Audiences are at the heart of everything we do. The aim of 50:50 The Equality Project is to increase representation so the media better reflects the audience it serves.
In February 2021, BBC Audiences conducted a survey of 2,180 BBC online users. These services include BBC websites, iPlayer and BBC Sounds. The responses underline the increasing value of fair representation in BBC output.
Respondents were asked if they had noticed a change in the balance of men and women in BBC online content over the last two years. Of those who did, 62%* felt there had been a shift towards more women. Three percent thought the number of men had increased.
Among 16 to 34 year-olds, 44%* said they enjoy BBC online content more as a result of seeing and hearing from more women. In the same age group, 57%* of female audiences agreed.
Meanwhile, 58%* of women aged 16 to 34 said they visit BBC websites and online services more often because of greater female representation. This is a 12 percentage point increase on the previous year’s survey.
*The percentages shown above do not include those who responded ‘I don’t know’. Excluding those who responded ‘I don’t know’ in the same survey carried out in March 2020, the previous year’s results were as follows: 62% noticed more women in content; 45% of 16 to 34 year olds enjoyed content more; 46% of women aged 16 to 34 consumed more content.
Methodology: This survey was carried out online using the YouGov panel. Interviews were conducted with a sample representative of the 16+ UK population. Quotas and weighting were applied.
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