Nielsen begins tracking diversity, inclusion in TV
Ratings titan Nielsen has begun tracking inclusion in television to accelerate diversity and equity in media.
The audience measurement and data analytics firm launched Gracenote Inclusion Analytics on
Feb. 17 to deliver “unprecedented visibility into the gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation of talent appearing in TV programming and the audiences watching it,” it said.
The initiative combines entertainment metadata with Nielsen’s audience measurement data. It’s designed to equip creators, owners, distributors and advertisers with data around onscreen diversity and representation to enable inclusive content.
“The entertainment industry has a massive challenge ahead — to ensure the talent associated with programming mirrors today’s diverse audiences,” said Sandra Sims-Williams, Nielsen’s senior vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion in a statement.
“By democratizing information around representation, Gracenote Inclusion Analytics holds the power to push the industry toward better balance and a more equitable future,” Sims-Williams said.
In December, a “Being Seen on Screen” report from Gracenote and Nielsen found streaming shows featured more diverse identity groups than broadcast or cable, which could be fueling a migration to the platforms.
The proprietary metrics from Gracenote, a Nielsen company, will assess the degree to which different identity groups are featured and how that reflects viewing audiences.
The data will also offer clients insights about talent appearing in broadcast, cable and subscription TV programs. Future enhancements, Nielsen said, will expand coverage to include theatrical films and behind-the-camera talent.
“Audiences today seek out programs that highlight people who resemble them and experiences that reflect their own,” added Tina Wilson, head of analytics at Nielsen. “It’s critical the industry create authentic content which resonates with underrepresented groups.”
The metrics will look at share of screen (SOS),
which quantifies an identity group’s representation on screen among the top recurring talent — women, Black, LGBTQ+, for example; Inclusion Opportunity Index, which compares the share of screen metric to the identity group’s representation in estimates; and the Inclusion Audience Index, which compares share of screen for a group to their representation in the program’s viewing audience.
That information, Nielsen said, could assist distributors in highlighting content in their catalog to feature diverse female leads for Women’s History Month. Or a studio can use the tool to evaluate whether its content meets diversity, equity and inclusion benchmarks set by Nielsen to highlight programs for licensing opportunities.