The BBC's award-winning diversity

As a public sector broadcaster, reflecting the differences within as well as between the UK's diverse communities, nations and regions in all our output is part of what we are here to do.

It's nice to know that when we do that well - when we seek to really understand and connect with difference through authentic portrayal and programmes - we also make programmes which a whole range of audiences love.

Just look at the past couple of weeks. The BBC has picked up awards related to our output which all serve to highlight the real progress we are making in being more reflective of our distinct audiences.

At the Ability Media International Awards (AMI) 2009, BBC One's The Street (pictured above), which presents a complex and compelling insight into the lives of individuals from diverse backgrounds, won the Television Award, whilst the Radio Award went to The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the result of a collaboration between Radio 4 and Graeae, a disabled-led theatre company.

This follows last week's Cultural Diversity Network (CDN) Awards where a strand of our excellent Storyville series, Heavy Load, won the Excellence in Creative Output - Diverse Content award.

Our programmes took up 19 of the 32 nomination slots at the Mind Mental Health Media Awards - a figure which demonstrates the breadth and depth of our programming and highlights the value of the BBC when it comes to educating and informing as well as stimulating debate on some tough issues that might otherwise be overlooked.

This included some for the Newsnight focus on mental health amongst MPs; Alastair Campbell's documentary Cracking Up, part of the BBC Headroom campaign; Radio 4's You and Yours, and the radio drama Dos and Don'ts for the Mentally Interesting.



EastEnders also received the Making a Difference award for the ongoing commitment to mental health issues.

This is one that we should be particularly proud of as it signals that one of our most popular and entertaining dramas is connecting with a whole range of audiences through great character-led storylines and a stream of fresh ideas. Critical to the success of programmes like EastEnders are good stories with well-rounded characters. A sensitive and nuanced portrayal of cultural difference and an avoidance of the stereotypes of old is key.

Get the stories right and believable characters will follow.

Portray difference authentically and viewers will follow.



Authenticity is something our viewers recognise as soon as they see it and it is that which makes them switch on. They expect to see it and so they should.

Stories about mental health can help to educate and inform our audiences. These stories can really get under the skin of issues which some viewers may never have had a connection with, whilst others may immediately recognise and identify with experiences that mirror aspects of their own life.

At the RADAR (the Disability Network) People of the Year Awards last night the BBC also won a number of awards in the area of disability portrayal. These were for Otto: Love, Lust and Las Vegas (BBC Three) and for EastEnders (BBC One), which over the last 12 months has consistently portrayed disability positively.

In some cases disability is merely incidental and in others it is central to the story line, but in all cases it reflects disabled life as it is - no mystique, no stereotypes, just people, who are far more than their impairment - getting on with their lives and facing the barriers society inevitably throws at them.

I believe the success at the RADAR awards can be credited to our renewed focus and effort over the last year to get to grips with portraying disability. The BBC's Disabled Talent Directory was launched in June this year and a number of talent searches have been held around the UK, where we've been meeting aspiring disabled actors and performers.



Are we there yet? Certainly not, but scooping big wins as we have over the last few days does indicate a real step-change, which can only bode well for the future.