In February 2021, the Ethical Journalism Network (EJN) was awarded funding from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, through their Power and Accountability programme, to fund a project to identify and begin to address structural racism in UK journalism. The resulting policy report, written by Dr Aida Al-Kaisy, provides an overview of the challenges that Black journalists are facing in the British news media.

The EJN’s report, “Structural racism in UK newsrooms”, was launched on 27th March 2023 with a panel discussion on the experiences of Black journalists hosted by the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity and The Film and TV Charity. Chaired by Marcus Ryder MBE, the panel included Keme Nzerem, Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff, Rozina Breen and Dr Aida Al-Kaisy.

As part of an ongoing project to establish the main barriers to inclusivity and representation in UK newsrooms, the Ethical Journalism Network (EJN) hosted the first of a series of panels on the subject.

The online event explored what broadcasters and journalists have learnt about covering racial inequality since the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests that swept the globe. The panellists shared their insights into the roles and responsibilities journalists have in challenging stereotypes, using appropriate language, as well as giving context and resources that help audiences understand the issue.