People are not too happy with the BBC(Picture: PA)

The BBC has come under fire for excluding people from a white-ethnic background from applying for a traineeship.

In the criteria for the job with BBC Newsbeat, it states that the traineeship is only open to candidates from a black, Asian or non-white ethnic minority background.

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The trainee multimedia journalist position has been offered through the social enterprise Creative Access, which aims to get better representation for people from ethnic minority backgrounds in the creative industries.

Newsbeat is the flagship news programme on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra aimed at 16-25 year-olds.


The advert says that Newsbeat ‘is the ideal environment for this type of gradual multi-media training that is so rewarding to experience early in a journalism career.’

The application criteria says that it is only open to candidates from a black, Asian or non-white ethnic minority background (Picture: BBC)

It also says that the successful candidate will taught how a busy newsroom works, broadcast journalism skills and video editing skills.



However, the advert has caused outrage after it was posted on the BBC Newsbeat Twitter page and has been accused of being ‘racist’.

Actress Vicki McKellar said: ‘Why do you think that ethnic minorities need a special leg up? That is not only patronising, it’s also racist. It’s also racist against white people.

‘Get the best person for the job regardless of skin colour.’

https://twitter.com/VickiPMcKellar/status/954264744722038785

This is discrimination … BBC double standards, this should not be allowed and I thought racism was a criminal offence. the BBC bang on about equality. Racism is racism no matter what way you dress it up. #racism — Paul Saltie Seal (@saltieseal) January 17, 2018

Racism at its finest right there — Dan Brook (@Brooks1e) January 19, 2018

Whatever happened about the job being advertised should go to the person who had the requisite skills,backed up with a good cv and a personality to match.

Why have the BBC such a racist mindset. — gerard peter anthony (@gerardjasper) January 18, 2018

However, some people took to Twitter to defend the BBC’s decision to advertise the BAME community, saying that by diversifying the newsroom they are better able to cover news stories.

Radio producer Mathew Sims said: ‘If it can be justified, it’s fine. For example, if you’ve got five presenters rotating and non of them are white British then it would be justifiable to recruit one who is.

‘But that’s not the case. The media is predominately white, male, middle class, especially in senior roles.’

If it can be justified, it's fine. For example if you've got 5 presenters rotating and none of them are white British it would be justifiable to aim to recruit one who is. But that's not the case. The media is predominantly white, male, middle class, especially in senior roles. — Mathew Sims (@mathewcsims) January 17, 2018

We need diverse teams of people working on programmes. That means people from every background, yes. But it also means that sometimes you have to recruit from specific backgrounds to fill gaps in knowledge/experience. That's how the media works. The job spec is generic. — Mathew Sims (@mathewcsims) January 17, 2018

Some do. From the BBC's point of view, though, I think they genuinely want this: they know a diverse newsroom covers stories better. But they also know many talented minorities don't make it because of racist hiring practices. The real question is can you solve this fairly? — Ajit Niranjan (@NiranjanAjit) January 18, 2018

That has actually happened to me. And I didn’t care because being a white, middle class man with a great CV finding work for me is easy. People of other ethnic or socio-economic groups don’t have the advantages I’ve had. — Dave Brighouse (@DvaeB) January 19, 2018

A spokesman for the BBC told Metro.co.uk: ‘The Scheme is organised by Creative Access, an independent organisation dedicated to increasing diversity in the creative industries, whose other partners include ITV, United Agents, Faber and Faber, and John Murray.

‘This is not a job, but simply a training and development opportunity.

‘This training scheme is designed as a positive action scheme to address an identified under-representation of people from ethnic minority backgrounds in certain roles; such schemes are as allowed under the Equality Act and we’re proud to be taking part.’