(Article by Lindsay Kornick republished from NewsBusters.org)
On September 30, ABC Executive Vice President of Development and Content Strategy Simran Sethi released a new list of standards regarding on-screen talent, creative leadership, set workers, and industry representation. She wrote broadly, “[W]e want to take this moment to evaluate systems and habits in an effort to remove barriers to access and opportunity. It’s important for us to look around the room, see who’s not there, and then take the steps to not only bring them in, but also set them up for success.”
What this really means is less whiteness and more affirmative action. The actual guidelines prove as much regarding their new policies for hiring actors, crew members, and even producers. For on-screen representation, the standards require three out of five areas to be fulfilled.
A1: 50% of regular and recurring characters to be from Underrepresented groups
A2: 50% of regular and recurring actors to be from Underrepresented groups
A3: Meaningful inclusion of Underrepresented Groups as secondary or more minor on-screen individuals
A4: Meaningful inclusion of Underrepresented Groups in overall themes and narratives.
A5: Meaningful inclusion of Underrepresented Groups in episodic themes and narratives.
The behind-the-scenes talent is sadly no better. The inclusion standards also list ridiculous requests such as 50% or more of a writing staff being from underrepresented groups, 50% or more of a production department being from underrepresented groups, and paid employment opportunities solely for members of underrepresented groups.
Of note is the message “context is critical when evaluating if a group is ‘under-represented’” written at the bottom of the guidelines. Somehow, I doubt this is referring to the fact that black and LGBTQ populations are already over-represented in media based on their populations.
The network intends to fulfill two out of the four standards (on-screen representation, creative leadership, below the line workers, and industry access and career development) by May 2021 with the ideal goal of all four standards by May 2022. In the meantime, the studio is already working with showrunners to help fulfill these racial quotas.
Because that is the only way to describe these “inclusion” standards. They are affirmative action and diversity quotas to the worst degree, rewarding people simply because the left deems that group to be “under-represented,” regardless of what that means. Television may overcome COVID-19, but wokeness is the disease that will surely kill this industry.
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