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GUESTS: Alex Nogales, National Latino Media Council Secretariat, Mark Reed, American Indians in Film and TV National Chair

The Multi-Ethnic Media Coalition released its seventh annual “Report Card” yesterday on the current diversity status of major television networks ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox. Announced in a press conference outside of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the report cards summarized the growth or shortfalls of the networks’ efforts to diversify their workforce and increase minority vendor contracts in 2007. The National Latino Media Council cited diversity improvement at ABC, while NBC and CBS remained the same overall. The Fox network is the only of the major television networks to go down a grade falling to a B minus. The Asian Pacific American Media Coalition, for their part, voiced concerns regarding the lack of development for Asian Pacific American writers and talent. As a result, an Asian American family has yet to be seen in primetime television since Margaret Cho’s “All American Girl,” aired thirteen years ago. The network diversity report card for Native Americans was much bleaker. Citing behind the camera statistics of only one writer and no directors or producers, Native Americans remain largely invisible in front of the camera.

For more information, visit nhmc.org/spotlight/?id=19