CALIFORNIA – The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has released its fifth annual Network Responsibility Index (NRI), a report that maps the quantity, quality and diversity of images of LGBT people on television. Primetime programming on the five broadcast networks was evaluated as well as original primetime programming on 10 major cable networks.
ABC Family became the second network in the NRI’s history to earn an “Excellent” rating from GLAAD. Of its 103 hours of original primetime programming, 55 percent included LGBT-inclusive images which also reflected the ethnic and racial diversity of the LGBT community. It is notable that both ABC Family and MTV, which in 2010 received the first-ever “Excellent” rating from GLAAD, are both youth-oriented networks.
“As television audiences get to know our community and the common ground that we all share on the screen and in their own lives, acceptance is growing,” said Mike Thompson, Acting President of GLAAD. “Inclusive programming is a hit with critics and audiences alike who cheered for Kurt and Blaine’s romance on Glee or watched the wedding of Callie and Arizona on Grey’s Anatomy.”
“Programs like Pretty Little Liars and Greek have woven gay, lesbian, and bisexual characters into their stories in a way that mirrors the diversity of our community and the experiences of younger generations,” said Herndon Graddick Sr., director of programs at GLAAD. “Viewers expect to see television environments that accurately reflect what it’s like to be a young adult, and today that includes young adults who happen to be gay.”
“We’re proud of our programming, and grateful for the recognition from GLAAD,” said ABC Family President Michael Riley. “We strive to reflect the rich diversity of our audience and the world around us, including the LGBT community, through strong characters and engaging, authentic storytelling. Earning GLAAD’s highest rating for our inclusive programming is both an honor and a validation of our programming’s positive impact.”
As far as the broadcast networks were concerned The CW remains the top broadcast network with 33 percent of its primetime programming hours being LGBT-inclusive. Fox came in second at 29 percent, and both networks received a “Good” rating this year.
With the cable networks in addition to ABC Family’s “Excellent” rating, Showtime (37 percent), TNT (33 percent), HBO (31 percent), Lifetime (31 percent), AMC (29 percent), and Syfy (22 percent) all received “Good” ratings for the quantity and quality of their LGBT-inclusive original programming.
One area in which all networks continue to struggle is the underrepresentation or misrepresentation of the transgender community. There were no regular or recurring transgender characters on any networks tracked in this year’s NRI. And while there were several one-episode stories that included transgender characters, almost none were ideal representations.
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