It’s no secret – TV viewers want inclusive programming

It’s no secret in the television industry that TV viewers tend to engage more with television content when they see talent on screen who look like them or stories that reflect their lives in some way. Whether viewers are children, women over 50 or a certain race or ethnic group, there is often a connection when there is viewer representation in content either on-screen or behind-the-camera.

And yet – after decades of this ongoing conversation – audiences today report that diverse and inclusive storytelling is still falling short on the small screen.

In our latest Diverse Intelligence Series report, we found that although 19% of the U.S. population is Hispanic (almost one of every five people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau) and the majority of that population (58%) is under the age of 34 (a key Hollywood demographic), a growing number of Hispanics (41%) feel there is not enough TV content that represents them.

It makes no business sense

In an attempt to untangle it, we teamed up with the nonprofit Latino Donor Collaborative to look at Latino lead and behind-the-camera inclusion in the 530 most-streamed programs in the U.S. from 2021 through first quarter 2022. We wanted to evaluate whether there was a connection between Hispanic share of audience and on-screen and behind-the-camera representation. 

We found that 92% of the programs we looked at did not have behind-the-camera representation in a key role (such as showrunner or executive producer) while 8% did. For shows with behind-the-camera Hispanic representation, cultural watchability (Hispanic share of audience) averaged 25%, irrespective of on-camera representation. When a show included Hispanic representation both behind- and in-front of the-camera, Hispanic share of audience increased to 34%.

Shows such as Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer” and HBO Max’s “Gordita Chronicles” attracted new viewers – not just Hispanics – to their platforms who then stayed to watch additional programming.

Streaming is leading the way

Like the rest of the TV viewing population, Hispanic audiences increasingly are turning to streaming for content. In July 2022, 43.6% of total viewing among Hispanics was attributed to streaming. 

The relative youth of Hispanic audiences is a factor in the shift to streaming, no doubt, but content is a driving force. Both Netflix and YouTube have delivered culturally-attuned programs created by and for Hispanics and that audience, in turn, spent 24% and 57% more time respectively in July watching those platforms than non-Hispanic Whites.

The majority (56%) of U.S. Hispanics said they are more likely to continue watching content when it features someone from their identity group, our report found, and more than 33% said they are interested in watching content featuring other identity groups as well.

We need a mindset change

Demand for inclusive content spans across the board (all races, ages and more). While tremendous gains have been made over the years, there is much work still to be done.

Inclusion can start with a change mindset. So many network executives prefer to play it safe and develop content that is derivative of what worked in the past. It’s a logical approach but it’s short sighted.

There may be a lack of understanding about the changing demographics of the United States and the world. And some people may equate Hispanic-led or focused- content with Spanish-language content.

There may be bias too but I think the root of the issue is a reluctance to innovate. There is a whole generation of studio heads who will insist that “This is art” and “We know best.” 

That old power structure isn’t working anymore. Consumers have the power now to watch what they want, when they want and on what platform they want it. Technology – from mobile phones to Smart TV’s to a growing list of streaming services – has changed the industry dramatically. 

Content creators and distributors have a significant opportunity, not to mention marketers. Our 2022 Attitudes on Representation study found that 49% of Hispanic viewers say they’re more likely to buy from brands that advertise in inclusive content. When the ads feature someone from their identity group, the benefits are even greater.

To me, this is a win-win situation. Let’s give the audience more of what it’s looking for.

#lattitude2022 #diverseintelligenceseries