Inclusive Journalism Cymru have commissioned the IWA to produce a guide for inclusive recruitment in media organisations that blends research and industry testimonies from journalists in Wales.
In an increasingly precarious employment market for journalists, recruitment can crystallise a number of the inequalities that characterise the sector today. Starting from the premise that change has to come from the top, the guide makes practical recommendations based on discussions held in the Inclusive Media Development Lab led by Inclusive Journalism Cymru and other organisations, including the IWA, in Cardiff in September 2023.
The guide draws on discussions, desk-based research and first-hand experience that intend to address some of the structural challenges faced by new journalism recruits. It makes the case that making the media more inclusive has to start with media organisations, who need to earn the trust of the communities they want to serve and see represented in the newsrooms. Only by intentionally working towards transforming their policies can media organisations recruit and retain more representatively, and begin the work of building trust with the communities they purport to serve.
Better recruitment, however, is only part of the process, and the guide is intended to kickstart a wider approach to improve inclusion and equity in media organisations.
Marine Furet, the IWA’s Media and Communications Officer and editor of the welsh agenda, who wrote the guide based on conversations held at the Inclusive Media Lab with journalists, said: ‘We hope this guide can be a practical resource but also a conversation starter about working culture in journalism and media organisations at large. Change cannot simply come from hiring ‘diverse’ candidates, a tokenising approach that puts unfair pressure on recruits. This guide is a reminder of all the steps employers can take to make their newsrooms more inclusive spaces.’
Silvia Rose, Director of Inclusive Journalism Cymru, said:
‘As an organisation we’re big on making long-lasting impact. We try to consider the ripple effect of all our actions, to make sure that benefits extend beyond specific projects or events. This recruitment guide is a concrete positive output from our Inclusive Media Development Lab – drawn from its discussions, focusing on real life issues that were raised there – and we’re so pleased to send it out to the world. Marine has compiled sensitive, thorough advice to help recruiters be more inclusive, nipping prejudice and unfair practices in the bud. We hope this marks the beginning of a fairer culture when it comes to employment in the media sector.’
You can read the guide in full in English and in Welsh.
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