Simon Albury
- Chair, Campaign, Broadcasting Equality CIO
London
I can speak out because I am privileged, retired & have nothing to lose - bold but not brave.
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Simon Albury
“Ex BBC Chief calls for BBC to tell the truth and get a proper policy on whistleblowing” by Simon Albury
No doubt BBC DG Tim Davie and BBC Chair Richard Sharp will address these issues at Commons DCMS Committee at 11.35 next Tuesday 15 June Phil Harding is a distinguished and respected former BBC Chief.
‘OBE for Jackie Driver “diversity Rottweiler” who delivered crucial EHRC diversity report for Ed Vaizey which endorsed Lenny Plan’ by Simon Albury
Jackie Driver has been awarded an OBE for services to Hearing Impaired People, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. In 2015 Jackie Driver, then an EHRC director and a formidable woman who started life as a carpenter and has been called “a diversity Rottweiler.” was responsible for producing the EHRC Ofcom report Thinking Outside the Box: Supporting the Television Broadcasting Industry to Increase Diversity.
“ ’The BBC blames complainants - an independent process is needed - governance questions need to be asked’ says Damian Collins former Chair of Commons DCMS Committee” by Simon Albury” - Campaign for Broadcasting Equality CIO
Damian Collins, former Chair of Commons DCMS Committee, felt a strong sense of déjà vu on reading the Dyson report on the Bashir Coverup. Blaming the Victim “One of the complaints brought forth by people like Carrie Gracie of equal pay at the BBC was that if you raised the issue, you felt like you were being blamed, you, you felt like you were being criticized and you were the one who suffer as the cost of raising it.
“Levelling Up - More money is needed for local public service media” by Simon Albury
The Editor, John Mair, says: “Simon Albury is another eminence grise of British broadcasting. A former Granada producer, he helped to win an ITV franchise – Meridian – then became CEO of the prestigious Royal Television Society for 12 years. Today he is a free man concentrating on trying to make British TV more diverse. But he wants it to go back to its and his roots, and create a whole new series of Granadas.
“More money is needed but Ofcom’s jobsworth mindset will let down public service media” by Simon Albury
Today, the book “What’s the Point of Ofcom?’ is published including a chapter from me. The Editor, John Mair, says: “Simon Albury is another eminence grise of British broadcasting. A former Granada producer, he helped to win an ITV franchise – Meridian – then became CEO of the prestigious Royal Television Society for 12 years. Today he is a free man concentrating on trying to make British TV more diverse. But he wants it to go back to its and his roots, and create a whole new series of Granadas.
“Broadcasting Equality Campaign welcomes ambitions in Ofcom Annual Plan” by Simon Albury
The Campaign for Broadcasting Equality (CBE) submitted five responses, some fiercely critical, to the Ofcom consultation on its Annual Plan. Remarks by the CEO Dame Melanie Dawes, telling the BBC to reach out to the minority ethnic people it had lost, inspired CBE to think it might be worthwhile taking Ofcom more seriously.
BBC stations breakfast presenters: gender/ethnicity - 15 February 2021 ?
“Could breakfast radio be any whiter?! One presenter of colour. One. Or maybe 2. Across England” Is this correct Today (16.02.2021) a source asked me “Could breakfast radio be any whiter?! One presenter of colour. One. Or maybe 2. Across England” I responded “Is this correct” No another source sends me this data and the question remains “Is this correct?” Any responses from the BBC will be added in due course.
“BBC Discrimination Costs Expected to Top £5million” by Simon Albury
The Sun revealed on Sunday (31 January2021) BBC bosses have forked out £2.3million in 3½ years to stop unhappy workers taking them to employment tribunals. In an Exclusive, The Sun’s Isaac Crowson reported “From April 2019 to 2020, £932,764 was paid out in such deals — up from £785,692 between 2018 and 2019 and £420,349 the year before. Between April 2020 and September another £221,178 was paid out, a Freedom of Information request revealed.
“Tory Lord Blasts BBC on Diversity” by Simon Albury
Appearing at a Media Society event tonight (28 January 2021), Former Conservative Culture Minister Lord (Ed) Vaizey laid into the BBC saying ”There are so many stories from so many communities in the UK that aren’t being told because the BBC doesn’t employ or promote people from different backgrounds.” Vaizey was picking up on a comment by Tom Mills, of The Media Reform Coalition and author of “The BBC: The Myth of a Public Service” who told the virtual meeting: “We should talk about race and...
