A new study carried out by the positive and progressive racial injustice organisation Color of Change has revealed that less 5% of TV’s writers are black.
A worrying discovery below…
Keen to fight inequality, the organisation called on the reputable Darrell Hunt of UCLA to lead the investigation.
His findings are set to disturb proponents of healthy diversity.
Networks and streaming companies are systematically excluding black talent from the writers’ room, according to the research. The study examined all 234 of the original, scripted comedy and drama series airing or streaming on eighteen networks during the 2016-2017 television season. Strikingly, 65 percent of all writers’ rooms had zero black writers, and less than 5 percent of writers were black. These hiring decisions are made by showrunners, and the report finds that 91 percent of showrunners across all 18 networks were white and 80 percent were men. The report finds that in the 17 percent of cases where there is a single Black writer in a room, they are often excluded from influencing the creative process—especially when it comes to topics of race—and passed over for advancement. Out of nine procedural crime dramas analyzed, zero had black showrunners, and only one had multiple black writers Only 13.6 percent of shows led by white showrunners had two or more black writers in the writers’ room. By contrast, every writers’ room led by a black showrunner had multiple white writers.
Mr. Hunt added…
Leaders in the entertainment industry today realize they are going to have to adapt to changing market conditions with respect to content. We know it’s profitable to create more diverse content, even though the conventional wisdom about what sells—and how marketable and profitable genuinely multi-racial content is—often trails quite far behind the data. The exclusion of black writers from television writers’ rooms has far-reaching consequences. Too often, the exclusion of black writers from writers’ rooms results in content that furthers stereotypical, inaccurate and harmful representations of black people. This dynamic is especially evident in the proliferation of harmful stereotypes about black people in procedural crime dramas. One black writer, who worked on several crime procedurals for which she was the lone black writer, described how “we had a dynamic where the good guy is white and blue-eyed and all of the bad people were people of color.
There’s more.
‘Shadow & Act‘ adds…
It says that these programs, “may actually create a perverse disincentive to real inclusion of black writers and authentic portrayals of Black people in writers’ rooms. Multiple writers interviewed in the report say that showrunners often cycle through writers of color for the year or two they get them “free of charge” through the network diversity programs, and then dispose of them once they require a real budget to support (in favor of another, junior “free writer). This cycle gives a false appearance of inclusion, while actually limiting the ability of a critical mass of writers of color to build seniority over time and gain influence in the industry.
What do you make of this news?
![Extended Trailer: Prime Video's 'Cruel Intentions' Series [Starring Savannah Lee Smith, Sarah Catherine Hook, & Zac Burgess]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/cruel-intentions-prime-trailer-tv-adaptation-thatgrapejuice-2024-464x260.jpg "Extended Trailer: Prime Video's 'Cruel Intentions' Series [Starring Savannah Lee Smith, Sarah Catherine Hook, & Zac Burgess].")
This problem will always exist in multicultural societies, the largest group will always oppress minorities, this will never end.
Your Debbie Downer comment tho lol ?
Sorry, I’m dumb, explain to me?
The SNL skit, just google it…it’s hilarious…what Debbie Downer says is indeed factual, it’s just the timing or the bleakness of it that is funny…you ended by saying that it will NEVER end…probably true, but you give no hope lol…hence, Debbie Downer ?
Ah ok ?
The numbers are not shocking especially in America where the land were stolen from the Indians. Blacks are constantly undermined and systematically ostracized. The media keep saying blacks are 12% of the population which is a complete lie as blacks are the majority follow by hispanics in America, media keeps on saying Blacks never sells another false narrative as blacks have strong purchasing power in anything, media keep on saying majority of blacks have a low IQ which is another lie. Dark Skinned blacks are the original of the Homo sapiens and the creator of all races. In America blacks are not meant to succeed or allow to create businesses like whites or immigrants. But many love to duplicate (lips/butts) and secretly admire them sexually but block any ownership/financial success by limitation.
that was nothing but the truth!!! wow!!!!!
This isn’t news and no one should be the least bit surprised or taken aback by these numbers. The presence of “too many” writers of color would result in a changed visual of the images projected of minorities in mainstream society. The powers that be DONT WANT THAT. People of color are “supposed to” fit the age old stereotypes that have plagued this country for years. An onslaught of free spirited, open minded, in tune writers who stem from these minority communities would completely alter the narrative & therefore incite a new age of thought + perception. That’s NOT what whites in power want.
Agreed this is not surprising. But this is disgusting
It should be around 10%? I mean, if the black population in America is around 10%, how would it be more normal to have 20, 30 or 40% of black writers??? Just trying to make sense and not make everything about what it is not. More power to everybody! Bye.