Being seen on screen 2021

As platforms diversify—and populations in our communities evolve—audiences are expecting the stories they see and hear across media to reflect their diverse voices and experiences. According to our latest Diverse Intelligence Series report, Nielsen data for the 2020-2021 TV season shows that among the top 1,500 programs in the U.S. (across broadcast, cable, and streaming), 78% have some presence of racial, ethnic, gender or sexual orientation diversity. 

But while diversity within content choices is increasing, audiences still feel the representation is not accurate. Meaning, just because a group is represented on screen, it doesn’t mean that group is being represented the way they want to be seen. With 42.2% of the U.S. population racially and ethnically diverse, and people increasingly exploring and defining their personal identities, the media has an opportunity to create more content to better portray all of us.