世界经济论坛-反映社会：媒体和娱乐的多样性表现状态（英）-2021.9-34页_9mb

Summary of "Reflecting Society: The State of Diverse Representation in Media and Entertainment" (September 2021)

Core Content

This white paper explores the current state of diverse representation in the media and entertainment industry, focusing on the representation of under-represented groups in content and creative production. It highlights the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) not only for social responsibility but also for financial success and the ability to shape narratives that reflect the real world.

The paper emphasizes the role of media in shaping perceptions, values, and behaviors, and how diverse representation can foster social cohesion and influence consumer behavior. It also outlines the challenges in achieving true diversity and the opportunities for progress across different sectors.

Main Points

1. The Importance of Diversity in Media and Entertainment

• Social Responsibility: Media and entertainment shape societal attitudes and self-perception, reinforcing or challenging stereotypes.
• Consumer Demand: Audiences increasingly prefer diverse content, which can lead to higher engagement and box office revenue.
• Financial Impact: Diverse content can outperform less diverse content in terms of financial success. For example, films with above-average diversity scores received higher ratings.
• Inclusive Language: The report acknowledges that terminology varies by region and community, using "people of colour" and "historically under-represented groups" for consistency.

2. Progress and Challenges Across Sectors

Film and TV

• In-content diversity: There has been progress in the representation of women and people of colour on-screen, with 48% of film lead actors being women and 40% being people of colour in 2020.
• Creative diversity: Despite progress, creative roles such as directing and writing remain predominantly white and male. Only 21% of directors were women, and 25% were people of colour in 2020.
• Awards and Recognition: There is a growing push for structural changes in awards bodies, such as the Academy's 2025 diversity standards. However, progress is still needed to maintain inclusivity.

Gaming

• In-content diversity: Games still lack diverse characters, with only 18% of 2020 games featuring women characters and 11% featuring significant LGBTQ+ storylines.
• Creative diversity: Developers are not as diverse as the growing gamer audience, with only 16% of executives and 24% of non-executive employees being women in top global gaming companies.
• Toxicity and Community: Online gaming communities face challenges such as harassment and discrimination. Initiatives like Blizzard's endorsement system and Valve's AI moderation have helped reduce toxicity.
• E-sports: While e-sports is growing, there is a lack of data on diversity, which needs to be addressed for meaningful progress.

News Media and Publishing

• Audience diversity: News audiences are becoming more diverse, but media coverage still lacks representation of under-represented groups.
• In-content diversity: Books with diverse characters are rare, and LGBTQ+ representation is particularly low in children and teen literature.
• Creative diversity: Newsrooms and publishing houses are not diverse enough, with only 19% of newsroom managers being people of colour and 23% of executives being women.
• Self-publishing: While self-publishing has allowed more diverse voices to be heard, traditional publishers and newsrooms still dominate audience reach.

Sport and Sport Media

• Audience engagement: A significant portion of the US population (72%) are either avid or casual sports fans.
• Representation in sport: There is a need for more diverse athletes and commentators in sport media to reflect the broader population.
• Challenges: Similar to other sectors, sport media struggles with under-representation and the need for systemic change.

Key Findings and Recommendations

• Audience and Content: Diverse audiences prefer diverse content, and diverse content can lead to better financial outcomes.
• Creative Diversity: Diverse creators are essential to producing authentic and representative content.
• Structural Barriers: The industry faces systemic challenges, such as access to unions and networks, which limit opportunities for under-represented groups.
• Opportunities for Change:
  • Diversify Decision-Making: Ensure leadership roles reflect the diversity of the audience.
  • Measurement and Accountability: Use data and transparency to track progress and hold the industry accountable.
  • Discourse and Learning: Foster inclusive dialogue and education to change cultural attitudes and practices.

Conclusion

The media and entertainment industry has the power to reflect and shape society, but it is still far from achieving true diversity in content and creative production. While progress has been made in some areas, such as the representation of women and people of colour on-screen, creative and leadership diversity remains lacking. The report calls for continued efforts to address structural barriers, improve measurement and accountability, and promote inclusive discourse to ensure that the industry evolves in line with the diverse world it influences.