Representation:
Media – 84.7%
All Subjects – 79.0%
3.3%
0.3%
0.3%
Black or Black British - African
1.4%
Black or Black British - Caribbean
Total Ethnic Minority
Representation:
Media
Media – 11.0%
All Subjects
All Subjects – 16.0%
1.3%
1.4%
3.2%
Source: HESA Student Record (2007-08)
FAST FACTS
68.6%
79.0%
Black and minority ethnic (BAME) workers are under-represented
in London’s audio visual (AV) industries. Ten per cent of the AV
workforce in London is from a black or 27.4% ethnic16.0% even
minority
group,
though a quarter of London’s workforce is made up of BAME workers.
68.6%
79.0%
The figures are even lower in some parts of the industry e.g. in film
production, the black and minority ethnic figure is only six per cent.
Source: Working Lives Research Institute, London Metropolitan University ‘Institutional barriers to recruitment and employment in the audio visuals
industries’ January 2007
27.4%
04 I Race for Opportunity (RfO) | Ethnic Minorities in Media
16.0%

5. 2.2
Ethnic Minorities in Media
UK Universities with the Highest Proportion of Ethnic Minority Students studying Media related subjects
In 2007/2008 there were 1.9 million UK domiciled students at UK universities of which 15 per cent (290,912.30) were studying media related subjects1.
Mixed
Other
% of total
BAME Media
Students
Whites
Table 1 shows the top 25 universities ranked by the proportion of students from ethnic minority groups studying media related subjects (2007-08). University
College Birmingham had the highest proportion (50.9 percent) of ethnic minority students among students studying media related subjects, followed
by University of East London (45.8 percent) and Brunel University (44.3 percent). These 25 universities constituted 43.3 percent of the total population
of ethnic minority students studying media related subjects at UK universities.
Black
African
Black Other
Indian
Pakistani
Bangladeshi
Chinese
Asian Other
Table 1: Universities Ranked by Proportion of Ethnic Minority Students studying Media related subjects (2007–08)
Top 25 Universities
Black
Caribbean
The most popular areas of study for this cohort were ‘subjects allied to medicine’ (14%) followed by Business & Administrative Studies (11%) and Education (10%). The least popular subject was Veterinary Science (0.2%).
Source: HESA Student Record
1
All
Ethnic
Minorities

6. Ethnic Minorities in Media
2.3 Russell Group Universities with the Highest Proportion of Ethnic Minority Students studying Media
% of total
BAME Media
Students
Whites
Table 2 shows the percentage of students studying media related subjects from each ethnic minority group at Russell Group universities. London School of
Economics and Political Science (LSE) had the highest proportion (26.9 percent) of ethnic minority students, followed by King’s College London (19.8 percent)
and University College London (15.6 percent). Russell Group universities constitute 11.9 percent of the total ethnic minority students studying media related
subjects at UK universities.
Black
Caribbean
Black
African
Black Other
Indian
Pakistani
Bangladeshi
Chinese
Asian Other
Mixed
Other
Table 2: Russell Group Universities Ranked by Proportion of Students from Ethnic Minorities studying Media Related Subjects (2007–08)
Russell Universities
Source: HESA Student Record
All
Ethnic
Minorities

7. Ethnic Minorities
in Media
What’s class got to do with it?
Of the top 100 journalists in 2006, 54% were independently educated
an increase from 49% in 1986.
Source: The Sutton Trust -The Educational Backgrounds of Leading Journalists, June 2006
A separate survey of leading journalists and editors suggests that the latest new recruits
to the national news media are even more likely to come from privileged backgrounds
than those from previous generations. Reasons for this range from: low pay and
insecurity at junior levels; the high costs of living in London; the increasing costs of
postgraduate courses; a bias towards those with family or personal connections within
the industry amid a largely informal but highly competitive recruitment process;
and finally, the stronger skills and attributes exhibited at an earlier age by those
from private schools.
Source: The Sutton Trust -The Educational Backgrounds of Leading Journalists, June 2006
Some Household Names and their Educational Background
News Presenters/Correspondents:
Name
Jeremy Paxman
John Simpson
Jon Snow
Organisation
BBC Newsnight
BBC
Channel 4 News
David Dimbleby
BBC Question Time
Fiona Bruce
BBC
School
Malvern College
St. Pauls
St Edwards Chichester
High for Boys
Glengorse, Battle;
Charterhouse
Hatcham Girls,
New Cross
School Type
IND
IND
University
Cambridge
Cambridge
IND
Liverpool
IND
Oxford
SEL
Oxford
Ardingly College
St. Dunstan’s College
Dulwich College
Clifton College
Cranleigh
IND
IND
IND
IND
IND
Oxford
Oxford
Oxford
Oxford
Cambridge
Newspaper Editors:
Ian Hislop
Matthew d’Ancona
Lionel Barber
Roger Alton
Alan Rusbridger
Private Eye
Spectator
Financial Times
Observer
Guardian
Source: The Sutton Trust -The Educational Backgrounds of Leading Journalists, June 2006
Private schools make up only 7 per cent of the country’s secondary school
population. Yet they produce well over half of the country’s top news
journalists.
Source: The SuttonTrust -The Educational Backgrounds of Leading Journalists, June 2006
07 I Race for Opportunity (RfO) | Ethnic Minorities in Media

