Winners celebrated at CDN Diversity Awards 2011

Clive Jones, founder of CDN, honoured with the CDN Fellowship

Wednesday 7th December, 2011

Mark Thompson, BBC Director General and Chair of the Creative Diversity Network (CDN) introduced a celebration of the best names and companies in broadcasting at the CDN Diversity Awards 2011 at MediaCityUK, Salford.

The first Awards were held in 2009, when Channel 4 was chair of the CDN.

Mark Thompson, said: "The challenges that the BBC is facing – representation, portrayal, a more diverse workforce – are shared by all members of the CDN. Tonight's winners show just how much our industry can achieve when we get it right."

The awards and winners are:

• Radio Times Drama Award – Luther (BBC One)
• Company of the Year Award – Endemol
• Best Comedy & Entertainment Programme – Phone Shop (Talkback Thames for Channel 4)
• Diversity Innovation Award – Battlefront (Raw Television for Channel 4)
• Best Nations and Regions Portrayal – Fish Town (Mentorn Media for Sky Atlantic)
• CDN News Award – The BBC Journalism Trainee Scheme
• Best Breakthrough Talent – Levi David Addai
• Community Engagement Initiative – Company Pictures, Skins
• Best Factual Programme – Undercover Care: The Abuse Exposed (Panorama, BBC)
• The CDN Fellowship – presented to Clive Jones, with a speech by Samir Shah and presentation by Chair of the CDN, Mark Thompson

Also, Mark Thompson announced the top line findings of a piece of research into age conducted by the CDN, Serving all Ages.

Commissioned by the BBC on behalf of the CDN, Serving all Ages, was carried out by Natcen, conducting quantitative and qualitative research with people aged 13 to over 90 to gain insight into perceptions of age on screen. The initial messages are:

• Portraying young people more positively – finding positive role models for young people such as a normal, responsible teenager.
• Reflecting reality and not trying to shape opinions – avoiding stereotyping and focussing on accurate portrayal of all ages.
• Acknowledging the importance of having older female role models

The full report will be finalised in January and the CDN will share more detailed findings with the wider industry to help shape the way age is portrayed.

Read Mark Thompson's blog here: Mark Thompson's blog