It has been announced that ‘UK broadcasters have committed to avoiding the use of the acronym BAME wherever possible.’ The term used to describe Black and Asian minority ethnic groups will be dropped in favour of more specific terminology. This is in response to a report published by the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity at Birmingham City University. The report investigated the use of the term to describe Black and Asian minority ethnic groups. Said report not only contains findings from audience research conducted by the BBC but a linguistic analysis into the words BAME and BME.

The report concludes by acknowledging that whilst BAME is a widely used term to reference those of black and Asian backgrounds, it is unable to represent the diversity and different experiences within its members. As the report states, we need to acknowledge the ‘importance of recognising the differences and specificities within the BAME category and cast doubt on whether a catch-all term is fit for purpose.’ Whilst in some circumstances the use of the word may prove to be beneficial, especially when it comes to reported speech, this is very limited.

The report also outlines a number of recommendations towards the use of the term. The guidelines include statements such as the word ‘Bame should never be used verbally, and we would recommend against the use of the term being written ‘Bame.’ Use of the term B.A.M.E in the singular is something research findings shown was not common. Even more support against its use. Finally, use of the term B.A.M.E in headlines should be avoided. The term does not allow for a deeper understanding of complex stories.

The BBC, ITV and both Channels 4 and 5 are all amongst the broadcasters who have agreed to avoid using the term wherever possible. Channel 4’s chief marketing officer and executive leader of diversity and inclusion stated that ‘We welcome the desire within the industry to stop using such vague terminology. In consultation with members of our employee rep group, The Collective, we’ve followed their recommendation to use the terminology ‘ethnically diverse.”

Whilst inherently a step in the right direction, can we be sure this is not another performative act in an industry that remains overwhelmingly white? With issues such as this, it can be easy to be pessimistic towards a company’s true intentions. We saw such performative activism in the height of the Black Lives Matter protest just two years back. That being said, this still demonstrates a move in the right direction. The experiences of ethnically diverse groups are too complex that it is impossible for this term to capture them all.

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