Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

CBS Prime Is Proof of Net's Inclusive Intent

24/09/2018

WHY THIS MATTERS: Networks are working hard to be more diverse with their series, and CBS's fall rookies show the network is serious.

It was a much-different look for CBS's primetime when the network showed off new programs at the TCA Summer Press Tour last month. CBS has made a point of increasing diversity on both sides of the camera, and shows such as the comedies Happy Together, God Friended Me and The Neighborhood all have African-Americans in the lead role, while drama Magnum P.I. features a Latino actor as the show's namesake.

Contrast CBS's summer TCA sessions with those two years before, when then-entertainment president Glenn Geller fielded a barrage of pointed queries from reporters asking why the network was so darn white. Geller pointed to minority cast additions and directors, but acknowledged that CBS needed to do more in terms of cast leads and showrunners. We need to do better and we know it, Geller said.

To be sure, it's a difficult time for CBS. Leslie Moonves, chairman and CEO of CBS Corp., stepped down after reports of sexual wrongdoing. Jeff Fager, longtime executive producer of 60 Minutes, exited after threatening a CBS News reporter who was looking into allegations of harassment against Fager.

Outreach Pays Off

But the steps CBS has made in diversifying its prime are a source of pride. Between our writers' and directors' programs, and actors' showcase, we're absolutely starting to see benefits from all that right now, CBS entertainment president Kelly Kahl said.

Kahl said the diversity gains did not happen overnight. A couple of months after Geller was pilloried at TCA, CBS debuted a drama diversity casting initiative. Part of the CBS Diversity Institute, the program aims to reach untapped talent around the country, including areas with limited access to industry professionals, and steer them to a screen test in Los Angeles. The initiative targets underrepresented groups and individuals, CBS said.

Tiffany Smith-Anoa'i, CBS executive VP of entertainment diversity, inclusion & communications, said the writers, directors and actors programs offer access to the pipeline for minority aspirants. We were intentional and we were very forthright, she said. Almost every pilot was inclusive from the jump this particular season.

The percentage of inclusive series regulars on CBS's scripted shows is up 6% this year, according to the network, and 19% over the last five years. (Inclusive counts women, people of color, LGBTQ actors and those with disabilities.) Inclusive writers are up 5% this year, and 9% over the last five years. SWAT, God Friended Me, The Neighborhood and The Red Line all have at least 50% people of color in their writers' room.

Fully 43% of all CBS scripted episodes are directed by women or people of color, with God Friended Me leading with 85% and The Neighborhood at 67%.

Happy Together

The critics have noted the network's diversity drive. I think they are making efforts to have more diversity, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette TV critic Rob Owen said.

Having more minority producers, Kahl noted, means more minority writers and producers get hired. He mentions Aaron Thomas, executive producer on SWAT, coming out of the diversity writers' program, then hiring others out of the program. We try to bake it into every step of the process, Kahl said. When we hear a pitch or read a script, we're thinking about inclusion in front of and behind the camera.

CBS debuts Magnum P.I., starring Jay Hernandez, on Sept. 24. God Friended Me, about an atheist who gets a social-media friend request from God, premieres Sept. 30. Brandon Micheal Hall stars. The Neighborhood, about an outgoing white family who moves into a traditionally African-American neighborhood in Los Angeles, debuts Oct. 1. Cedric the Entertainer has the lead. Happy Together, about an accountant and his wife who have a wildly famous pop star move into their house, starts Oct. 1. Damon Wayans plays the accountant.

Will Viewers Show Up?

Of course, the new series need substantial viewership to stay on the air and inspire a subsequent wave of minority talent to come on board. CBS had won the season-long total-viewers crown for nine years running, but it was NBC that took both adults 18-49 and total viewers from September 2017 to September 2018. The real success is when we turn those shows into hits, Kahl said.

That is more of an if than a when. The $100,000 question is whether viewers will tune in, Owen said.

CBS isn't yet where it should be in terms of diversity in primetime, Kahl admitted. We're not patting ourselves on the back, he said. We still have a lot of work to do.

WHY THIS MATTERS: Networks are working hard to be more diverse with their series, and CBS's fall rookies show the network is serious.

It was a much-different look for CBS's primetime when the network showed off new programs at the TCA Summer Press Tour last month. CBS has made a point of increasing diversity on both sides of the camera, and shows such as the comedies Happy Together, God Friended Me and The Neighborhood all have African-Americans in the lead role, while drama Magnum P.I. features a Latino actor as the show's namesake.Subscribe for full article

Member Exclusive

Get Access to Our Exclusive Content

Learn MoreAlready subscribed? Log In
LINK: https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/cbs-prime-is-proof-of-nets-incl...
See more stories from bandc

Most recent headlines

13/03/2025

FCC Chairman Carr Launches Massive Deregulation Initiative

WASHINGTON FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the agency has launched a massive, new deregulatory initiative that could potentially subject virtually all ...

13/03/2025

SDVI Integrates Rally With Spectra Vail

SUNNYVALE, Calif. SDVI has announced that it has integrated its Rally media supply chain management platform with the Spectra Vail multi-cloud data management s...

