Many journalism courses, especially at degree level are very Eurocentric and often fail to make any reference to the history of journalism outside that established by Europeans.

The media is one of the most competitive industry sectors in the UK. At any one time there are far more individuals on journalism courses at colleges or universities than there are journalism jobs actually available. So before we even begin to look at ethnicity, we must accept that not everyone who desires to become a journalist will fulfil this ambition and not everyone seeking a journalism role within the mainstream media will be successful in this endeavour.

Yet, as with many other employment sectors, it has been widely acknowledged that black and Asian journalists are severely under-represented in the mainstream media. But before we start to look at the best way to tackle barriers preventing black journalists from entering the mainstream, I believe that a proper analysis of all the relevant issues is required. Whenever an under-representation of black workers in any industry sector comes up for discussion, the first argument usually put forward to explain away the problem is a lack of the necessary qualifications and experience. There are a number of bursaries aimed at providing funding targeted specifically at individuals from black and minority ethnic communities.

These include the George Viner Memorial Fund administered by the NUJ and the Journalism Diversity Fund administered on behalf of the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). Other bursaries such as the Scott Trust run by the Guardian Media Group are increasingly taking steps to encourage applications from black candidates. But whilst these schemes are welcomed, it is my opinion that a lack of higher education among black journalists is not the primary reason that they are largely absent from roles in the mainstream media. And I’ll tell you why.

In April 2007, the Higher Education Statistics Agency reported a 26.5 per cent increase in the number of black males studying for taught higher degrees and a 24.5 per cent increase in black females. At undergraduate level there was an 11.5 per cent increase in the number of black students registered for a full-time first degree. But although there are greater participation rates in higher education among the ethnic minority population than the white population (56 per cent compared with 40 per cent), most black students attend the post 92 universities, as opposed to the Russell Group Universities more favoured by employers. But even more importantly, twice as many ethnic minority students opt for degrees in computer science, law and medicine than the white population with much fewer studying subjects in education and the humanities. (Why the Differencee 2004 DFES).

So if we are looking at reasons why black individuals are under-represented in the mainstream media, perhaps one of the reasons is that there is an under-representation of ethnic minority students in humanities subjects, which would include media and communication studies as well as journalism degrees. I believe that more research is required to examine why fewer black students are studying journalism and media at university. There is clearly more work to be done in terms of convincing black students that careers in journalism are both worthwhile and attainable. But when faced with the prospect of occasional and often erratic freelance work as opposed to a permanent highly-paid job as a doctor or lawyer, it is hardly surprising that journalism does not make the top of the list of preferred careers.

To change the mindsets of future editors we need to inject more diversity into the curriculum

But even though there are fewer journalism graduates from the black communities, this still does not explain why the majority of those that do make it through NCTJ exams or journalism degrees do not end up with lucrative jobs in the mainstream media. It is my contention that we need to look closely at the mindsets of the editors who run newspapers and magazines in the mainstream. Many journalism courses, especially at degree level are very Eurocentric and often fail to make any reference to the history of journalism outside that established by Europeans. Furthermore, there is no mention of any key figures from non-European cultures, so it is hardly surprising that black journalists are so under-valued. It is as if we have supposedly, made no contribution towards the creation or development of journalism as we know it today.

Unless there are efforts to tackle this problem, then year after year, journalism courses will continue to churn out reporters who will become editors responsible for hiring reporters, who will largely be white and will largely remain ignorant of the history and importance of journalism within the global African community. We will continue to be subjected to comments like the one made a couple of years ago by a Fleet Street editor, who said that black journalists were not good enough to be working in the mainstream.

It is for this reason that I have been directing my efforts towards journalism training and education through the development of short courses aimed both at those seeking entry into freelance journalism careers, as well as those looking to refine and develop their skills, through my company Imani Media Ltd. But, I am also targeting higher education institutions with newly developed journalism lectures that aim to introduce more diverse perspectives into the mainstream higher education teaching environment. I am pleased to say that in these early stages interest has been positive and in April I will deliver my first lecture at the London College of Communication, called: An African Perspective on the History of Journalism.

I believe that it is essential for all journalism students to understand the history of journalism within different cultures and to study black journalists – especially those who played a major role in changing the course of history. Such figures within African culture include Marcus Garvey, who started his career in journalism at the age of 14 and Kwame Nkrumah, a former journalist who led the movement for African independence in Ghana. Breaking through the glass ceiling requires a multi-dimensional approach that must include:-

1. Greater incentives for black students to study journalism at university level
2. A more diverse curriculum for journalism degrees and journalism courses that include key journalists from black communities and the inclusion of a broader historical context that includes non-European cultures

I believe that by addressing these issues, we will be taking constructive steps to tackle the underlying reason why there is an under-representation of black journalists in the mainstream media, which will bring us closer to that glass ceiling which at the moment seems completely out of reach.

Colourful's editor Deborah Gabriel runs her own training and coaching consultancy DeborahGabriel.com and is author of Layers of Blackness: Colourism in the African Diapsora .