BBC -- strong on grid and group*

The Graun reports an insider at the BBC describing how panels and spokespeople were selected for broadcast debates. The key to it is the construction of a grid where approved characteristics, indicating the BBC's npb version of 'diversity', were plotted:

A whiteboard would be marked up with a clumsy grid system. The grid would revolve around a set of key identities such as “woman”, “northern” or “poc” (person of colour). These would then be cross-categorised with political stances such as “Brexiteer”, “Tory” or “progressive” [close to working class, upper class and 'us']. Our task would then be to ensure that any proposed panel contained a complete balance of all these attributes.

One notable incident came when in order to find an “authentic” northern voice, all plausible interviewees who displayed any obvious erudition were vetoed. In their place, newspaper owner Danny Lockwood was slotted into the identity sudoku, as his tone was seen to more directly signal his real northern identity. Several producers thought fit to mention that said individual was, in fact, a reactionary whose past achievements include mocking the “Zorro” outfits worn by some Muslim women. But the grids didn’t have any disqualifying categories.

And the ideological results would be satisfyingly self-confirming. Relating to Brexit coverage specifically, Anonymous explains that 

Very few MPs could afford to alienate one half of the leave/remain divide and even if their constituency might have permitted it, their party whip might not....The sectarian division of Brexit was taken at face value; and guests contributed to a culture of reinforcing this schism rather than trying to understand or interrogate it. [that used to be the journalists' job before they opted for conspicuous 'calling out'] ..

Broadly speaking, there were only two types of guests for producers to choose from: Brexiteer evangelists or slick and power-hungry London remainers... As the grid became the be-all and end-all of programming in some shows, all other ways of thinking about politics went out the window.

Well -- Beebfolk were also partisan on the issue, which is disguised a bit in this article opting for technical issues/incompetence rather than conspiracy/ ideological mindset, as usual. There are some hints of conspiracy/ideology though:

there was always a boozy familiarity between presenters, writers and MPs that demonstrated the perils of establishment thinking. A handful of MPs, deeply entrenched in London’s literary and intellectual circles, treat the BBC like a university common room. By default these individuals are remainers. To continue booking them (drinking with them), the production staff must then secure the presence of their leave-voting, far-right opposition.Off-camera, a highly influential Westminster social circle revolves around trips to various holiday homes in continental Europe, where various MPs and the journalists who are supposed to report on them have long been playing just as hard as they work.

Didactic note: 'grid' and 'group' are terms popularised by the anthropologist M Douglas to classify various social groups.'Grid' refers to the strength of boundaries separating them from other groups, 'group' to the level of solidarity among members -- upperclass UK has weak grid but strong group, working class has strong grid and group, npb has strong (if constantly redefined) grid and usually weak group (except when threatened).