BBC lands four nominations for European Diversity Awards
The BBC has secured four nominations for tonight’s prestigious European Diversity Awards. Three BBC journalists have been shortlisted for Journalist Of The Year and the team behind the BBC Academy’s flagship Expert Women programme are in the running for Diversity Team Of The Year.
Published: 2 October 2014
Guy Lynn, from BBC London TV News, is nominated for the investigation he ran into discrimination by letting agents against prospective tenants.
Sima Kotecha, a reporter on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, is shortlisted for covering a range of stories relevant to ethnic minority audiences while also making her reporting inclusive for mainstream BBC listeners on Radio 4 and the BBC News Channel.
Evan Davis, who started his new role as lead presenter for Newsnight this week, is recognised for his wide ranging journalism and presenting roles across BBC TV and Radio.
Head of BBC Newsroom Mary Hockaday says: “Guy, Sima and Evan are all very talented BBC journalists with a real passion for reporting on stories which matter to the fullest range of our audiences. BBC News is committed to diversity in our talent and our news agenda, to appeal to all. I wish them well at the awards, alongside the brilliant Expert Women team, who have made a real practical difference to the range of experts on BBC programmes.”
The success of the Expert Women events, created and produced by the BBC Academy to help improve the representation of women as experts on air, has been recognised in the Diversity Team Of The Year category.
More than 2,500 women applied for the scheme and the Academy trained 164 women at events held in London, Salford, Glasgow, Cardiff and Belfast. To date, there have been 374 media appearances by 73 of the Expert Women, including news bulletins for the BBC (radio and TV), CNN, Channel 4 and other outlets. In addition, a number of the women have secured agents and are in active discussion with programme makers.
Of those trained, 16.5 per cent were from BAME backgrounds and the format is now being used to boost the number of experts from ethnic minorities appearing on the BBC in the form of the Expert Voices scheme.
Donna Taberer, Head of College of Production, BBC Academy, says: “The Expert Women days have been hugely successful and I am delighted that the work of the team involved in creating these opportunities for talented women has been recognised.”
The European Diversity Awards recognise and celebrate organisations and individuals from across Europe that have shown innovation, creativity and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion during 2014.
The awards ceremony will be held at the Natural History Museum in London on 2 October 2014.
BBC Press Office
