Nielsen: Diversity still lacking on TV, even as shows multiply
Despite Hollywood’s promises of more diversity in front of and behind the camera, TV still lags behind, according to a new Nielsen study released Thursday.
Of the 300 most-watched scripted, reality, variety and news shows in 2019, 92% had some level of diversity in the cast (women, people of color or LGBTQ+) but, the study warned, “presence is not the same as representation.”
Women took up about 38% of screen time, compared to 52% of the population, while people of color represent about 27% of screen time and about 40% of the population. LGBTQ representation on screen actually outpaced reality, about 6.7% to 4.5%.
Native American people make up only about 0.3% of screen time, a criticism recently revived by ABC’s “Big Sky,” which Native American groups have accused of “at best cultural insensitivity, and at worst, appropriation” by ignoring the “staggering statistics that show Native American women are the biggest victims of kidnapping, murder and mayhem in Indian Country.” The show, instead, focuses on the kidnapping of three white women.
Streaming services promoted more diversity than broadcast, while nearly one-third of the content on cable doesn’t have parity representation of indigenous, people of color, women or LGBTQ talent.
By genre, women and people of color are seen more often in scripted content and entertainment roles, while LGBTQ talent is more popular in news roles.
“With a dedicated audience, television has the ability to improve the world, educate, spark the imagination and bring people together around common interests. Beyond entertaining us, what we see in programming becomes an external force for identity formation,” the report reads.
“The programming we consume plays a role in informing the way we think. Today’s most-watched genres fuel our own identity formations and the realities we associate with others. Therefore, the presence of diverse people on screen and the context in which they are presented can be among the most influential factors in developing our personal attitudes and beliefs.”
CBS recently announced a program to increase diversity on its shows, mandating 50% diverse casting on its reality shows and that 25% of its script development budget go to projects from BIPOC creators, writers and producers.
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