BBC Radio 1 'needs more prime-time diversity'

DJ Nihal Arthanayake: 'It can't just be people on in the middle of the night'

DJ Nihal says ethnic minority presenters should get the chance to air their talents in high-profile programming, not just in ‘the middle of the night’

Black and Asian presenters should be given more high-profile slots on Radio 1, a leading DJ and presenter has said.

The BBC has set itself a target of increasing the on-air representation of people from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities from 10.4 per cent to 15 per cent by next year. But the corporation still has more to do, said DJ Nihal Arthanayake, the Asian Network and 5 Live presenter, who is a member of the BBC’s working party on improving diversity.

“It can’t just be people on [Radio 1] at the middle of the night,” Nihal said. “I’m talking about encouraging people in slots with a big potential profile. The days of saying, ‘We tried to be a bit more diverse but it’s hard’ are over. “It’s an economic necessity for any media organisation to show how diverse you are and to show you are representative of a whole plethora of different ideas and experiences.”

Media Column: The BBC is inching towards action on diversity

Nihal said the situation was improving at Radio 1 with more BAME production staff being hired and Clara Amfo taking over a weekday show.