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Representation Of The Hollywood Television Industry

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Representation Matters: Diversity in the Hollywood Television Industry A recent study done by the UCLA Bunche Center for African American Studies showed the lack of diversity within Hollywood by examining all the films released, television programs on broadcast, cable, or digital networks, as well as the actors, writers, directors, and producers within the industry. Ethnic minorities make up about 40% of the American population but still remain underrepresented in all forms of entertainment. The study also discovered that more than 50% of moviegoers in the past two years were minorities. In television, minorities only claimed about 7% of lead roles in broadcast television (“NEW! 2015 Hollywood Diversity Report”). With half the American population consisting of different ethnicities, American television should accurately and proportionately portray the American people, yet some are having trouble doing so. Some television networks have catered to their diverse audience by casting actors of different ethnicities as the lead of a show, or by centering an entire show around a unique culture. Most have found this to be beneficial with an increase in ratings and in profits through their sponsors. The organizations, the Florida Family Association (FFA) and the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) represent two different positions on diversity within Hollywood and how the American people should be portrayed in the television industry. The FFA is a national organization

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