8. Ethnic Minorities
in Media
Key Media Facts
Ethnic minority participation
How good are the TV companies at Diversity?
A survey2 carried out in 2004 found that:
ITV
7% across ITV as a whole and 14% of staff in London were
from ethnic minority groups.
Channel 4
11.4% of all staff and 6% of senior staff were from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Five News
10% of staff on Five News were from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Sky
8.2% of Sky’s workforce was from an ethnic minority background and 9%
of Sky’s management team were from ethnic minority backgrounds.
In addition, 13% of Sky’s programming team were from an ethnic
minority background.
ITN
Two members of the senior management team were from an
ethnic minority background.
BBC
13% of new recruits were from an ethnic minority background.
Source: http://www.asiansinmedia.org/news/article.php/television/740
TV Milestones
1975, Empire Road became the first black soap programme
1978, LWT set up the London Minorities Unit
1982, Channel 4 launched with minority brief
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/uk/2002/race/how_entertainment_changed.stm
According to a Weber Shandwick study, 77% of Asians, 78% of black people
and 51% of Chinese people in the UK say marketing by mainstream brands
has little or no relevance to them.
2
The figures and information below were provided by the broadcasters themselves.
08 I Race for Opportunity (RfO) | Ethnic Minorities in Media

9. Ethnic Minorities
in Media
Ethnic Minorities in Media
Figure 3: Representation of Ethnic Minorities in the Industry in each occupational group
Producing
Production
Journalism & Sport
Radio Broadcasting
Television Broadcasting
Programme Distribution
Transmission
Broadcast Engineering
Studio Operations
Interactive or Games Production
Interactive or Games Operations
Interactive or Games Business
Draw/Stop Frame Animation
2D/3D Computer Generated Animation
Art & Design
Camera
Costume/Wardrobe
Library/Archives
Lighting
Make Up& Hairdressing
Post Production
Sound
Special Physical Effects
Runner
Cinema Projectionists
Cinema Box Office/Kiosk/Attendants
Cinema Cleaners
Cinema Management/Head Office/Team Leaders
Film Distribution
Procesing Laboratories
All Other Occupational Groups
TOTAL
6.4%
5.4%
11.1%
2.2%
9.5%
9.2%
12.5%
3.2%
16.4%
6.0%
8.9%
5.1%
0.3%
5.3%
9.0%
3.9%
3.7%
2.3%
4.9%
3.0%
4.7%
8.2%
0.0%
7.0%
4.1%
12.3%
17.4%
11.6%
3.1%
19.0%
10.0%
7.4%
Source: Skillset - The Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries – Employment Census 2006
FAST FACTS
68.6%
79.0%
Representation also varies between occupational groups. Processing
laboratory staff have the highest representation of ethnic minorities
(19.0%), with cinema cleaners (17.4%) and other roles within cinema
exhibition also high. Studio operations (16.4%) and transmission
(12.5%) have also both seen a positive increase since 2004.
27.4%
Source: Skillset - The Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries – Employment Census 2006
09 I Race for Opportunity (RfO) | Ethnic Minorities in Media
16.0%
Media
All Subjects

10. Ethnic Minorities
in Media
Ethnic Minorities in Media
FAST FACTS
On the positive side, levels of employment of ethnic minorities are
above average in cable & satellite, processing laboratories and cinema
exhibition. However, at the other end of the scale, ethnic minorities
make up 5% or less of the workforce in animation, computer games,
offline multimedia, studio & equipment hire special physical effects
and film distribution.
Source: Skillset - The Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries – Employment Census 2006
Figure 4: Representation of Ethnic Minorities in the Industry in each sector
7.4%
7.3%
7.4%
Terrestrial TV
18.7%
Cable & Satellite Television
20.4%
5.1%
6.4%
5.8%
7.3%
5.6%
6.9%
Independent Production
(Television)
Broadcast Radio
Animation
2.1%
3.4%
2.6%
7.6%
6.8%
7.3%
Post Production
Special Physical Effects
Studio & Equipment Hire
0.7%
2.9%
1.6%
0.8%
1.8%
Web & Internet
Offline Multimedia
0.0%
All
4.2%
3.9%
2.7%
5.5%
4.9%
Commercials Production
3.4%
Corporate Production
Cinema Exhibition
6.0%
7.2%
9.7%
9.0%
5.9%
11.6%
0.0%
11.6%
2.9%
Film Distribution
Processing Laboratories
Freelancers
5.1%
6.5%
5.6%
6.7%
7.1%
6.8%
4.3%
Other Services for Film & TV
Computer Games
Employees
9.3%
3.8%
19.0%
0.0%
TOTAL
7.6%
7.0%
7.4%
Source: Skillset - The Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries – Employment Census 2006
10 I Race for Opportunity (RfO) | Ethnic Minorities in Media
19.0%
33.4%

11. Ethnic Minorities
in Media
Focus on Creative and Cultural Skills
In the UK advertising employs around 26,500
people and contributes £1.4 billion to the UK
economy each year.
About 70% of the industry’s workforce are based in London
94% of the advertising workforce is white
Design contributes £6.3 billion to the UK
economy and 180,000 people currently work
in the design industry.
33% are self employed and 20% are freelancers
95% of the design workforce is white
Music contributes £6 billion of GVA to the UK
economy and UK artists account for more than
half of all albums sold in the UK, and one in 12
albums sold in the US.
96% of the music workforce is white
Literature contributes £2.3 billion to the UK
economy and 68,900 people currently work
in the literature industry.
32% of the workforce is freelance, and 62% self-employed
94% of the workforce is white
Source: Creative & Cultural Skills www..ccskills.org.uk
11 I Race for Opportunity (RfO) | Ethnic Minorities in Media

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Please visit www.raceforopportunity.org.uk or telephone 020 7566 8661
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