CBS to Require 50% of Reality TV Cast to Be Black, Indigenous People of Color
By Cooper Dowd, Staff Writer
The CBS television network will now require that 50% of their reality TV cast be Black, Indigenous or People of Color.
Additionally, CBS has increased its development budget by at least 25% for creators and producers who fall into the selected specifications.
These reality TV changes will begin during the 2021-22 broadcast season.
“The reality TV genre is an area that’s especially underrepresented, and needs to be more inclusive across development, casting, production and all phases of storytelling,” George Cheeks, president and CEO for the CBS Entertainment Group.
Moreover, CBS mandated that a minimum of 40% of writers’ room staff be Black, Indigenous or People of Color.
CBS is not the only one in the entertainment sphere to introduce new diversity mandates.
Recently Movieguide® reported on the Academy Awards newest eligibility requirements for filmmakers:
Hollywood’s push for “diversity” in TV and movies is not a novel concept. On the contrary, the conversation picks up speed with each passing year. This year, the Academy released new diversity guidelines for movies to be eligible to receive an award; this extended not only to the actors and actresses but also to the production team behind the camera.
Although CBS and Hollywood think these restrictions promote inclusivity, the truth is that they stifle creativity and lack real diversity.
Movieguide® reported: “While many in the entertainment sphere are obsessed with implementing diversity based on a person’s skin color or gender, very few are interested in exploring intellectual and ideological diversity. Diversity at the expense of good storytelling will hurt viewership, not increase it.”
This remains true for reality TV. The regulations meant to broaden perspectives, cultures, and stories will do nothing but restrict these values and open doors for more discrimination and less compelling entertainment.
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