The BBC has found itself in hot water after it became known that the broadcaster would not allow white people to apply for a trainee position at its science unit in Glasgow, Scotland. The job application is "only open to black, Asian and ethnically diverse candidates".
The ad was posted by a company called Creative Access, whose aim is to boost the number of ethnic minorities in the arts, creative, and media industries. A similar job application was posted for the BBC’s Natural History Unit in Bristol.
The news sparked a torrent of negative comments after it went viral, with users deeming the ad illegal and racist.
Others called on the public to defund the BBC and argued that job applicants should be judged by competence and not racial background.
Many users claimed that the issue would have been a scandal if it had been the other way round.
However, there were those who defended the BBC.
According to UK media, positive discrimination is not prohibited under the Equality Act 2010, with the legislation allowing positive action - a measure taken to encourage and train people from underrepresented groups in order to help them overcome disadvantages, while competing with other applicants.
The BBC previously said it was proud to help people from underrepresented groups get their first opening in the media. Reports say 18 percent of the outlet’s highest earners are black or come from other ethnic minority backgrounds.