13/03/2025

FCC Approves Gray's Acquisition of KXLT

ATLANTA Gray Media has announced that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted a waiver of its local ownership rules to permit Gray Media to acqu...

13/03/2025

NAB Show 2025 Exhibitor Insight: Blackmagic Design

TV Tech: What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trends at the 2025 NAB Show?...

13/03/2025

Watch Student Naomi Soleils Folk Pop Performance on The Voice

Watch Student Naomi Soleils Folk Pop Performance on The Voice The songwriting major sang Stars by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals during the blind auditions. ...

12/03/2025

Como o Impacto Cultural e Financeiro da Indstria Musical Define Seu Sucesso em 2025

O Spotify acaba de lan ar o relat rio Loud & Clear deste ano, uma vis o transpar...

12/03/2025

Cmo el impacto cultural y financiero de la industria musical define su xito en 2025

Spotify acaba de presentar el informe Loud & Clear de este a o, una mirada trans...

12/03/2025

Nourish Mind, Body, and Soul This Ramadan With Spotify

Ramadan, a period of profound spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide, is a time for fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Enrich your experience thi...

12/03/2025

How the Music Industry's Cultural and Financial Impact Define Its Success in 2025

Spotify has just unveiled this year's Loud & Clear report, a transparent loo...

12/03/2025

FAST now transcends back catalog content

More than 70% of FAST programming has been produced since 2010, according to new Gracenote report NEW YORK March 12, 2025 Gracenote, the content data busin...

12/03/2025

Viamedia Adopts ShowSeeker Pilot To Streamline Ad Workflows

GEONA, Nev. Independent digital and linear advertising rep firm Viamedia will adopt cloud-based ShowSeeker Pilot as its primary ad campaign and order management...

12/03/2025

Mediagenix Appoints Wael Yasin as Sales Director Central Europe

BRUSSELS Mediagenix has announced that Wael Yasin has joined the company as sales director Central Europe....

12/03/2025

Omdia: Global Online Consumer Expenditure to Hit $6.6 Trillion by 2029

LONDON A new study highlights opportunities for shoppable TV and the massive impact online consumer spending is having on the economy, with Omdia predicting tha...

12/03/2025

Comcast Technology Solutions Upgrades to Interra Systems BATON Version 9

CUPERTINO, Calif. Interra Systems has announced that Comcast Technology Solutions has integrated recent updates to BATON Version 9 into its operations....

12/03/2025

Nevion announces new 400G addition to its eMerge SDN media fabric offering

Nevion announces new 400G addition to its eMerge SDN media fabric offering Brie Clayton March 12, 2025 0 Comments High-capacity switch enhances existi...

12/03/2025

DaVinci Resolve Studio Delivers Cinematic Sound for Adam Bol

DaVinci Resolve Studio Delivers Cinematic Sound for Adam Bol Brie Clayton March 12, 2025 0 Comments Feature film relies on DaVinci Resolve Studio for ...

12/03/2025

SVT Leverages Ateliere Live to Pioneer 100% Software-Defined Production at Rally Sweden 2025

SVT Leverages Ateliere Live to Pioneer 100% Software-Defined Production at Rally...

12/03/2025

Berklee Awards Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to Four Organizations

Berklee Awards Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to Four Organizations A total of $17,000 will be distributed among the Boston-based nonprofits. By Madd...

12/03/2025

Offering a broad umbrella for IP standards

TVBEuropes Jenny Priestley sits down with new SMPTE president Richard Welsh to discuss his aims for the organisation going forward, its efforts to attract a you...

12/03/2025

Warner Bros Belgium takes a new approach to its post production workflows

The new process has significantly enhanced operational efficiencies, with automation freeing up creators to concentrate on higher value tasks By Matthew Corrig...

12/03/2025

Another VFX company suspends operations

Jellyfish Pictures, which has offices in London and Sheffield, said it has been battling hard in the face of strong headwinds over the last 12 months By Jenny ...

12/03/2025

Bitcentral to Showcase AI-Powered Innovations for Smarter...

Visit Booth #W2213 to Experience the Latest in AI-Driven Content Discovery and Workflow Automation Bitcentral, a leader in media workflow solutions, is set to ...

12/03/2025

Jeff Lilly Named WGN-TV Director Of Technology

CHICAGO Jeff Lilly has been named WGN-TV director of technology effective March 17, 2025, according to Ric Harris, WGN-TV vice president and general manager....

12/03/2025

Survey: Consumers Want More Shoppable TV Experiences

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. A new study from LG Ad Solutions indicates that consumers want more features that would allow them to shop for products on the connected T...

12/03/2025

IP Showcase To Focus On IP, Broadcast Tech Convergence at 2025 NAB Show

BOTHELL, Wash. The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and the Video Services Forum (VSF) will once again present...

12/03/2025

Comcast Boosts Internet Speeds for More Than 20 Million Customers

PHILADELPHIA Comcast announced that it has upgraded Xfinity Internet speeds for more than 20 million customers for no additional cost....

