Channel 4: ‘6% of employees must be LGBT by 2020’
By Sam Rigby
Channel 4 has unveiled plans to increase its number of LGBT employees by 2020.
Under the new ‘360-degrees diversity charter’, it will need to increase its LGBT workforce from 2.4% to 6% over the next five years.
It also plans to increase the number of employees from different ethnic backgrounds, as well as employing more people with disabilities.
Oona King, Channel 4’s Head of Diversity, said the broadcaster is not saying that someone should be hired simply to fill a quota.
“What we are saying is look harder for people who are talented, from those groups. Sometimes it is hard to find people,” she said.
“No-one actually gets up in the morning and says, keep those black people off the TV. They don’t say get rid of those women over 40 and if they’re under 40, tell them to take their clothes off now. Well, not always.
“And then of course there are gay men, OK you are allowed but only if you’re funny – Alan Carr, Graham Norton, Stephen Fry, you can come in. People don’t actually say those things… but those things do happen,” King added.
Under the new guidelines, Channel 4 executives and staff will miss out on a portion of their bonuses if they fail to meet the targets.
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