ABC Family, HBO and MTV topped GLAAD's
eighth annual report on gay-inclusive content, while A&E, History
and TNT were each given a failing grade.
For the first time in the same year,
GLAAD's Network Responsibility Index (NRI) gave three networks its
top grade of Excellent: ABC Family, HBO and MTV.
While the NRI examines primetime
programming based on the overall quantity, quality and diversity of
LGBT representation, the group's Where We Are on TV report analyzes
the diversity of series regulars in the upcoming television season.
Both reports were released on Wednesday.
According to GLAAD, 32 out of 813
series regulars, or 3.9%, will be LGBT this year, an increase of 0.6%
from last year, but still lower than a 2012 record high of 4.4%.
Fox leads among broadcasters with 6.5%
of primetime scripted regulars being LGBT, an increase from last
year. ABC is in second place with 4.5%, followed by NBC (3.8%) and
CBS (3.2%).
“Television networks are playing a
key role in promoting cultural understanding of LGBT lives around the
world, and are now producing some of the best LGBT-inclusive
programming we've yet seen,” GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate
Ellis said in releasing the group's findings. “As they move
forward with new programs and storylines, networks must also keep an
eye towards diversity and strive to include significant transgender
content comparable to those efforts being made by their online
competitors, such as Netflix's Orange is the New Black and
Amazon's Transparent.”
Download
the reports.