ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN MEDIA
COALITION ISSUES ANNUAL REPORT CARDS GRADING TV NETWORKS ON THEIR DIVERSITY
EFFORTS
APAMC disappointed “Crazy Rich
Asians” success failed to significantly increase APA representation on network
TV; Fox receives its lowest Actors grade in 18 years
Los
Angeles —The Asian Pacific American Media Coalition (APAMC)—the only
organization to have graded the top four television networks since 2001—issued
its annual Report Cards for the past 2018-19 season, assessing the four major
TV networks on their progress toward diversity and inclusion of Asian Pacific
Americans (APAs) onscreen and behind the camera.
Although ABC and CBS maintained
their same grades for Actors and NBC increased (from C to C+), the Coalition
fears that the unprecedented success of Crazy Rich Asians in
the Summer of 2018 failed to boost significantly the
number of APA-led series on network TV. ABC had three pilots in contention that
would have starred APAs (first name in the credits), including two that would
have featured Asian American families. NBC had a pilot about an Asian American
magician, and CBS was considering an Asian American family sitcom including Ken
Jeong as a cast member. But none of them made the 2018-19 line-up.
What’s more, with the
cancellation of ABC’s “Fresh Off The Boat” and “Marvel’s Agents of
S.H.I.E.L.D.,” the number of APA regulars is expected to fall in the 2020-21
season.
“Since the APAMC began meeting
with the networks in 1999,” noted APAMC chair Daniel Mayeda, “we have generally
seen an improvement in the various categories (such as Actors, Unscripted,
Writers/Producers, Directors). For example, in the 2002-03 season, onscreen
representation of APAs was so bad, we gave two networks Fs in the Actors category.
As part of the larger Multi-Ethnic Media Coalition (MEMC)— which also includes the NAACP, National Latino
Media Council, and American Indians in Film/TV—we pushed the networks to sign
Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), create diversity departments, actors
showcases, writers and directors programs, and other pipeline programs.”
But progress has plateaued in many cases for the networks,
with Fox recording its lowest grade in the Actors category (D+) in the past 18
years.
The biggest gains for APAs now
seem to be happening in non-network media, including streaming services Netflix
(“Master of None,” “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” parts 1 and 2, “Ugly
Delicious,” “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj,” “Always Be My Maybe,” “Tigertail,”
“Never Have I Ever,” “The Half of It”), Amazon Prime (“Man in the High Castle,”
“Warrior”), and Hulu (“PEN15”); cable channels Comedy Central (“Awkwafina is
Nora from Queens,” “Ronny Chieng: International Student”), AMC (“Into the
Badlands,” “Killing Eve,” “The Terror: Infamy”), Bravo (“Family Karma”), and
Disney Channel (“Andi Mack,” “Mira, Royal Detective”); and
theatrically-released motion pictures (“Searching,” “The Farewell,” “Plus One,”
“Stuber”).
“While we continue to advocate
for the networks to feature more APAs in leading roles, the Coalition applauds
the increased inclusion of APAs in other venues,” Mayeda said. “We recognize
that many of these programs and films would not have been possible without the
training and opportunities created by the networks’ diversity efforts. But the
networks themselves need to redouble their efforts to avoid slipping behind
their streaming and cable counterparts in representing APAs.”
“Given the backlash many Asian
Americans have faced because of COVID-19, we urge the networks to also produce
news stories on this rising concern as well as the remarkable contributions our
communities have made to this country,” added Rita Pin Ahrens, Executive
Director of OCA—Asian Pacific American Advocates, an APAMC member organization.
Finally, this Asian Pacific
American Heritage Month, APAMC celebrates all APA creators and artists who
represent and reflect the diversity of the Asian American and Pacific Islander
experience. “We urge everyone to take advantage of the many online programs
available in May that will showcase the tremendous talent in the APA
community,” remarked Francis Cullado, Executive Director of APAMC member group
Visual Communications. “We also want to bring attention to the multi-part
documentary series ‘Asian Americans’ that will air on the PBS network of
stations on May 11-12.” A Calendar of Events can be found here:
https://blog.angryasianman.com/p/2020-aapi-heritage-month-online-events.html
https://blog.angryasianman.com/p/2020-aapi-heritage-month-online-events.html
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