CBS is unhappy with the failing grade
it received in a report on gay and lesbian inclusiveness on
television. The network is now promising it will beef up its gay
character lineup.
“We have a fundamental commitment to
the philosophy of diversity across the schedule, and representation
of gays and lesbians on air falls into that division as well,” CBS
Entertainment President Nina Tassler said during the network's
presentation at the summer Television Critics Association Press tour.
Her comments were reported by the Orange County Register.
“The interesting thing is I think we
do have good representation in our non-scripted programming, but we
certainly have to improve in our scripted content.”
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against
Defamation's (GLAAD) third annual Network Responsibility Index ranked
CBS dead last in the report's assessment of broadcast networks.
GLAAD failed CBS after it devoted only 5 percent of its prime time
lineup to LGBT-inclusive programming during the 2008-2009 season.
Tassler called the report a “source
of concern” for the network, and said the number of gay and lesbian
characters in prime time could grow next year.
Still, CBS might find it difficult to
catch up to ABC and possibly even NBC. Gay-inclusive leading network
broadcaster ABC will premiere Modern Family, an ensemble
comedy that includes a gay male couple raising a baby, in the fall.
While NBC's Southland, which features a gruff gay cop, returns
for a full season in the fall.
Gay Entertainment Report is a feature
of On Top Magazine and can be reached at ontopmag@ontopmag.com.