Nielsen revealed a study indicating Black viewers’ viewership and production contribution to the media industry, highlighting the significant influence popular Black shows have made and the need for further inclusion among content and its creatives. “No longer merely a source of entertainment, information or even inspiration, TV consumption in Black households has become essential to how we cope, connect and endure in the midst of COVID-19 and the layered crises that have disproportionately impacted black and brown communities during the last year.”
Screen time figures reveal that Black men make up 17.82% of total broadcast views, while Black women make up 6.95%. For cable, Black men contribute 4.53% of total views, while Black women contribute 2.52%. For streaming, Black men make up 9.58% of total views, while Black women contribute 9.31%. “As African Americans navigate these challenges, the role of television content has become heightened,” Nielsen said.
More representing titles have been released across a great variety of broadcast networks, streaming services, and bundles. Black creatives continue to seek investment opportunities, both in terms of consumption and production. Catalog diversity further promotes the inclusion of Black consumers. “For the rest of America, the isolation of prolonged social distancing has perhaps hinted at the isolation many diverse populations have long felt from being underrepresented in the office, at school, or even in public policy,” Nielsen said.
The large chunk of viewership increases the production and distribution of TV content representing the Black community, which has been pioneered by hit shows like “A Different World” and “The Cosby Show.” “Parity in representation is important, but TV isn’t always about reflecting reality,” the researcher said. “It’s often a way to escape it. This makes the expansion of the stories, themes and roles Black women and Black men inhabit, both in front of and behind the camera, just as critical. “
Parity in representation is important, but TV isn’t always about reflecting reality. It’s often a way to escape it. This makes the expansion of the stories, themes and roles Black women and Black men inhabit, both in front of and behind the camera, just as critical. ” Nielsen
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