Bullying and sexual harassment are prevalent across the TV industry, a report has found.

More than half of people surveyed, from producers to commissioners, had experienced sexual misconduct in the workplace, a joint Edinburgh International TV Festival (EITF) and Channel 5 News investigation revealed.

Of 315 respondents, more than two-thirds said they had been bullied in the workplace – the majority of whom did not report it as they feared negative repercussions for their career.

Coming after revelations of harassment across Hollywood and politics, the survey was aimed at understanding the prevalence of bullying and harassment within the TV industry.

The majority of those who suffered harassment reported it had occurred within the past five years.

It also found freelancers who had been bullied or harassed often stayed silent because “today’s bully is tomorrow’s boss”, according to one respondent.

The EITF’s director, Lisa Campbell, said nothing was being done to prevent those working behind the scenes from suffering at the hands of abusers.

She added: “We need to make a change, and talking about these issues is the first step to addressing and stopping them for good.”

The report found:

 The vast majority (84%) of those who experienced sexual harassment did not report it.

Less than half of those surveyed, 47%, understood their rights in respect of taking action at work over bullying or sexual harassment.

The majority of those who suffered harassment reported it had occurred within the past five years.
The study’s findings were launched at an EITF panel discussion where 5 News presenter Sian Williams labelled them as “shocking”.

Former high court judge Dame Janet Smith – who led the Jimmy Savile inquiry – said she was “not surprised” by the results.

She added a major problem was the “culture of fear” which existed across the media world as well as a lack of job security.