Stories

Representation matters, and the need to increase diversity in programming is a vital priority for television studios. This emphasis has borne fruit in recent years, with top-rated shows such as Insecure, Lovecraft Country, Vida, and Ugly Betty charting an innovative path across genres and networks.  But while these and other advances are welcome, more attention needs to be placed on programming for the most impressionable demographic: children. This is where an industry leader – Disney Junior and Disney Television Animation – is making diversity a daily reality, both on-screen and off.

Over the past decade, television has made important strides in terms of diversity, featuring onscreen talent from a widening range of ethnicities, cultures, genders, and sexual identities. While this work is to be applauded, however, it needs to go even deeper. For true diversity is not just about the actors in front of the camera: it’s about who gets to tell the story, and what that story is. Let’s explore the personal story of how Paula Madison, the principle owner founder of The Africa Channel, found a way to research and tell her own story—on TV. 

June is Pride Month, a celebration of the struggles for justice of the LGBTQ+ community in commemoration of the Stonewall Riots of June 1969. It’s a time to take stock of how far we’ve come in creating a more diverse and tolerant society—and how far we still have to go.

This week marks 100 years since the violent destruction of the Greenwood neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the murder of hundreds of Black Tulsans during a two-day massacre. This tragedy and its aftermath are the subject of National Geographic’s upcoming documentary, “Rise Again: Tulsa and The Red Summer,” which premieres on June 18th to coincide with Juneteenth.

Streaming video has been the savior of the pandemic. When we stream a program, we usually take for granted that it is safe and private. And most of the time, it is. But unlicensed services and pirated content can put us at risk in a number of different ways – often, without our even noticing it.

TV and media play an influential role in our society, and it’s played a significant role in helping to eradicate the systemic racism rooted in America’s history. April 4th marks 53 years since the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and it’s no coincidence that Lifetime decided to release its new biopic, “Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia,” the very same weekend.

As Women's History Month wraps up at the end of March, we’ve got our eye on four new and upcoming television shows that spotlight women in unique and creative ways.

This Black History Month, BET's specials seek to educate viewers and drive critical changes needed to eliminate systemic racism and inequality in America.