12/03/2025

Create with Maxon: Cinema 4D Fundamentals Workshop - March 12-14

Create with Maxon: Cinema 4D Fundamentals Workshop - March 12-14 Brie Clayton March 11, 2025 0 Comments Makin' Waffles with Elly Wade During Marc...

12/03/2025

Ross Video Strengthens Cloud Leadership with Appointment of Aaron Tunnell

Ottawa, Canada - March 12, 2025 - Ross Video is pleased to announce the appointment of Aaron Tunnell as Business Development Director, Cloud Solutions, reinforc...

12/03/2025

VEON to release 4Q 2024 trading update on 20 March 2025

12 Mar 2025 VEON to release 4Q 2024 trading update on 20 March 2025 Dubai, 12 March 2025 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a global digital operator, today confirms ...

12/03/2025

Getting Set for the Winter Olympics: Inside SVT's Ongoing Software-Based Production Evolution

Getting set for the Winter Olympics: Inside SVT's ongoing software-based pro...

12/03/2025

Seamless SMPTE 2110: A Discussion on Making the Move to IP Less Painful

Seamless SMPTE 2110: A Discussion on Making the Move to IP Less Painful Leaders from Netflix, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, LinkedI, and Megapixel address ...

12/03/2025

Opening Doors of Perception: Meta's Ajit Ninan on Rethinking AR/MR Perceptual Displays

Opening Doors of Perception: Meta's Ajit Ninan on Rethinking AR/MR Perceptua...

12/03/2025

Sky Sports Unveils Exciting Plans for 2025 Formula 1 Coverage

With the 2025 Formula 1 season set to begin in Melbourne on March 16, Sky Sports is gearing up to deliver its most comprehensive F1 coverage yet. Following a th...

12/03/2025

Unicanal and Trece TV revolutionize Digital TV in Paraguay with Rohde & Schwarz transmission solutions

Unicanal and Trece TV revolutionize Digital TV in Paraguay with Rohde & Schwarz ...

12/03/2025

Honoring Service, Celebrating Sport: Rohde & Schwarz UK Sponsors NavyFit Rugby Double-Header

Honoring Service, Celebrating Sport: Rohde & Schwarz UK Sponsors NavyFit Rugby D...

12/03/2025

FOR-A America Introduces Top of the Line HANABI Series Switcher at NAB 2025 Exhibition

New HVS-Q12 Represents a Quantum Leap in Switcher Design...

12/03/2025

Telespazio and ABS Expand Partnership to Deliver Tailored C-Band Connectivity Solutions for the Brazilian Market

Telespazio and ABS Expand Partnership to Deliver Tailored C-Band Connectivity So...

12/03/2025

Congratulations to all our clients who have achieved TAG certification through our independent validation

ABC conducts independent audits across the TAG programs. In the March 2025 TAG s...

12/03/2025

Moonlight: Thales Alenia Space to develop the space segment of the navigation system orbiting around the Moon

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Moonlight: ESA program to create a satellite con...

12/03/2025

Thales among the world's top 100 most innovative companies for the 12th year, according to Clarivate

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn In 2025, Thales ranks among the top 0.01% of the...

12/03/2025

CCPC sponsored TV series The Complaints Bureau returns to RT One

Consumer show back following hugely successful first series 10 March 2025 Following a hugely successful first series, The Complaints Bureau returns to RT ...

11/03/2025

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Amel Guellaty, the Writer-Director of Where the Wind Comes From

By Lucy Spicer One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival...

11/03/2025

Salsa's Rhythmic Revival: A New Generation Discovers the Genre's Timeless Appeal

Salsa is making a comeback, captivating new listeners with its infectious energy...

11/03/2025

Canada's Own Rupi Kaur Curates the Latest Edition of Local Spot, Revealing the Songs and Artists That Shaped Her

For many people, music can serve as a reflection of their roots and upbringing. ...

11/03/2025

ST Engineering iDirect's Public Safety Solution Wins MSUA Satellite Mobile Innovation Award 2025

The solution delivers reliable, scalable and secure connectivity for critical pu...

11/03/2025

Weigel Broadcasting Taps Harmonic for Cloud-Based Playout-to-Delivery

SAN JOSE, Calif. Harmonic has announced that Weigel Broadcasting has deployed Harmonics VOS Media Software, which offers playout-to-delivery capabilities, inclu...

11/03/2025

Wheatstone To Unveil Linux Audio Driver At 2025 NAB Show

NEW BERN, N.C. Wheatstone will introduce a Linux audio driver for its WheatNet IP audio network during the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, at the Las Vegas Convention...

11/03/2025

Study: Women's Sports Are a Big Win for Advertisers

NEW YORK A new study finds that as TV viewership for women's sports surged by 131% in 2024, the programming also saw a 56% year-over-year increase in ad im...

11/03/2025

Al Sharqiya prepares for Ultra HD with FOR-A

Powerful switcher for news studio FOR-A, a cutting-edge video broadcast technology company backed by more than 50 years experience, has installed its HVS-1200 ...