BBC commits to better representing working-class people
The BBC has committed to making changes following an independent review of its content.
The BBC has pledged to better reflect groups and communities across the UK.
The broadcaster made the commitment following an independent review across all BBC content, which found that "further steps" should be taken to improve the representation of working-class people outside London, and older women.
The report read: "The two most persistent issues that we identified are the need for the BBC to focus on and connect better with working class audiences and those based outside London and the south of England."
The report recommended that "geographical background of presenters and contributors should in future be monitored as a diversity characteristic" for all BBC programmes.
It continued: "Looking at the review year, across the board, we believe the BBC does represent working-class people.
"However, it varies by genre and, according to audience groups and people we interviewed, more could be done, particularly in the choice of presenters in news and factual content.
"We believe it is not so much the quantity of working class representation which is the issue but the way working-class communities are portrayed and understood that needs further consideration."
The review observed that too many BBC shows are inauthentic.
The report explained: "Audiences are particularly unforgiving of this if it challenges their expectations of what they have switched on to see.
"If there's an Agatha Christie murder mystery over the Christmas period, they won't expect to be taken into anti-colonial struggles, alongside the country-house murder.
"Unless it's very skilfully done, there is a danger it will feel overly didactic and preachy, as if the viewer is being lectured or a point is being made heavy-handedly. A vital component of quality for the viewer is authenticity."
What's more, the report noted that "there appears to be less positive portrayal of white, working-class men and women in BBC output".
The report continued: "Portrayal of working-class communities can often rely on the themes of poverty, crime, addiction and de-industrialisation with an absence of role models."
