As part of its ongoing effort first announced in March 2021, the Television Academy in partnership with ReadySet—one of the country's leading consulting firms specializing in the creation of more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces and cultures—today released a report on its members' experiences with diversity, equity and inclusion practices across the Television Industry at large. This report highlights important data derived from questions about the industry that were part of the larger Academy membership study done in 2021, but not yet reported on.
The Television Academy today simultaneously announced plans to host its first industry-wide DEI Summit aimed at providing a forum for DEI professionals to meet, network, share ideas and collaborate to work towards a more inclusive and equitable industry, increasing the visibility, equity and power for those marginalized and underrepresented.
While there has been some progress within the industry, especially in the realm of creative representation, the survey results highlight several pressing issues that affect meaningful DEI change. Overall, the data illuminates how Academy members with historically marginalized identities experience exclusion and less access to opportunities.
The report is an important follow-up to the membership study released in 2021. The results convey how essential continuous effort is and where that effort should be focused for sustainable impact. The report also serves to provide additional insight and spur actionable discussions that will be foundational to the Television Academy's DEI summit on December 1, 2022.
Television Academy Chairman Frank Scherma said, "This report will help us frame meaningful conversations aimed at developing actionable initiatives at our December gathering. This isn't a 'one and done' exercise. We want to not only put into place a set of actions that are comprehensive, lasting and meaningful at the Academy, but we want to play a role in helping DEI professionals across the industry do the same, collectively sharing learnings and best practices."
ReadySet's CEO and founder Y-Vonne Hutchinson said, "Change is long overdue. The findings in this report will likely not surprise some. And we hope it is a wake-up call to others. Television has the power to shape the way we see the world, others, and ourselves, and we believe that sharing the experiences of Academy members is a critical step towards impactful change. We look forward to supporting the Academy as it pushes for more action to address these issues."
Among topics and highlights covered in the report:
Underrepresentation – While there has been reported growth in gender and race/ethnicity representation, members from historically marginalized backgrounds still perceive a lack of sufficient representation, especially for those with intersecting marginalized identities.
Exclusionary Lived Experiences – Members from historically marginalized communities reported significantly more exclusionary and harmful experiences in their workplaces—including microaggressions and harassment—than non-marginalized members. Members from marginalized groups were also more likely to report being undercompensated and even passing on job opportunities due to perceived DEI issues.
Insufficient Action – Members across peer groups and identities noted confidence in their understanding of DEI topics and issues, but only a small percentage perceived impactful actions or progress towards resolving DEI issues at their workplaces and in the industry at large.
Click here to download the findings of the Television Academy's Industry Report.
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For the complete press release, click here.
