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a14 people & arts
Friday 23 OctOber 2020
Study: TV industry falls short of off-camera inclusivity

By LYNN ELBER chairman of the Warner
AP Television Writer Bros. Television Group.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When Dungey is Black.
Zendaya won last month's Inclusivity also lags for
Emmy Award for top drama those in offices outside
series actress, her triumph the C-suite. In the 2018-19
seemed to underscore the season, people of color
TV industry's progress to- were, on average, 24% of
ward inclusivity. credited writers and 22% of
The "Euphoria" star be- directors for all broadcast,
came the second Black cable and streaming epi-
winner in the category in sodes.
five years, following Viola The underrepresentation of
Davis' drought-ending win people of color in decision-
for "How to Get Away with making and creative posi-
Murder" in 2015. tions means that ethnic
But such success contrasts characters' storylines "may
with the lag in diversity in lack authenticity or will be
behind-the-camera jobs written stereotypically or
and among TV executives even 'raceless,'" Ana-Chris-
as measured by the yard- tina Ramon, a co-author of
sticks of race and gender, the report, said in a state-
according to a new Uni- ment.
versity of California, Los An- In this June 13, 2018 file photo, Channing Dungey arrives at the Women In Film Crystal and Lucy Women, at slightly more
geles, study released Thurs- Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif. Associated Press than half the population,
day. represented 28.6% of on-
"There has been a lot of held 92% of chair and CEO port for the Black Lives Mat- knowledge the relationship line series creators, 28.1%
progress for women and positions at TV networks ter movement, their actions between diversity and the in broadcast and 22.4% in
people of color in front of and studios, with men fill- have failed to match their bottom line without fun- cable. While they made
the camera," Darnell Hunt, ing 68% of those posts. words, Hunt said in an inter- damentally changing the gains in those and most
dean of the school's social Among senior executives, view. way they do business," he other on- and off-camera
sciences division and the 84% were white and 60% This is despite the growing said. "If they were serious jobs, they remain under-
study's co-author, said in a were male. In 2015, the market share represented about reading the way the represented in nearly all.
statement. "Unfortunately, executive suites were 96% by consumers of color as wind is blowing and where The study, which examined
there has not been the white and 71% male, which they edge toward replac- the market is going," more 453 scripted broadcast,
same level of progress be- represents what Hunt calls ing whites as America's ma- executives reflecting that cable and online TV shows
hind the camera." "minimal change." jority, Hunt said Wednes- would be hired. from the 2017-18 season
That's most notable in Hol- That's especially telling day. According to the U.S. "But they haven't done and 463 such shows from
lywood's executive suites, given the racial reckoning Census, the country in 2019 that," he said, acknowledg- 2018-19, found that people
where little has changed fanned by the police-con- was 60% white and 40% ing a notable exception in of color on-screen are col-
since the UCLA study tal- nected deaths of George people of color, with the Channing Dungey, who lectively approaching pro-
lied the numbers five years Floyd and other African latter figure projected to at ABC became the presi- portional representation.
ago, he said. Americans, according to reach 53% by 2050. dent of a major broadcast "We've come a long way
As of September 2020, the Hunt. While media corpo- "Hollywood has been try- network, jumped to Netflix in that regard" from UCLA's
study found that whites rations have voiced sup- ing to figure out how to ac- and this week was named first study of the 2011-12
season, Hunt said.
But the advances are lop-
Trailblazer Charley sided when examined by
ethnicity. African Ameri-
Pride to get lifetime can actors have led the
way in inclusion for more
achievement award than a decade, Hunt said,
while Latinos are consis-
tently underrepresented,
By KRISTIN M. HALL time Achievement Award Native Americans have
AP Entertainment Writer on the CMA Awards on been "virtually invisible"
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nov. 11 on ABC. and Asian American num-
Trailblazing country mu- Pride was named CMA bers ebb and flow.q
sic star Charley Pride will Entertainer of the year in
get a lifetime achieve- 1971 and won male art- Charley Pride performs "Kiss An Angel Good Morning" at Solution Sudoku
ment award at the CMA ist of the year in 1971 and the 50th annual CMA Awards in Nashville, Tenn. on Nov. 3,
Awards in November. 1972. He has three Gram- 2016. Pride will get a lifetime achievement award at the CMA
The rich baritone singer my Awards and was in- Awards in November.
became the genre's first ducted into the Country Associated Press
Black superstar, chart- Music Hall of Fame in 2000. ists have grown country ated a timeless legacy
ing 29 No. 1 hits between Often cited as paving the music's rich heritage and that continues to echo
the 1960s and 1980s, with way for many others to led to the advancement through the country
songs like "Kiss An An- follow, Pride was also the of country music around community today. We
gel Good Mornin'" and first Black country artist to the world like Charley," could not be more ex-
"Is Anybody Goin' to San co-host the CMA Awards said Sarah Trahern, CMA cited to honor Charley
Antone." Pride, 82, will ac- in 1975, alongside Glen CEO, in a statement. "His with one of CMA's highest
cept the Willie Nelson Life- Campbell. "Few other art- distinctive voice has cre- accolades."q Puzzle on Page 13