“Ofcom’s blind eye to racism must end”
A Campaign for Broadcasting Equality CIO response to Ofcom’s proposed plan of work 2021/22 Despite its statutory responsibilities, Ofcom has chosen to turn a blind eye to racism in broadcasting. Now, Ofcom CEO, Dame Melanie Dawes, has said that to rebuild trust, the broadcasters should bring back into the industry the minority ethnic people who had left it. This cannot be achieved until the issue of racism in broadcasting is addressed.
“BBC Discrimination Costs: Many £ Millions Spent - An incident turns into a crisis” by Simon Albury
Houses of Parliament – Photo: David Jakab Addressing the issue of the costs of BBC discrimination cases, the BBC has ignored the basic rules of crisis management and created a long running issue which will develop slowly but surely on a path that is outside its control. The BBC may have been happy to see misleading headlines on Friday 22nd January 2021, which downplayed the total costs of fighting discrimination cases.
Ofcom CEO doesn’t say what Ofcom will do about racism in broadcasting but rejects the suggestion “that it isn’t absolutely at the forefront for Ofcom” by Simon Albury
Ofcom CEO Dame Melanie Dawes Today (20.1.2012), at an Ofcom Public Meeting, I was able to ask the Ofcom CEO, Dame Melanie Dawes: “What is Ofcom going to do about racism in broadcasters – Is Ofcom going to turn a blind eye to racism or get powers to deal with it?
Ring Fenced Funding - Ofcom deep dive required
Sir Lenny Henry tells Lords Committee that ring-fenced funding, contestable funding and tax breaks are all needed A Campaign for Broadcasting Equality CIO response to Ofcom’s proposed plan of work 2021/2 Ring Fenced Funding Sir Lenny Henry In March 2014 in a BAFTA lecture[i], Lenny Henry proposed “ring-fenced funding’ to drive BAME employment.
“Ofcom’s blind eye to racism must end. What Ofcom must do”
A Campaign for Broadcasting Equality CIO response to Ofcom’s proposed plan of work 2021/22 I had given up on Ofcom. I had lost the energy or will to draft CBE responses to Ofcom on anything. The new Ofcom CEO, DameMelanie Dawes, evidence to the Commons DCMS Select Committee on 15 December 2020, left me revived, refreshed and inspired. Simon Albury MBE, Chair, Campaign for Broadcasting Equality CIO Please download the pdf to read the entire evidence.
“Cross-industry data bases? Ofcom doesn’t have a clue what’s going on!” by Simon Albury
Diversity Deficit “Strictly Come Dancing” BBC 2019 The latest Ofcom diversity report says: “Development of a cross-industry database to help broadcasters and production companies find a diverse range of off-screen talent We are supporting broadcasters in their efforts to identify and/or develop a talent database which gives them all easier access to potential employees from disabled and minority ethnic groups.” This demonstrates: that Ofcom, despite its considerable resources and its regular...
“Diversity & EXCLUSION! It’s time Ofcom told us what’s going on” by Simon Albury
Ofcom’s practice has been Diversity and Exclusion rather than D&I, Diversity & Inclusion. This needs to change. Ofcom has a statutory duty to represent the interests of citizens and consumers. Important Ofcom meetings should no longer be held without letting citizens and consumers know what’s going on. Greater transparency is too long overdue. Transparency? The Creative Diversity All Party Parliamentary Group tells us what goes on in its confidential meetings, without naming names.
“Racism: BBC, Broadcasters and Ofcom - What next?” by Simon Albury
I have never received more strong private reactions than to my piece “BBC Ethnic Cleansing – Ofcom Chief tells BBC’s Davie ‘Bring Em Back Alive’ ” (19 December 2020).
“BBC Ethnic Cleansing - Ofcom CEO tells BBC’s Davie ‘Bring Em Back Alive’ ” says Simon Albury
When Ofcom CEO Dame Melanie Dawes appeared in Parliament on 15 December, at least one of her proposals was much bolder than anything I have suggested. Dawes told the Commons Digital Culture Media and Sport Committee that to rebuild trust, the broadcasters should bring back into the industry the minority ethnic people who had left it. If that is not telling Tim Davie and the other broadcasters to “Bring Em Back Alive”, then I have completely misunderstood what Dawes was saying.
