“We can be doing more to reflect Australia”

EXCLUSIVE: Last August all networks, along with major production companies and state funding agencies, signed the The Screen Diversity and Inclusion Network (SDIN) Charter to reflect Diversity, both in front of and behind the camera.

6 months on, what changes have been implemented?

As part of the recent Programmer’s Wrap, TV Tonight put that question to 4 networks. Here are their answers.

ABC:

What changes can you identify as a direct result of signing the Charter? 

Rebecca Heap, Head of Programming: “Diversity has been a huge focus for our scripted drama and comedy slate. I can’t directly attribute it to that Charter but certainly the intent of both the Charter and our slates is a greater pursuit of Diversity.”

ABC has initiated an Apprenticeship programme on all its scripted shows.

“We are making sure get a person attached behind the scenes so that we are growing opportunities in the industry through experience.”

What shows do you see as needing better Diversity and what can we look forward to this year?

“For us it’s (a question of) ‘How do we get enough talent coming through to be able to have great diversity across our entertainment shows?’ If you look at Mad As Hell, The Weekly… how do we get more Diversity going forward? That’s where a show like Tonightly is such a wonderful moment for us. It gives us a platform to bring new talent through.

“We haven’t traditionally been great at showcasing all Australians on screen.”

“But we want our Entertainment slate to showcase even more Diversity.

“Hand on heart I think our slate in terms of talent and regions represented this year, and getting a lot more ‘real Australians’ on screen is a big shift in 2018. We haven’t traditionally been great at showcasing all Australians on screen. Reality TV does a great job of that, but we don’t have Reality in the same way.

“But through 2018’s Think Tank, Everyone’s a Critic, Back in Time for Dinner, Hard Quiz, Escape from the City, you are starting to get real Australia on the ABC a lot more. There are many more Australians represented which is great!

“Tonally it’s a real shift for us and it goes to the fact that we want to be more accessible. We are here for all Australians, and that means offering content they feel reflects all Australians.”

SEVEN:

What changes can you identify as a direct result of signing the Charter? 

Angus Ross: Head of Programming: “In terms of casting we do cast diversely. My Kitchen Rules is often held up as being very reflective of Australia. All casting is about characters, so they can come from many different places. I’ve always thought we are very pro-active in that space.

“On shows like The X Factor a lot of the more-memorable characters do not come from white, Anglo-Saxon backgrounds.Look at someone like Dami Im.

“On MKR it might be in terms of high score, it’s not always (because they are) villain or hero.”

“We can be doing more to reflect the make-up of Australia”

What shows do you see as needing better Diversity and what can we look forward to this year?

“In Drama there is room for improvement.

“But it comes back to who is available in the marketplace. It’s hard to find talented people in every field. But if I had to choose something, I think we can do better in terms of Drama. We can be doing more to reflect the make-up of Australia, where possible.”

Ross also confirmed a gay character would soon appear in Home and Away.

“You will see some changes in that space on Home and Away. There are some storylines coming.”

NINE:

What changes can you identify as a direct result of signing the Charter? 

Hamish Turner, Director of Programming: “Signing a Charter raises an awareness and broadens it through every area of the business. What we see on screen is shows like Family Food Fight with a very multicultural cast. But it’s not just about what’s on air, but what is happening behind the scenes, as well. When we talk about Diversity race, sex, sexuality, extend across everything. So I don’t think you want to artificially do something just because you need to tick a box. But it is definitely front of mind in terms of what we are trying to achieve broadly as a network and reflect what modern Australia looks like.”

“I don’t think Nine is as ‘white-bread’ as perhaps people (perceive).”

What shows do you see as needing better Diversity and what can we look forward to this year?

“SBS is one end of the spectrum and I don’t think Nine is as ‘white-bread’ as perhaps people (perceive)….. We have quite an eclectic range of presenters through our news and current affairs, and casts in The Voice, Family Food Fight and Ninja Warrior. So I think we do represent broader Australia and I don’t think there is necessarily any area we need to improve on that. I think we’re quite Diverse.”

TEN:

“We’re working together in such initial areas as defining what Diversity means”

What changes can you identify as a direct result of signing the Charter? 

Daniel Monaghan, Head of Programming: “There has been a lot of discussion and sharing of information among the organisations that have signed the charter. Obviously we are all committed to ensuring greater Diversity on and off screen and we’re working together in such initial areas as defining what Diversity means and how to measure it. Those are two important first steps.”

What shows do you see as needing better Diversity and what can we look forward to this year?

“I don’t want to get into specific shows at this stage. Like I said, everyone who has signed the charter is committed to achieving greater Diversity across all parts of their organisations.”

Screen Diversity and Inclusion Network

The SDIN looks to the 2009 model of the UK’s Creative Diversity Network whose partners include BBC, ITV, SKY & Channel 4.

Neil Peplow SDIN Chair and CEO of AFTRS says it will take time to establish an Australian equivalent, but is encouraged by industry enthusiasm.

“The networks are on board and they want to make it work,” he explains.

“It’s not an overnight fix. But they are genuinely committed to it.

“A lot of the Diversity we see is on Reality TV. But there is Diversity that we are not measuring.

“For me, the most important commitment of all is ‘How do we measure whether or not there is more Diversity?’ And how can we do it so that it isn’t too onerous on the members? So it will be a long-term project.”

“We are learning as we are going.”

As part of the process steps implemented within the Australian Film, Television & Radio School are being shared with industry partners. AFTRS now has 27 Indigenous students and strives to ensure inclusivity across all its production, casting, development stages.

“We are learning as we are going. There’s no tick box list in order to put Diversity in place so that it lasts. We are working on hard on it, making mistakes and successes. As long as we are progressing at what works and what doesn’t, it’s better than doing nothing at all,” says Peplow.

“The next stage is using the Network to get placements, by reaching out to different members and saying ‘We have these people who have these interests, can you offer them an internship or opportunity?’

“But the impact of this will take years to manifest itself. And the ability to measure it will take years to get in place.

“It’s having the patience, and the long term view that is needed.”

Key initiatives of SDIN so far:

• Collaboration between SDIN members on Talent Camp – leading up to national Talent Camp this year with SDIN members to help find internship and attachment opportunities for participants.
• Supporting each other in developing Diversity Action Plans (ScreenWest finalised and presented theirs at an SDIN meeting and we have been in conversation with other agencies on developing their own)
• Sharing information on cultural awareness research
• Working through some of the challenges of the proposed measurement system (this will be informed by the first sets of data emerging form agencies’ tracking – which was made consistent across the industry via the SDIN)
• Drawing on insights from the Creative Diversity Network in the UK, whose CEO Deborah Williams came out to share her experiences with us for Screen Forever at the end of last year. 
• Events / launches in Sydney Melbourne and Fremantle, WA, with more in planning stages in Tas, Qld, SA (with Adelaide Film Festival) to build networks between the screen industry and emerging/ underrepresented practitioners and sites of creative practice.

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