TV Academy Partners With ReadySet To Evaluate Diversity & Inclusion Efforts

Alexandra Del Rosario
·2 min read

The Television Academy is addressing the “need for diversification” among its ranks and has partnered with ReadySet to achieve its diversity and inclusion goals.

The Los Angeles-based organization, which oversees the annual Primetime Emmy Awards, announced Thursday that it will work with the diversity consulting firm to evaluate and analyze the Academy’s polices, procedures and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The newly launched D&I collaborative effort will start with a series of membership, leadership and staff surveys to “assess member composition, attitudes and perception regarding DEI, opportunities for improvement, and expansion of current practices.”

The Academy added that it will keep members updated with the initiatives’ progress over the course of the year.

“We recognize the power of television to tell our stories, shape our conversations and influence the way that we see the world. For this reason, it’s important that our industry reflect the world at large on- and off-screen,” Television Academy Chairman Frank Sherma said. “Now, more than ever, we believe we must increase visibility, equity and power for those marginalized and underrepresented in our industry. For the Academy, that work starts with our membership, leadership and staff,”

The news of the Television Academy’s increased D&I efforts come at the heels of controversy surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press and its lack of diverse members among its ranks. Days before the 78th annual Golden Globes Awards, where the controversy took center stage, a Los Angeles Times exposé revealed that the HFPA has no Black journalists among its 87 voting members.

After responding to the exposé, the HFPA received backlash from a number of Hollywood names ranging from Ellen Pompeo to Ava DuVernay and Time’s Up.

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