“BBC’s Creative Diversity Plan - The Tim Davie/June Sapong Q&A and The Unasked Discrimination Question” by Simon Albury
Today (3 December 2020) saw the virtual launch of the BBC’s Creative Diversity Plan. Participants were invited to submit questions for Tim Davie and June Sarpong. Mine was “You have said you would be asking the divisional leads in the BBC, how long would it take them to get reach the BBC diversity targets? When do you expect to get the answers and when will you be publishing the results? It received an answer.
“BBC’s Creative Diversity Plan - Will there be substance beneath the flash? I have a question” by Simon Albury
Tomorrow (3 December 2020) sees the virtual launch of the BBC’s Creative Diversity Plan, which the BBC says “sets out the BBC’s ambition to lead the way on diversity and inclusion within the creative industry.
“BBC and Diversity: June Sarpong and Tim Davie - Why, for the first time, I’m giving the BBC the benefit of the doubt” by Simon Albury
Last week, I was reading page 27 of June Sarpong’s excellent new book “The Power of Privilege – How White People Can Challenge Racism” ** when I was excited to receive an email from the author herself, copied to BBC Director General, Tim Davie. It seems I had misjudged them both. They may be about to transform tv industry employment diversity. First some context. I don’t have much direct contact with people at the BBC. Over the years I have found it to be a waste of time and energy.
“BBC and Diversity: Why Tim Davie should seize the opportunity to do what is right on the 20th anniversary of the BBC’s CDN Diversity Action Plan’’ by Simon Albury
Last week, BBC DG Tim Davie told the Ofcom conference: “Now, if you’re making a production for the BBC, we expect a diverse production crew. We all looked at some of those (crew) wrap shots. You just look at it and you go, that is not acceptable. So, you just intervene. You have to intervene. And that is where we can act.” That is what Davie said but the BBC is failing to act to do all it could.
Broadcasting Diversity - What the PSB bosses say now -20 years after they all pledged to do better.
20 years ago, on 12 March 2000, at the launch of CDN, all the broadcasters vowed to improve diversity and produced action plans. They failed to deliver.
“BBC Racism - Why external investigation is needed” by Simon Albury
Two years ago, the BBC discovered that BAME employees thought they weren’t being treated fairly and that their ethnicity might be a real barrier to their progression. The BBC announced a twelve month action plan. Now BAME staff are accusing the BBC of racism. The BBC has not been able to put its house in order. The problems identified have got worse. The time has come for an external investigation into BBC Racism. The Equality and Human Right Commission is the body to do it.
The Delusion of Inclusion - Kwame Kwei-Armah tells BBC CDX “We have to use this moment to crow-bar our legacy into the consciousness of the next generation” - Campaign for Broadcasting Equality CIO
An edited version of Kwame Kwei-Armah’s passionate intervention into the BBC CDX Movement or Moment session which opened the 2 day virtual diversity event https://www.bbc.co.uk/creativediversity/cdx/#/ Racism is not our problem “We have been climatized to seeing ourselves as the “other” and to solving the problems that invariably are not, our own. Racism is not actually our problem. Racism is a virus that sits outside of our bodies, but then attacks us in a most virulent and sustained fashion.
“Betty Friedan, Hugh Hefner, Playboy and the Tania link” by Simon Albury
Tania Grossinger did PR for Betty Friedan, Hugh Hefner and the Playboy Club AT THE SAME TIME! NB This story may be unsuitable for people under 65 as you won’t know all the characters. Tania died on 20 July 2015 aged 78. We first met in the lobby of the Hotel Edison on 19 September 2011.
“Plan or Sham? The BBC’s new £100 million diversity pledge may not lead to more BAME employment” by Simon Albury
Last month the BBC announced it would be committing £100 million of its content spend on diverse productions and talent. “The senseless killing of George Floyd – and what it tells us about the stain of systemic racism – has had a profound impact on all of us. It’s made us question ourselves about what more we can do to help tackle racism – and drive inclusion within our organisation and in society as a whole” declared the retiring BBC Director General, Tony Hall.
Racism in Broadcasting: Race, Mental Health and the Workplace
I have agreed to make a presentation on Race, Mental Health and the Workplace at an international conference. One of my concerns is that the processes for addressing discrimination, racism, grievances and complaints involves such a differential in power and resource that most complainants can never win and that even if they win it is often at great mental cost.
“BBC says my ‘Fears BBC England plans to kill Black and Asian voices’ blog is wrong - Statement below” by Simon Albury
The BBC has emailed me to say the claims in my blog “Fears BBC England plans to kill Black and Asian voices as Ofcom says BBC is unrepresentative” are “absolutely not true.” It asks where my information came from. I have responded that “My information came from a range of BBC journalists.
