The chair of Women in Journalism has announced a new research project to examine how many journalists from diverse backgrounds are working in national papers and in TV news programmes and websites.

In a statement responding to the Black Lives Matter campaign Eleanor Mills and the WiJ Committee said they will be undertaking a byline counting exercise again and also take a more formal audit of the numbers of BAME editors and other executives and columnists.

WiJ added they will be pulling together additional research to provide practical information for media companies who would like to see the situation improve.

Mills and the team added:

“The situation for women is still not resolved in our media, but it has improved – we would like to see a similar step change in other more diverse voices; particularly those of BAME women.  

“But the first step is to audit where we are now so there is a benchmark from which to see how things change. This is a tipping point – the media must better reflect the public it serves or it will lose the trust of the public.”

The message in full can be read here.

Women in Journalism are also hosting their annual summer event virtually this year.

‘Have We Got Women For You!’ will celebrate brilliant female comedy and will take place on Tuesday 30 June at 7pm via Zoom.

Hosted by Jo Brand, the comedians taking part include stand-up comedian and writer Shazia Mirza and comic Lucy Porter.

Journalists in the line-up include Difficult Women author Helen Lewis and the Standard’s Londoner editor Ayesha Hazarika.

Tickets for the paid event, which will raise funds for the 2020 Funny Women Awards, can be booked here.