HBO has the lowest percentage of minority directors of any Hollywood TV studio while CBS has the lowest rate of female directors, according to a new report from the Directors Guild of America.
The DGA found that the number of women and minority directors hired by the studios reached “new highs” during the 2019-20 TV season but also found that Latinos and “women of color” remain under-represented. The guild also found that that the employment of Asian American directors was flat from the prior season.
“While we see encouraging growth in some areas, we will not be satisfied until we see fairness for all. Inclusion is not about one group or another, inclusion means everyone,” said DGA president and The West Wing director Thomas Schlamme.
New DGA Inclusion Report Reveals Gains in 2019-20 TV Season, But Disparities Remain
For the 2019-20 season, the percent of TV episodes directed by women rose to 34 percent, up from 31 percent in the prior season. The percentage directed by minorities climbed to 32 percent, up from 27 percent a season ago.
The DGA report found that black people directed 17.7 percent of the episodes, up from 15 percent in the prior season.
Among the guild’s worst offenders was HBO, which had the lowest percentage of minority directors of all the TV networks at just 18 percent. CBS also ran afoul the diversity police, coming in last in terms of women directors at just 30 percent.
Overall, two-thirds of all TV episodes during the season were directed by Caucasians, while two-thirds were directed by men.
Hollywood studios have come under increased pressure to diversify their ranks following last year’s Black Lives Matter protests and riots that consumed major cities for months.
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