Media diversity with and without a policy: a comparison of the BBC and Nigeria's DBS

Abstract

Discussions of media diversity have taken for granted the assumption that diversity is properly maintained only when there is a well articulated diversity policy with human and material resources to implement it. This article seeks to find out what it is like to manage diversity where there is not a diversity policy. To do this, it compares Nigeria's Delta Broadcasting Services (DBS) which does not have a diversity policy, with the BBC which had an elaborate policy with extensive resources for implementation. The study finds an inbuilt diversity consciousness among DBS staff whereas at the BBC diversity is driven by policy and even pressure. At both stations, fear of different kinds propels the determination to reflect diversity, and both stations face fairly similar problems in managing diversity, among which is the challenge of balancing diversity with competence in staff recruitment. The key lesson is that, depending on the context, diversity is not better achieved by official policies and targets, than without them.