‘Time is up’: Nandy warns media industry to take abuse seriously in wake of Brand case

The culture secretary has issued a stark warning that abuse within the media industry likely continues, criticizing organisations for failing to sufficiently safeguard women. This statement followed the recent conviction of Russell Brand. Speaking on the BBC’s program *Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg*, Lisa Nandy emphasized the urgency of the issue, declaring, “Time is up, it really is time for the media industry to take this seriously.”

Nandy revealed that since joining the government, she has been contacted by numerous individuals within the media who have alleged experiences of abuse. The former comedian Russell Brand was convicted of rape and sexual assault after a four-week trial, based on accusations from several women relating to incidents between 1999 and 2009. When asked if she believed exploitation and abuse still occurred in the media sector, especially in light of Brand’s case and the cancellation of Channel 4’s reality show *Married at First Sight* amid rape allegations, Nandy expressed skepticism that meaningful change has been made.

She explained that institutions across the media and political landscapes often fail to properly support women who come forward with complaints, noting a significant power imbalance and precarious working conditions such as short-term contracts. “Hand on heart, I can’t say to you as the culture secretary that this is not happening today. In fact, if I had to wager, I would say it is,” she stated. Nandy pointed out that many individuals from within the industry, including employees of the BBC, have shared their experiences of abuse.

Nonetheless, she acknowledged that the BBC has taken some positive steps by becoming a member of the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, an organisation that protects whistleblowers in the media. Nandy encouraged other media organisations to adopt similar protections. The BBC has been invited to comment on these issues