Powering into the media future

As the millennium begins, a young woman named Joy Francis is emblematic of Black Britain's outspoken media journalists. She is active in the recently formed Creative Collective that seeks fair hiring practices and respect for Black communities in UK media.

left to right, David Gyimah Joy Francis Paul Macey and Henry Bonsu

In her career so far, Francis has written for The Guardian and the black newspaper New Nation, and lectured in journalism at the London College of Printing. She now edits Public Sector, a weekly supplement of the Ethnic Media Group.

Speaking for many black journalists, Francis says, "I'm sick and tired of having my credentials questioned by sceptical mainstream news editors. She was once called "the hysterical black woman who rails against white editors" because of her forthright views on media discrimination.

Speak out
Fellow member, Henry Bonsu is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster and presenter. Bonsu fits the bill for mainstream media success - he is male and an Oxford graduate. He's written for the Times, Daily Express, and the Evening Standard. But he is constantly reminded that he is also black. Despite ten years in the business his visits to newsrooms of The Express and Channel 4 News still cause raised eyebrows and turned heads. Faced with this intolerance, says the presenter of Upfront on BBC GLR 94.9, "we have to speak out about the media's failure to tackle institutional racism".

David Gyimah believes that integrated newsrooms and "accurate and fair community and race reporting is crucial in today's diverse societies". Gyimah, a multi-skilled journalist and filmmaker, developed this perspective working in South Africa. His work has been featured in the London Evening Standard magazine profile "Young, Gifted and British".

Influence change
The issues raised by the Collective are broadly conceived, says Paul Macey, regional community reporter for The Voice, black newspaper. Macey, who is also a media trainer and social policy researcher, says: "Just putting more black journalists in the media doesn't end media racism. We need to influence change in the media and raise awareness of its responsibilities to all the people in a diverse society."

Calamitous reports from broadcasting standards and television authorities have added an air of urgency to the Collective's mission. Workplace racism worsened and media images of blacks failed to improve in the last decade of the 20th century. And the print media remains the worst culprit.

Build alliances
Appalled by these trends, the Collective has pledged to strengthen its membership and build alliances. The Media Trust voluntary group and black community organisations are targeted as partners. The urgent goal, says Joy Francis, is to commit media leaders - in film, television, radio, newspapers and the Internet - to introduce diversity in employment and images reflecting the multicultural nature of Britain.