Page 59 - Powerlist 2020

Charlene White in the RAF and her uncle in the army – has spoken out Media, Publishing & Entertainment

ITN news anchor about the abuse she faced.
An impassioned champion of young BAME women in
the industry, Charlene is a member of the Diversity Panel
ITV News presenter Charlene White has smashed through at ITV News, regularly takes part in events for the Cultural
a few barriers en route to our television screens. Diversity Network and is ambassador for the Precious
At 24, after graduating from the London College of Awards celebrating the success of women of colour.
Printing, she became the youngest senior broadcast Charlene volunteers at community radio stations,
journalist at the BBC. She was appointed news presenter schools and colleges to help with media training, and in
for the corporation’s 1Xtra Radio, then landed her own 2016 was named Volunteer of the Year by The Media Trust.
late-night show on BBC London before reading the Alongside fellow ITV journalist Sameena Ali-Khan, she
bulletins on Radio 5 Live. fronts ‘Breaking Into News’, an initiative that has been
She moved to ITN in 2008, as a newscaster for the running for several years in conjunction with the Media
ITV News at 5.30, and in 2014 became the first African Trust. It gives aspiring journalists hands-on experience in
Caribbean woman to present ITV News at Ten. This year, the newsroom.
Charlene became lead presenter of ITV News London. In May 2019 she spoke out after BBC radio presenter
During her career she has faced racist abuse on social Danny Baker appeared to compare the Duke and Duchess
media – most notably for refusing to wear a Remembrance of Sussex’s new baby to a chimpanzee. After he was sacked
Day poppy while presenting the ITV News bulletins. by the Corporation she said that it was right that ‘Baker
Charlene, who is from a Forces family – her father served must be held to account’.

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