Growing up as a second-generation Latin American, I always felt underrepresented in mainstream media.
I hardly came across a character that looked like me, represented by experiences, or told my story.
On the contrary, the characters who looked like me put me in a negative light, pushed me into stereotypes, or made the experience worse.
However, advancements in technology have pushed for social media and OTT platforms, which have changed everything.
Today, streaming sites, video-sharing platforms, and social media networks are reshaping stereotypes by promising diversity and inclusion.
So, what is diversity and inclusion in media? Is it worth fighting for?
How does technology promote diversity and inclusion in media? Why do media companies proactively prioritize diversity and inclusion?
Keep reading as we explore all these questions in detail.
What is diversity and inclusion in media?
You are a Latino American living in the USA, a practicing Muslim, or an Asian but have never seen yourself on TV?
Even when you see roles that represent your ethnicity or religion, they are never in a positive light.
Well, congratulations! You can understand what it feels like to live in a society without diversity and inclusion.
As per UNESCO, media serves a mass population of users, listeners, readers, and audiences.
In terms of media, diversity mainly helps reflect the cultural variations, social issues, political perspectives, and social media associated with every culture, ethnicity, and religion without bias.
In the case of diversity and inclusion, the keyword is not representation; instead, the emphasis is on Factual representation and equal treatment.
To ensure that a community feels included, they must be represented with true stories, offered access to perks as a society member, and provided the liberty to exercise agency.
With factual representation, the community can experience harmony and avoid stereotypes, misunderstandings, and possible conflicts.
Here are three main categories where media can embrace diversity and inclusivity:
- In the workforce, offering equal opportunity to everyone regardless of their background, physical abilities, or political association
- In program genres, catering to diverse topics and categories like reporting, documentaries, talk shows, and short video sessions
- In terms of representation, offering an unbiased platform to everyone regardless of ethnicity, religion, class, and social status.
While the importance of diversity and inclusivity is still under debate, it is safe to say that technology is a main facilitator in the process.
How does technology sit at the forefront of diversity and inclusion in media? Let’s explore this.
Technological tools driving diversity and inclusion
When was the last time you actually sat through an ad on TV without changing the channel?
At least, I don’t remember. I just connect my laptop or phone to my Xfinity Internet and get ready for seamless and uninterrupted entertainment(I can’t stop myself raving about this super-fast connectivity).
This is the power of technology. From sitting through miserable ads, we have entered an era of ad-free or skipable ads.
How is this related to diversity and inclusion?
Well, in modern-day media platforms, there is no single owner or stakeholder. Instead, the control is shared among multiple stakeholders.
From the viewer of the show to the platform owners, content curator, and even the presenter, everyone has a stake in the platform.
This is why independent platforms are replacing traditional mass media channels in terms of popularity and viewership.
Here are some of the key technological tools that are facilitating diversity and inclusion in media:
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning
AI and machine learning have transformed every industry, and media is no exception. With the help of these emerging technologies, content creation biases can be removed.
Moreover, content filtered, moderated, and censored via automation can ensure a low risk of human error.
While content moderation via AI and machine learning is quite common in social media, it is slowly gaining popularity in other content creation platforms.
For instance, AI is now being used to flag fake news online, verify references, spot violent and graphic content, etc.
Social media platforms
We all know that social media platforms have replaced mainstream media channels. However, very few people know why.
Technically, social media platforms have no censorship process in place.
People from marginalized communities voice their opinions and showcase their points of view through these sites.
Social media networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok are some of the most famous platforms promoting diversity and inclusion.
For instance, in recent years, social media has become a successful medium to promote revolutionary movements.
From the Arab Spring to the black lives matter movements, most of the monumental events in recent history were created all thanks to social media.
Streaming services and personalized content
Who doesn’t know about Netflix and chill?
From offering comfort after a hectic day at work to becoming our silent dinner partner when no one is around, Netflix has become an integral part of our lives.
However, Netflix is not the only OTT platform; content streaming sites are slowly replacing cable TV and traditional TV channels.
While most users think that Netflix is popular because it offers customization and control to the viewer, others claim that the reason behind the popularity of these streaming platforms is directly related to diversity and inclusivity.
