Understanding the expectations of minority ethnic viewers and listeners

TV channels and radio stations aimed at minority ethnic communities are highly valued by viewers and listeners, according to a new study published today by Ofcom, although certain content gives audiences cause for concern.

Today’s report is the first of its kind. We spoke to more than 160 people from Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Black African and Arabic-speaking backgrounds to better understand how they think and feel about programmes that directly target their cultural or religious communities -  and how their expectations differ from other mainstream channels and stations. Focusing primarily on our rules around harm, offence, hatred and abuse, we also asked participants what they expect from broadcasters, Ofcom and content regulation.

The people we spoke to told us how minority ethnic TV and radio services provide a sense of belonging, and help connect them with their cultural roots, faith and linguistic heritage. They also provide an opportunity for shared inter-generational family viewing.

But people also expressed unease around certain content, including:

• violent or graphic news coverage, which viewers observed was often looped throughout the day without warnings.
• aggressive, prejudicial or intolerant behaviour within current affairs discussion programmes, prompting concerns that such content could create tensions between communities and stifle open debate;
• depictions of violence and domestic abuse in soaps or dramas; and
• depictions of sexualised content.

Given these concerns, people felt it was important for broadcasters to take steps to protect audiences from harm and offence – such as appropriate scheduling to protect children, providing clear and relevant warnings, or signposting to support networks or organisations.

Engaging with minority ethnic audiences

Ofcom licenses around 2,000 television and radio services – ranging from the Public Service Broadcasters (such as the BBC and Channel 4) to smaller community radio stations and TV channels aimed at particular communities or religions.

Complaints are dealt with by our Broadcast Standards team, which includes content specialists from a range of ethnic backgrounds who speak multiple languages. Over the last few years, we have significantly expanded our capacity to translate and analyse content broadcast on smaller channels and stations aimed at specific ethnic communities.  But we know we have more work to do.

We will use today’s report to drive greater awareness of Ofcom and our role in protecting audiences among minority ethnic communities, so people can feel confident in their ability to raise concerns with us in the first place. We have also created a short animation about the work of Ofcom’s Broadcast Standards Team, which is available in Urdu and Punjabi as well as English, and Welsh.

Deall disgwyliadau gwylwyr a gwrandawyr o leiafrifoedd ethnig

Yn ôl astudiaeth newydd a gyhoeddwyd heddiw gan Ofcom, mae gwylwyr a gwrandawyr yn gwerthfawrogi sianeli teledu a gorsafoedd radio sydd wedi’u hanelu at gymunedau lleiafrifoedd ethnig yn fawr iawn, er bod rhai mathau o gynnwys yn peri pryder i gynulleidfaoedd.

Dyma adroddiad cyntaf o’i fath. Buom yn siarad â mwy na 160 o bobl o gefndiroedd Indiaidd, Bangladeshaidd, Pacistanaidd, Du Affricanaidd ac Arabeg er mwyn cael gwell dealltwriaeth o’u barn a’u teimladau ynglŷn â’r rhaglenni sy’n targedu eu cymunedau diwylliannol neu grefyddol yn uniongyrchol – yn ogystal â sut mae eu disgwyliadau’n newid wrth ymdrin â sianeli a gorsafoedd prif ffrwd eraill. Gan ganolbwyntio’n bennaf ar ein rheolau ynghylch niwed, trosedd, casineb a cham-drin, roeddem hefyd wedi gofyn i gyfranogwyr ynglŷn â’u disgwyliadau o ran darlledwyr, Ofcom ac arferion rheoleiddio cynnwys.

Eglurodd y bobl y buom ni’n siarad â nhw sut mae gwasanaethau teledu a radio lleiafrifoedd ethnig yn creu ymdeimlad o berthyn, ac yn helpu i’w cysylltu â’u gwreiddiau diwylliannol, eu ffydd a’u treftadaeth ieithyddol. Maent hefyd yn rhoi cyfle i deuluoedd a chenedlaethau gwahanol gael eu gwylio ar y cyd.

Ond roedd pobl hefyd wedi mynegi anesmwythder ynghylch cynnwys penodol, gan gynnwys:

• darllediadau newyddion graffig neu dreisgar, math o ddarllediadau sy’n cael eu darlledu’n gyson drwy’r dydd heb unrhyw rybuddion yn ôl y gwylwyr. 
• ymddygiad ymosodol, niweidiol neu annioddefol o fewn rhaglenni trafod materion cyfoes, sy’n ysgogi pryderon y gallai cynnwys o’r fath greu tensiynau rhwng cymunedau a mygu trafodaeth agored;
• portreadau o drais a cham-drin domestig mewn operâu sebon neu ddramâu; a
• portreadau o gynnwys rhywiol.

O ystyried y pryderon hyn, roedd pobl yn teimlo ei bod yn bwysig i ddarlledwyr gymryd camau i ddiogelu cynulleidfaoedd rhag niwed a thramgwydd – fel amserlennu priodol i ddiogelu plant, darparu rhybuddion clir a pherthnasol, neu gyfeirio at rwydweithiau neu sefydliadau cymorth.

Ymgysylltu â chynulleidfaoedd o leiafrifoedd ethnig

Mae Ofcom yn trwyddedu oddeutu 2,000 o wasanaethau teledu a radio – sy’n amrywio o’r Darlledwyr Gwasanaeth Cyhoeddus (fel y BBC a Channel 4) i orsafoedd radio cymunedol a sianeli teledu llai sydd wedi’u hanelu at gymunedau neu grefyddau penodol.

Mae cwynion yn cael eu trin gan ein tîm Safonau Darlledu, sy’n cynnwys arbenigwyr cynnwys o amrywiaeth o gefndiroedd ethnig sy’n siarad sawl iaith. Dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, rydym wedi ehangu’n gallu i gyfieithu a dadansoddi cynnwys sy’n cael ei ddarlledu ar sianeli a gorsafoedd llai sydd wedi’u hanelu at gymunedau ethnig penodol.  Ond gwyddom fod mwy o waith eto i’w wneud.

Byddwn yn defnyddio’r adroddiad hwn i godi ymwybyddiaeth o Ofcom a’n rôl o ran diogelu cynulleidfaoedd ymysg cymunedau lleiafrifoedd ethnig, er mwyn i bobl deimlo’n hyderus yn eu gallu i godi pryderon gyda ni yn y lle cyntaf. Rydym hefyd wedi creu animeiddiad byr o waith Tîm Safonau Darlledu Ofcom, sydd ar gael mewn Wrdw a Pwnjabeg yn ogystal â Chymraeg a Saesneg.

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