Journalism industry leaders are to meet next month to discuss how to make newsrooms more diverse.

The National Council for the Training of Journalists is bringing together editors and trainers for the launch of its annual Diversity in Journalism report.

The annual report, published by the NCTJ and authored by research consultant Mark Spilsbury, explores the characteristics of UK journalists, including gender balance, disabilities, ethnicity, social class and sexual orientation.

In last year’s report, he urged newsroom bosses were urged to address issues around the social class backgrounds of their workforces as a “priority”.

Mark, pictured, did however find some improvements to the diversity of newsrooms – including a decrease in the proportion of journalists from white ethnic groups and a “good gender balance”, with 49pc of senior roles being held by women.

The report, which is based on 2022 Labour Force Survey data, is updated annually to monitor progress and its findings will be presented on Thursday 25 May at Google UK’s offices in Central Saint Giles, London.

Joanne Butcher, chief executive of the NCTJ, said: “We’re really looking forward to getting together with all those who share our determination to make the media equal, diverse and inclusive.

“We’re so pleased Google continues to support the Journalism Diversity Fund with annual donations and are therefore perfect hosts for this year’s event to mark the publication of the new Diversity in Journalism report.

“It will be interesting to discuss what progress has been made, new projects and partnerships, and what more needs to be done.”

One of the major initiatives undertaken by the NCTJ to tackle the diversity issue is the Community News Project, funded by Faebook owner Meta.

Recent research has revealed most people entering journalism via the project are still university educated, with 86pc having graduated.

However, comparatively speaking, the results do show the scheme has succeeded in attracting more people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as ethnic minorities, into journalism.

The survey, to which 73 serving Community News Project reporters responded, found 36pc come from middle and lower socioeconomic backgrounds, compared to 20pc of the overall journalism workforce.

A total of 21pc come from non-white backgrounds, also a higher proportion than the 13pc seen in the sector as a whole.

A separate survey of journalists who previously worked on the scheme, designed to better serve under-reported communities across the country, found only a third believed they would have got a job in journalism had the CNP not existed.