Inclusive Journalism Cymru wants to diversify Welsh newsrooms

Credit: K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash

There may be only 3m people in Wales but the country is much more diverse than the media landscape suggests.

Journalists from diverse backgrounds often do not get the opportunities to tell the stories that matter to their communities.

For starters, the media industry is concentrated in South Wales where there are fewer Welsh speakers. Then, like pretty much everywhere else in the UK, opportunities are scarcer for journalists of colour, those with a disability or from the LGBT+ community.

Inclusive Journalism Cymru (IJC), a network of mostly media professionals, wants to create a more inclusive and representative environment in Welsh newsrooms. Led by journalist, researcher and community organiser Shirish Kulkarni, the group supports its members who have been marginalised or excluded by journalism.

"In Wales, it's easy to feel like you are the only one in the newsroom," Kulkarni told Journalism.co.uk. "We want to make [diverse journalists] feel that there are people looking after them."

Some concrete activities include mapping the media landscape in Wales, a research project supported by the Welsh Government, to better understand what can be done to improve diversity and inclusivity. Even something like the length of job contracts is under scrutiny - if an organisation is serious about diversifying its team, recruiting on short-term contracts does not offer viable job opportunities for new blood to join the ranks.

Supporting talent

The aim is to open a few more doors for a diverse set of aspiring and established writers. One example is a deal IJC worked out with Welsh indie book publisher Seren Books, which will ensure 10 members can get their essays published in a book.

Kulkarni does not gloss over the difficulties of the journalism profession, particularly for those from diverse backgrounds. To help them cope with the impact of their profession on their mental wellbeing, the network also offers support in this area.

"The future of journalism must look different from the past," says Kulkarni. "This isn’t working - if it were, journalism wouldn’t be in a perpetual crisis."

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