By C. Perera, JadeTimes News
Playwright and screenwriter James Graham has called for increased opportunities for working class individuals within the television industry. During his MacTaggart lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Graham referenced data indicating that only 8% of the TV workforce comes from a working class background. He emphasized the limited representation of working class experiences and perspectives in an industry meant to reflect society as a whole.
Graham criticized the lack of attention to class as a key diversity category, stating that it is often overlooked in favor of other factors such as race, gender, and sexuality. He urged the industry to pay greater attention to social mobility and to include class more explicitly in diversity measurements. He remarked that class remains a "squeamish" topic in the UK, largely due to discomfort discussing money, and that it lacks the visible activism seen with other diversity categories.
Best known for his work on Sherwood, Dear England, Quiz, and Brexit: The Uncivil War, Graham highlighted the disparity between the representation of the working class in television and the broader British population, where nearly half identify as working class. He noted the personal impact of growing up with representative television but expressed concern that the current media landscape no longer fully reflects such diversity.
Ahead of his speech, the Edinburgh TV Festival announced a new initiative aimed at enhancing the TV industry’s approach to class and social mobility. Graham also underscored the importance of public service broadcasters, such as the BBC, warning that losing the presence of British stories in the face of competition from the U.S.
Graham criticized the decline of arts education in state schools over the past 15 years, calling on the new Labour government to restore creativity to the core curriculum. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport responded by reiterating the government’s commitment to expanding access to creative education.
Finally, Graham addressed the growing influence of artificial intelligence in the industry, acknowledging the risks it poses to jobs. However, he expressed confidence that audiences would reject AI generated content, emphasizing the irreplaceable connection between human creators and their audience, as demonstrated by the emotional response to artists like Taylor Swift.
