BBC pledges £100 million budget for 'diverse and inclusive' content

The BBC has announced plans to invest £100 million of its TV commissioning budget over the course of three years into bringing audiences "diverse and inclusive content".

The Creative Diversity Commitment aims to support all genres across the network including children's, eduction and current affairs, the broadcaster has said.

The BBC's director-general Tony Hall shared in a statement: "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.

Read more: June Sarpong ‘humbled’ by BBC diversity role

"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.

"This is our response - it's going to drive change in what we make and who makes it. It's a big leap forward - and we'll have more to announce in the coming weeks."

The investment intends to create content according to three priorities; diverse stories and portrayal on-screen, diverse production teams and talent, and diverse-led production companies.

In addition, the broadcaster will also introduce a mandatory 20 percent diverse-talent target across all new commissions starting from April 2021.

June Sarpong, Director of Creative Diversity also said: "I came to the BBC as an outsider. Before joining I had an idea of this being an organisation that did not want to change. What I found was something different: an organisation that had ambitious goals for diversity and inclusion but didn’t know how to reach them.

“This commitment will help to drive real change that will be felt by all audiences. It will also create a strong framework to help diverse storytellers succeed at all levels of the industry.

“As Director of Creative Diversity, I’m pleased that we’re announcing this fund as the first of a series of bold steps that will help make the BBC an instrument of real change. As a black woman, I feel and share in the pain that so many are feeling worldwide. It makes it all the more important that we show up now not just with words but with meaningful action.”