One point about her claim about disproportionate representation of minorities on TV. She is bang on.
Reform with just 5 MPs are an excellent example of minorities being disproportionately represented on TV
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One point about her claim about disproportionate representation of minorities on TV. She is bang on.
Reform with just 5 MPs are an excellent example of minorities being disproportionately represented on TV
It’s funny the things people of a certain persuasion - Ms. Pochin and Co. spring to mind - get hung up about. Yet they seem reluctant to look at the other side of the ‘quota’ coin.
Some of my favourite things are, in no particular order, attending live sport, live theatre, live music events, walking in rural Derbyshire and country pubs.
Next time any of us are at Pride Park I suggest you have a look around at the crowd. Think I’d guarantee it’ll be around 90% white. The same was true at the Test Match I went to at Old Trafford last August and I imagine the international rugby match crowd I’ll be part of at Everton next Saturday will be much the same.
A couple of weeks ago I attended Nottingham Playhouse and, apart from a smattering of Asian pupils from Oakham public school, the audience was very largely white, while last Saturday evening my wife and I ran a bar at a Live ‘n Local gig. The star of the show was an excellent black violinist from Minnesota who fronted an equally excellent folk rock fusion band. The audience was universally white.
The same is invariably true when I’m out walking and calling in at a country pub and if all those are a tad too anecdotal, it’s a fact that, of all our representatives in Parliament, just 14% are non white.
Just sayin’…but maybe food for thought for those with open minds.
Last edited by ramAnag; 27-10-2025 at 10:18 AM.
I think thats helping to make the point that the vast majority of those in the conversation yesterday were making (although not Pochin herself) and that is that the real life demographic experienced by the vast majority of the population isnt reflected on broadcast media. Theres various (published and anecdotal) lines of thought on why that is, regrettably most of which are met with youre racist.
Trying to see both sides, you actually missed a group out, Pride Parks matchday staff, almost all black, who appear to do a great job (even when some old tw@t asked for a Marathon on Saturday, oops). Not sure how many fans even notice them, I always say thanks to whoever?s at the bottom of our stairs as I leave (white lady on sat as it happens)
Interesting observations ...from a well heeled middle class rural dwelling retiree, to I admit another.
So why do we think there is an under representation of diverse groups sharing your (our) passions. Let's think and start with (1) age (2) capacity to pay. I believe it's true that the "elderly" are less diverse. Secondly the activities you mention require significant financial outlay - 100 quid plus just for a test match ticket, let alone getting there, food and the odd bevy.
Not to say that black or Asian folk can't all afford these pursuits but as they are usually in younger age demographics they have different financial priorities - family, mortgage, career etc and arguably less disposable income as a result.
As for the walks/country pub argument, that's ridiculous. That will be more down to the places people live. Ethnic minorities are, like it or not, more urban dwelling and are therefore more likely to be into urban pursuits than a bracing moorland stroll in the rain and 80 mph wind!
But to reverse your argument, I'm a huge fan of gangsta rap drill and hip hop and, **** me, you hardly see a white face at those concerts. So what does that say about the overall population: must I be living in a 98% black country. No. I love bhangra dancing but have spent years looking for a 65 year old white dance partner to join me but there always loads of brown faces there. I must be in Calcutta.
The country as a whole might be 15% (???) non white but that doesn't mean that the same mix have to have the same interests or attend similar events.
Is Sarah Pochin right that there is a disproportionate amount of Black and Asian people on TV? Possibly. Is she right to be furious about it?
That I'm not sure.
I think it's ok to be angry that a certain party is gaining a disproportionate amount of airtime. But to be bothered because my cornflakes are advertised by a black person instead of white just does seem racist to me.
Now if the narrative is that white people are being deliberately overlooked for tv roles so that quotas are met then it's a different discussion, no one had claimed that ( as far as I know), but if they are then yes I'd agree this is wrong.
As I said yesterday, when debating it's understanding what we are actually debating about.
The BBC have a published quota which I believe exceeds the national demographic I believe, Ill stand corrected on that
The debate as I read it, and the discussion has broadened to encompass other over represented minorities since social media helped let the genie out of the bottle, is that we (the public) are being conditioned into believing that thats how the world is now, despite the real world evidence. The debate Ive seen isnt that its happening, its why. Just my observation, not really even my opinion but worthy of discussion
Last edited by Andy_Faber; 27-10-2025 at 11:32 AM.