The analysis found that the greatest racial disparities are in behind-the-camera jobs such as a show’s creator, director, and writer: Among digital programs, just 10.3 percent of show creators were BIPOC; in broadcast, 10.7 percent; and for cable, 14.7 percent.
White men still dominate these positions, as well as high-level TV executive jobs. As of 2020, chair/CEO positions were overwhelmingly held by white people (92 percent) and men (68 percent); and the statistics were similar for senior executives (84.0 percent white, 60.0 percent male) and production chiefs (87.0 percent white, 54.0 percent male).
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This under-representation of BIPOC continues to be problematic, even if there are more BIPOC actors in front of the camera. When BIPOC narratives are controlled by non-BIPOC creatives, character story lines may lack authenticity, may feature writing dependent on stereotypes, or may be depicted as “culture-less.”
A key question to ask going forward is whether the nation’s ongoing “racial reckoning” has had, or will have, a significant effect on the industry’s hiring practices in a way that will be apparent in next year’s diversity reports. At the moment, it’s unclear.
Television production may have been derailed over the last 12 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but some series did manage to pull through (although not as many as would have under “normal” circumstances). The result: a fall 2021 and winter 2022 television season that isn’t quite an attention-grabber. But the good news is that audiences won’t be as overwhelmed by the volume of shows to watch, and those programs that may have been otherwise overlooked or buried may actually get the opportunity to find viewers. That could be especially good news for the series that follow.
Here is our look at scripted series created and/or overseen by BIPOC creatives for major platforms, scheduled for the 2021/22 television season. The list will be updated as more networks (especially the streamers) solidify their lineups and announce midseason scripted pickups, considering the typical TV schedule remains in disarray amid ongoing production delays. Although, with disruptors like Netflix premiering new series weekly and new streamers find their footing, there’s a discussion to be had about what exactly the traditional television calendar will look like moving forward.
ABC “Abbott Elementary” – Quinta Brunson, creator, star “Black-ish” – Kenya Barris, creator “Grey’s Anatomy” – Shonda Rhimes, creator “Queens” – Zahir McGhee, creator “The Wonder Years” — Saladin Patterson, creator AMAZON “Harlem” – Tracy Oliver, creator and showrunner “With Love” – Gloria Calderón-Kellett, creator “The Summer I Turned Pretty” – Jenny Hahn, creator AMC “Sherman’s Showcase” – Bashir Salahuddin and Diallo Riddle, creators “The Walking Dead” – Angela Kang, showrunner Apple TV+ “Truth Be Told” – Nichelle Tramble Spellman, creator and showrunner BET “American Soul” – Dorian Gregory, co-creator “Sistas” – Tyler Perry, creator “Assisted Living” – Tyler Perry, creator “The Oval” – Tyler Perry, creator “Twenties” – Lena Waithe, creator “Tales” – Irv Gotti, creator BET+ “Bruh” – Tyler Perry, creator “Ruthless” – Tyler Perry, creator “First Wives Club” – Tracy Oliver, creator and showrunner CBS “The Neighborhood” – Meg DeLoatch, showrunner “Bob ♥ Abishola” – Gina Yashere, co-creator “S.W.A.T.” – Aaron Rahsaan Thomas, co-developer and co-showrunner CBS All Access “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” – Jenny Lumet, co-creator Comedy Central “Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens” – Awkwafina and Teresa Hsiao, creators Disney+ “Diary of a Future President” – Ilana Peña, creator and showrunner “Doogie Kamealoha M.D” – Kourtney Kang, creator and showrunner Freeform “Grown-ish” – Kenya Barris and Larry Wilmore, creators FX “Atlanta” – Donald Glover, creator “Mayans M.C.” – Elgin James, creator “Snowfall” – John Singleton, creator “Reservation Dogs” – Sterlin Harjo, showrunner and co-creator; Taika Waititi, co-creator FOX “Our Kind of People” – Karen Gist, creator “The Cleaning Lady” – Miranda Kwok, developed by HBO “Industry” – Mickey Down, co-creator “Insecure” – Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, creators; Prentice Penny, showrunner “A Black Lady Sketch Show” – Robin Thede, creator, showrunner “Westworld” – Lisa Joy, co-creator, co-showrunner HBO Max “DMZ” – Roberto Patino, developer, showrunner; Ava DuVernay, executive producer “The Flight Attendant” – Natalie Chaidez, co-showrunner “The Sex Lives of College Girls” – Mindy Kaling, co-creator Hulu “Ramy” – Ramy Youssef, creator and showrunner NBC “Young Rock” – Nahnatchka Khan and Jeff Chiang, creators; Nahnatchka Khan, showrunner. Netflix “Never Have I Ever” – Mindy Kaling, co-creator “Inventing Anna” – Shonda Rhimes, creator “Dear White People” – Justin Simien, creator; Yvette Lee Bowser, showrunner OWN “Cherish the Day” – Ava DuVernay, creator; Raynelle Swilling and Teri Schaffer, co-showrunners “Queen Sugar” – Ava DuVernay, creator “David Makes Man” – Tarell McCraney, `creator; Dee Harris-Lawrence, showrunner “The Kings of Napa” – Janine Sherman Barrois, creator, showrunner
Paramount+ “The Game” – Devon Greggory, showrunner Showtime “Flatbush Misdemeanors” – Kevin Iso, co-creator “The Chi” – Lena Waithe, creator “Ziwe” – Ziwe Fumudoh, creator and executive producer “The Man Who Fell To Earth” – Jenny Lumet, co-creator and co-showrunner Starz “BMF” — Randy Huggins, showrunner “Blindspotting” – Daveed Diggs, co-creator “P-Valley” — Katori Hall, creator, showrunner The “Power” franchise – Courtney A. Kemp, creator and showrunner “Run the World” – Leigh Davenport, creator; Yvettte Lee Bowser, showrunner TBS “Chad” – Nasim Pedrad, creator “The Last O.G.” – Jordan Peele, co-creator; Saladin K. Patterson, showrunner TNT “Claws” – Janine Sherman Barrois, showrunner The CW “All American” – Nkechi Okoro Carroll, showrunner “All American: Homecoming” – Nkechi Okoro Carroll, developer, executive producer “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” – Keto Shimizu, co-showrunner “Kung Fu” – Christina M. Kim, developer, co-showrunner “Naomi” – Ava DuVernay, co-developer “The Flash” – Eric Wallace, showrunner “Riverdale” – Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, developer, showrunner “The 4400” – Arianna Jackson, co-showrunner Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
