Diversity in Television
Written by Kaylee Morgan
Representation.
According to Oxford Languages, representation is the action of speaking or acting on behalf of someone or the state of being so represented. It also means the description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way or as a being of a certain nature.
I would say that we have all heard the phrase representation matters. But why? Why is it important to be able to see someone who looks like you be considered beautiful? Why does it matter for someone who looks like you to be considered successful or educated? Why does it matter to have someone with a similar background speak on your behalf at the table where decisions are made?
If you can’t see it, you won’t believe it. It is just that simple. If your only exposure to minority groups is through the media and the way the minority is portrayed fits a stereotype, you are bound to believe that every member of that minority group acts this way. That is why it is crucial for there to be accurate representation in the media.
UCLA has been conducting a series of annual reports to examine relationships between diversity and the bottom line in the Hollywood entertainment industry. Here are a couple of film highlights of the 2022 report that covered the years 2011 through 2021.
This research shows that we have continually made progress on the diversity in film. Now in television minorities have had a drop in diversity in terms of leads:
Cable scripted television shows have seen a decrease in their diversity along with the Emmy nominations. In 2021, there was a total of 42 People of Color nominated for awards which is an increase from the 2020 Emmy Nominations which only had 36. Now looking at the 2022 nomination list, we only see a total of 31 People of Color nominated for an award out of the 108 nominations.
With the Emmys being an American television award show, it is only fair that we compare the number of nominees to the diversity statistics of the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau the United States population as of July 1, 2021 had 59.3% of its citizens report that they were white alone (not Hispanic or Latino). That being said, if we wanted the Emmys to accurately represent the United States population, out of the 108 nominees they would need about 43-44 nominees of color.
Hopefully, in the future, the nominees will accurately represent the diversity we see here in the United States. To watch the 74th Emmy Awards live coast-to-coast on NBC and stream on Peacock. Click here to find your local NBC station.
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