Supporting Inclusion in Hollywood

Dr. Stacy L. Smith and the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative collaborated with the Adobe Foundation to create a data-driven tool that would allow the public to understand who has taken inclusion seriously and been a driving force for industry change. Rather than simply relying on anecdotes or nominations, the Inclusion List relies on evidence and data to rank inclusive programming. We seek to inform, challenge, and congratulate the entertainment industry and point out where there is room to grow.

Inclusion Across the Television Landscape

The Inclusion List: Series Edition uses data regarding on-screen and behind-the-camera personnel to determine the 100 most inclusive broadcast and cable series from the 2021-22 broadcast season and streaming series from 2021 to 2023. The 10 highest-scoring series received top honors. We also recognize the most inclusive executive producers across the time frame and series evaluated.

The Sample

We identified every prime time, live action, scripted series airing on broadcast and cable channels owned by major companies in the 2021-22 season and scripted, live action series on major streaming platforms from 2021 to 2023– a total of 564 series in all. Points were awarded when series met our inclusion criteria, described in the full methodology. A series could earn up to 5 points for cast inclusion based on 5 indicators (gender, race/ethnicity, LGBTQ+, disability, age). Points were awarded when the percentage of series regular characters for each indicator reached or exceeded proportional representation. It was also possible for a film to earn up to 1 point for each behind the camera position evaluated – 10 in total. Points were awarded based on the percentage of women and people of color in each of the 10 positions examined. The positions were: Director, Writer, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor, Composer, Production Designer, Costume Designer, Casting Director, Assistant Director.

The Television Series Inclusion Lists

BROADCAST/CABLE

Top 100 Broadcast & Cable Series

Ranking the most inclusive broadcast & cable series (2021-2022)

STREAMING

Top 100 Streaming Series

Ranking the most inclusive streaming series (2021-2023)

ALL PLATFORMS

Executive Producers

The people responsible for the most inclusive series

Partnership

Dr. Stacy L. Smith and the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative collaborated with the Adobe Foundation to create a data-driven tool that would allow the public to understand who has taken inclusion seriously and been a driving force for industry change. We seek to inform, challenge, and congratulate the entertainment industry and point out where there is room to grow.