After facing criticism that it was "too white" to appeal to the ethnic minorities, BBC Radio 4 is reviewing its programming in order to expand its reach among blacks and Hindus and Muslims.

Managers at the station are preparing to introduce a range of measures, including commissioning more material with a distinctly ethnic angle.

Mark Damazer, the station's controller, is conscious that Radio 4 is regarded as "too white" and met with race equality campaigners this month to discuss moves to make the station's workforce more diverse, The Telegraph reports.

As part of this move, the station has recently broadcast a series on the rise of Hindu fundamentalism in Britain, presented by Navdip Dhariwal, while Gurinder Chadha, the film director, has talked about the influence of her Asian and British roots in a one-off profile.

Ashok Viswanathan, of Operation Black Vote, said after meeting Damazer that he was optimistic that Radio 4 is committed to transforming its output and the representation of ethnic minorities in its workforce.

"Radio 4 is still too white and has a tweeness to it, but their response to the criticism has been positive and what we're hearing is encouraging," he said.

"You look at the faces at the station and it doesn't look like twenty-first century Britain. It is also about the back rooms and the content of the programmes. We wait to see whether the words are backed up with action," he added. (ANI)

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