THE BBC’s Head of Creativity Diversity has called a quits at the corporation and sparked new questions about the short lived stints of diversity hires and the broadcaster’s commitment to equality.
Joanna Abeyie, a journalist and consultant, is departing the jobs less than a year and half after being tasked with strategising the BBC’s diversity output and targets.
Variety reports that Abeyie is leaving the broadcaster to take up her diversity and inclusion work at her consultancy business.
Abeyie joins the high profile departures of former DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion] heads Tunde Ogungbesan and more recently June Sarpong.
Industry insiders have taken to social media to speculate on Abeyie’s speedy departure.
Simon Albury, Chair at the Campaign for Broadcast Equality, wrote on Twitter: “At least 15 women of colour have left the BBC in the last year saying they are “exhausted” from fighting a system that “is not systemically built to support anyone who is different”. Now Joanna Abeyie has joined that number. It is clear there is something rotten in the BBC.”
The BBC has been blasted by accusation of a dwindling commitment to diversity when The Voice reported on plans to axe Black and Asian community programmes on local radio.
However, following uproar from The Voice’s campaign the scrutinised corporation reversed their decision.
In March 2022, The Voice reported how the BBC failed to employ a Black person in a senior commissioning role.
The BBC’s annual report for 2020/21 reveals that there were only 101 Black staff working in News and Current Affairs, out of an overall total of 3,020, which is a lower proportion than the African and Caribbean population.
Marcus Ryder, a visiting professor at the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity, claimed he was snubbed for a top job at the corporation because of his outspoken views on racial equality.
The journalist and diversity champion claimed that speculation around who would replace Abeyie was quieter than usual for the industry.
Writing on Twitter, Ryder said: “I consider myself well connected in the world of UK media diversity and the lack of speculation as to who will replace @Joanna_Abeyie is worrying for 2 reasons: 1. The lack of chat from media watches it says people do not see it as an important industry position with real power.
“[And] 2.The lack of chat from potential candidates of serious standing means people do not see this role as desirable. That might be because people do it see it as having real power, an impossible task, or have viewed what has happened to previous holders of the role negatively.”
BBC Director of Content, Charlotte Moore, announced Abeyie’s departure from the corporation in June, according to sources.
She completed her last day on 3 July with colleagues questioning how the experienced diversity hire had been allowed to call a quits at the broadcaster.
Abeyie has not publicly commented on her departure.
Ryder added: “If BBC wants the wider industry to have trust in its DEI policies & position it needs to correct this ASAP. The Head of Creative Diversity should be one of the most important jobs, not just in the UK but globally. It should have the power to shape the creative industries globally.
“The BBC is due to publish its DEI strategy for the next 3 years. It needs to demonstrate how important the strategy is for everything it does and how the Head of Creative Diversity is central in delivering this strategy.
“Finally the BBC needs to appoint a serious industry heavyweight that will send out the signal to the entire sector that the corporation means business when it comes to Creative Diversity. We need the BBC to be able to attract the best people to its key positions.”
A BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC nurtures world-class talent and people move on for a variety of reasons, including to do excellent work elsewhere. We wish Joanna all the best as she continues her work to improve inclusivity across the industry.
“The BBC employs around 20,000 staff and currently has one of the most diverse workforces in the country. Our forthcoming Annual Report and Accounts will show continued progress in this area, while we continue working hard to ensure we have a truly inclusive BBC on and off air.”
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In March 2022, The Voice reported how the BBC failed to employ any African-skinned man or women in a BBC T.V. or Radio senior commissioning role; despite the BBC’s promotion of Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI), as the BBC’s preferred remedy for skin-colour segregation experienced by England’s African-skinned residents.
THE BBC’s Creativity Diversity post comes with a salary exceeding £200,000.
Nevertheless, the highly biased and Politically Correct BBC has lost Ms June Sarpong, and now Ms Joanna Abeyie; who are both of African-heritage, in short succession.
The BBC does not put into practice its Politically Correct DEI code; as empirical evidence shockingly reveals the BBC is dangerously overrepresented by one specific ethnic and religious group in senior and governor positions within the BBC.
The BBC’s Creative Diversity post is so clearly a fig-leaf to cover the massive exclusion of His Majesty’s African, and African-Caribbean, and Dual-heritage Subjects within senior ranks at the BBC.
The exclusion and segregation of African-heritage men and women in senior tole within BBC Radio Four is a contributing reason why two African-heritage women have resigned from this post in quick session.
England’s African-heritage BBC Licence funders receive exceptionally poor service from management heavy BBC, and especially BBC Radio Four.
What a shame. The big problem is EDI leads are recruited and often have to swim against the tide internally: lack of resources, respect and rapid change lead to quick exit.
BBC has serious internal diversity issues. The LGBT war they have started, especially regarding the attack on the trans community is disgusting. Radio 4 Today Programme is the worst.
Why are Black people in this land so reliant on White people. In America Black Americans created their own record labels, Television and Business.
Here in the UK you don’t hear other Races reliant on the Native White Brits. They work together hence why they own Business compared to Black Britons.
The BBC it appears, does not consider the importance of implementing its (so-called – a copy of that policy should be publicised) DEI policy anytime soon. The fact that so many employed to lead this soon depart from the post is proof positive.
This will raise questions as to the commitment to equality within the Corporation, which stated that they have “a diverse workforce in the country.” This also raises the question as to what are the positions and roles of that “diverse workforce”??