A study of inclusion and equity in television writing reveals disparities for historically excluded scribes

A recent Nielsen poll found that 87% of respondents “are interested in seeing more content that represents people outside of their identity group.” To that end, new research shows how the behind-the-scenes landscape influences content that is desirable for both audiences and advertisers.

The Think Tank for Inclusion and Equity, a consortium of active television writers funded by Women In Film, Los Angeles, interviewed more than 875 active television writers for its fourth annual report, Behind the Scenes: A State of Engagement and Equality in Television . The target. “The goal is to identify the barriers to entry and career advancement that continue to plague historically excluded writers. The study highlights obstacles and gaps in creating more authentic, inclusive and responsible narrative content.

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The report delves into how seismic shifts in the industry – the rise of streaming platforms, the proliferation of mini-theaters, and the impact of the global pandemic – are affecting hiring and storytelling. Here are some results:

• 70% of historically excluded writers who have developed new series projects in the past five years have done so for free, compared with 53% of non-excluded.
• 81% of senior white writers. No. Previous managerial experience hired to show their development projects to only 67% of relatively high-level BIPOC writers who has Administrative experience.
• 68% of white men and 56% of white women surveyed who had worked as assistants in the past found their first job as a television copywriter for promotion, compared with only 26% of BIPOC men and 20% of BIPOC women who they worked like. Participants.
• 76% of respondents said they did not receive management training before or during the show.
• 67% of respondents who were harassed said their showman was guilty.
• 48% of respondents said they could use help with EDI best practices (equality / diversity / inclusion).
• 56% of low- and mid-level writers did not cover the filming of the last show.

The TTIE has made several recommendations based on its findings. ინი Contains:

• Pay historically excluded writers for development e Green light More serious than his projects.
• Give experienced and historically excluded writers the right to direct their own programs, especially given transferable skills (e.g. previous management experience).
• Create a widely available training program for new and experienced showers and co-executive producers that incorporates both traditional management skills and leadership in managing diverse and inclusive writers’ rooms.
• Conduct confidential third party exit interviews with all authors to help identify and eliminate unsafe work environments and eliminate bias and / or discrimination in the hiring / firing / re-hiring process.
• Prioritize writers with theater management, production and post-production experience at all levels to ensure they acquire their own show management skills.
• Keep Zoom and Hybrid Writing Rooms for better access, especially for hard-working deaf writers and low-income and low-income writers.

“We are delighted to see that the industry is moving in the right direction,” said TTIE co-founder and co-president Shirin Razak. “Future work will ensure that EDI’s initiatives and promises lead to true cultural change and better stories. We encourage our colleagues to use the TTIE findings and recommendations as a guide.