“Fears BBC England plans to kill Black and Asian voices as Ofcom says BBC is unrepresentative” by Simon Albury
Local radio programmes aimed at Black and Asian communities could disappear according to plans for BBC England revealed by Radio Today, the leading source for news on the radio industry, while the new Ofcom CEO has attacked the BBC for being unrepresentative.
Corruption, economics and the Henry Plan
Corruption, economics and the Henry Plan By Simon Albury2014-06-19T16:59:00 Lenny Henry’s diversity vision is vital, says Simon Albury
How Channel 4’s new anti-racism commitment could be improved
Diversity campaigner Marcus Ryder has said “Channel 4’s 6 point commitment to anti-racism is much needed. It is the first UK broadcaster to come out with such a statement, and as such it should be strongly welcomed.
#BlackLivesMatter: BBC Pain and Progress
On 8 June 2020, BBC One showed “Sitting In Limbo” at 20.40 and at 22.45, the first episode of “I May Destroy You”. On-Screen, this was a sign of unprecedented progress. It was two weeks after the death of George Floyd and the raising of consciousness across the world that Black Live Matter. Off screen, at the BBC, employees are continuing to suffer pain. One woman decided could no longer tolerate the working environment in which she found herself and quit.
“Coronavirus - BBC and Channel 4 reject Ramadan proposal” by Simon Albury
Former top BBC executive Aaqil Ahmed says, via Twitter “Ramadan is around the corner and will be a challenge. Pitched covering the special prayers and Eid to bbc and C4 and they’ve both decided not to do it. No issues with that at all, I will continue to try and make it happen.
“It’s not as easy as going back on stage and switching on the lights.” ENB Chief Tamara Rojo’s case for immediate Government support for theatre workers.
Appearing on the BBC Radio 4 Today show this morning, English National Ballet’s Tamara Rojo made an eloquent plea for immediate Government action to support the Creative Industries which are 30% freelance, employ 2 million people and contribute £111.7 to the UK economy. “Ballet companies, theatres, freelances, who are a huge part of our economy, need access to cash flow now but also later.” Rojo said “It’s not as easy as going back on stage and switching on the lights.
BBC Gender Pay: “We have either lost or settled every single case” DG Lord Hall tells Commons Committee in tough encounter with John Nicolson
The BBC Director General, Lord Hall, faced persistent forensic questioning on Gender Pay, Samira Ahmed and Victoria Derbyshire from the diversity champion SNP MP John Nicolson at a Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee hearing on 12 March 2020. As well as conceding the BBC had never won a gender pay case, Hall said the Committee had been right to insist on pay transparency in the face of BBC opposition at the time. This is the official transcript of the revealing interchanges.
Why Afua Hirsch was CBE Campaigner of the Year
Afua Hirsch was presented with the Campaign for Broadcasting Equality Campaigner of the Year Award on 1st March by Samira Ahmed at an event hosted by Ayesha Hazarika. Here are the citation and Afua’s response. Award Citation When the Campaign for Broadcasting Equality was established six years ago “to promote and provide activities to raise awareness of the lack of racial equality in broadcasting”, the trustees never envisaged they would want to make an award.
“Democracy - and not just the BBC - is in peril” by Simon Albury
Until Friday, 13 December 2019, the BBC had been its own worst enemy. It performs poorly on diversity and has wilfully published misleading data.2 This is a view supported by Ofcom.3 The BBC has been too slow to act on diversity and increasing regionalism.
BBC, Decriminalisation and the Licence Fee by Simon Albury
I believe the BBC should be publicly funded and generously. The non-payment of the licence fee should not carry criminal sanctions and a better funding basis should be found. Until Friday 13th December 2019, the BBC was its own worst enemy. It performs poorly on diversity and published misleading figures.
“Gender Pay - BBC gives casting vote in pay disputes to “hostile” firm reports Financial Times” by Simon Albury
In a devastating report published on 17 January, Financial Times reporter Mark Di Stefano reveals that Cromer, a firm seen as hostile on gender pay and with a poor gender pay record of its own, has a casting vote in the BBC internal grievance process. The FT reveals: Damian Collins, the influential former Chair of the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sports Committee has called for the BBC to conduct a review into the Cromer contract.