Streaming sites openly embrace new content regardless of the origin, language, or topic. This helps marginalized communities feel connected and represented.
For instance, Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, and other content streaming sites openly endorse multilingual content.
Best content from different countries is available on the platforms so the viewers can enjoy authentic stories from around the globe.
Accessibility technology
Media mainly relies on language for communication. In the case of the language barrier, it is difficult for the viewer to relate, understand, and communicate information.
This is not just limited to second-generation immigrants with a limited understanding of their native language but also people with physical limitations.
This is where technology is bridging the gap and making everyone feel included regardless of their origin, language, or physical limitations.
For instance, Netflix and other content streaming sites offer foreign shows in multiple languages.
With the latest dubbing, subtitles, and real-time description technology, everyone can enjoy the content without feeling left out.
Challenges in achieving true inclusion through technology
With technology making diversity and inclusivity easy, one might question, “Why it is not widely popular, or why we still lack diversity and inclusivity in our content?”
Well, it is important to understand that the ideal and the real world are different.
In reality, several challenges and limitations stand in the way of achieving true inclusion via technology.
Here are some common challenges to keep in mind:
Algorithmic bias
While AI and machine learning help automate the censorship and filtration process, they are trained by people.
Historically, AI results have shown ethnic, cultural, gender, and racial bias in ranking job applicants based on perceived race and gender.
This means that while working as a moderator, AI might not be as neutral as most of us give it credit for.
Access and digital divide
In the era of capitalism, where technology works as the great equalizer, authorities limit access to the latest technology, information, and digital platforms.
This limited access eventually becomes the biggest challenge in the way of Achieving True Inclusion.
For instance, countries like China, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, North Korea, and Egypt have a heavy digital censorship policy.
This limitation in access becomes a big challenge when it comes to diversity and inclusivity.
Tokenism in media content
Digital platforms are built on algorithms.
These algorithms dictate the flow of information on each account, making sure the content is only visible based on interest and engagement.
This eventually creates eco chambers, making sure the user never gets to see any contradictory point of view.
This eventually negates diversity and inclusion by isolating the user and fortifying the already perceived notions.
Cultural appropriation risks
The current social media aggressively follows ‘Cancel culture.’ Any sign of nativity, cultural misrepresentation, or religious misinformation is met with great opposing force.
It seems that in the modern world, limited exposure and innocence are being punished severely.
This creates a culture of fear, where people hesitate to express their true opinions for fear of criticism.
Instead of open dialogue, people often see hypercritical analysis of opposing viewpoints.
Why media companies need to prioritize diversity and inclusivity?
Now that we know about the limitations and challenges, it is important to understand why media companies should proactively work toward diversity and inclusivity:
- Marginalized communities feel represented and included
- Reduces fundamentals throughout and ensures peace among different communities
- Spreads awareness and educates people from different cultures and experiences
- Drives empathy in the community
Companies prioritizing diversity and inclusivity
As media and technology are progressing, private channels are becoming more popular.
Unlike state-level channels, these private channels offer more progressive reporting with an in-depth analysis of every piece of news.
Moreover, these channels are unbiased and unapologetically honest in their reporting because they don’t fear losing endorsement deals.
Stories published and reported are generally related to minorities and these platforms openly voice their opinions related to minority rights.
Apart from the private entities, commercial news channels like BBC and Channel 4 have also openly embraced diversity and inclusion.
According to a study, BBC in 2020 set an aim to have 50% of their workforce from underrepresented groups by 2028.
Similarly, channel 4 also announced a new diversity-based strategy in 2021 to boost the representation of underrepresented groups overall.
Future of diversity and inclusion in media through technology
In the coming years, more media platforms will embrace diversity and inclusivity-based policies to gain more eyeballs.
Here are some changes to expect from the media in coming years:
- There will be a global shift toward more inclusive and diverse content
- More companies will leverage AI to ensure automated digital scanning
- Media companies will actively recruit people from different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds
- Most of the traditional media sites and channels will push for a debate-based format so the audience gets to listen to different points of view.
- AI tools will help in detecting information bias on different platforms
- Audience will push for more inclusive and diverse media platforms