‘“Freeze or reduce the BBC licence fee from 2022″ New funding model needed says former Ofcom Chair, Dame Patricia Hodgson’ by Simon Albury
When Patricia Hodgson speaks it you have to take what she says seriously. For more than 30 years, few people have had more influence on broadcasting policy. From 1993 to 2000. Hodgson sat on the BBC Board as Director of Policy. From 2000 – 2003, she was CEO of the Independent Television Commission. From 2006 – 2010, she was a member of the BBC Trust. She joined the Ofcom board in 2011 and served as Chair from 2014 – 2018.
“New BBC BAME plans deserve patience not applause” by Simon Albury
This week the BBC launched new, bigger and bolder initiatives “to rapidly increase BAME representation at senior levels of the organisation and develop a new generation of talented leaders.” Read all about it.
Samira Ahmed case - NUJ challenges “monumental” BBC pay gap (NUJ press release)
BBC presenter and NUJ member Samira Ahmed will appear at an employment tribunal from tomorrow, Monday 28 October, to challenge unequal pay at the BBC, in a case backed by the union. The case, which opens tomorrow and will be heard at Central London Employment Tribunal over the next 7 days, will focus on Samira’s contracts on the BBC programme Newswatch, which she has presented since 2012. Her equal pay comparator is Jeremy Vine in relation to his work on Points of View between 2008 and July 2018.
“Over the last three years the dial hasn’t shifted, the numbers haven’t changed” Diversity - What Ofcom CEO Sharon White told the RTS in 2019 - by Simon Albury - Campaign for Broadcasting Equality CIO
This is an edited transcript from an interview with Ofcom CEO Sharon White (SW) by ITN’s Julie Etchingham (JE) at the RTS Cambridge Convention on 18 September 2019.
“Ofcom reports no progress on TV BAME employment - Lenny Henry says what needs to be done” by Simon Albury
On 18th September, the broadcasting regulator Ofcom published its latest report on diversity in television. It said there had been no overall improvement in BAME employment which was stuck at 13% “far beneath the equivalent figures for the major UK cities like London, where the majority of the main five broadcasters’ head offices are based.” With no year on year increase, the BBC came fourth in the league table at 13% . Viacom/C5 at 20%, Channel 4 at 19% and Sky at 15% had each increased by 1%.
“Diversity Data Deficit - How serious is Ofcom about getting better data? This week we should know” by Simon Albury
Last week, the new broadcasting Minister Nigel Adams told the Campaign for Broadcasting Equality he was “passionate about improving the equality and diversity in all sectors, particularly in the media and creative industries” and reconfirmed that DCMS officials were exploring potential methods of working with Ofcom to address the diversity data deficit, including secondary legislation.
“If you are in a senior position today within the media, the odds are you have been part of the problem” - Dorothy Byrne’s McTaggart and Diversity Hypocrites - Campaign for Broadcasting Equality CIO
It all depends on what your readers want to hear. Reporting Dorothy Byrne’s Edinburgh Television Festival McTaggart lecture, Daily Telegraph writer Jack Hardy led with “TV bosses must resist ditching ‘pale, male and stale’ presenters, says Channel 4 news chief” although Hardy’s piece did quote Byrne saying they were over represented. Byrne had actually called for much greater diversity but the Telegraph didn’t report any of that.
Film Diversity Action Group Response to Labour Party Consultation: Diversity, Inclusion, and the Film and High-end TV Tax Reliefs
Further to the invitation to submit evidence to the consultation issued by Tom Watson MP, I am pleased to attach a draft paper on this subject prepared by the Film Diversity Action Group (FDAG), of which I am chair. FDAG is an ad hoc group of veteran film and television professionals who have campaigned for greater diversity in film and television in the UK over a period of years. I have included your questions in italics.
“Is Ofcom serious about BAME employment in broadcasting? On Tuesday it faces an acid test” by Simon Albury
Next Tuesday at 3:30 pm Kevin Bakhurst, Group Director, Content and Media Policy, Ofcom will give oral evidence to the Lords Communications Committee Public service broadcasting in the age of video on demand inquiry. Over the next hour we will be able to judge just how seriously the media regulator responsible for broadcasting takes diversity. On diversity, Ofcom has a chequered history.
Lord Bishop questions the BBC’s crass ignorance of the cultures it serves. Marcus Ryder says it “goes to the very heart of our democracy” by Simon Albury
Appearing before the Lords Communications Committee on 11 June, in his final answer of an hour-long session on broadcasting diversity, Marcus Ryder, Chief International Editor Digital, China Global Television Network, provided the most eloquent and compelling answer on the need for diversity.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Simon
Contact Simon, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack