November 15, 2022
The Geena Davis Institute, in partnership with Google Research, hosted the Institute’s annual symposium, What Families Are Seeing: Analyzing a Decade of Diversity in U.S. Television at Google's New York office, revealing trends in representation across a decade of U.S. television children's programming.
Speakers and Panelists
- Madeline Di Nonno: President and CEO, Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media
- Komal Singh: Senior Program Officer, Google Research
- Meredith Conroy, Ph.D.: VP, Research and Insights, Geena Davis Institute
- Krishna Somandepalli, Ph.D.: Software Engineer, Google Research
- Shri Narayanan, Ph.D.: University Professor, USC
- Saara Chaudry, Actor, “Muppets Mayhem”, “Dino Dana”
- Mounia Aram, Founder, Mounia Aram Company
- Traci Paige Johnson, Creator, “Blues Clues” and “Gabby’s Dollhouse”
Event Highlights:
- The event kicked off with Komal Singh and was followed by insightful analyses and presentations, including the presentation of the Institute’s 2022 See Jane Report by Dr. Meredith Conroy, which examined the state of representation in children's TV shows over the past ten years.
- Krishna Somandepalli and Shri Narayanan delved into the technology behind the analysis, showcasing the Represent Pipeline and its capabilities for future research in media diversity.
- A distinguished panel moderated by Institute President & CEO Madeline Di Nonno, included Saara Chaudry, Mounia Aram, and Traci Paige Johnson, sharing their experiences and insights on diversity and representation in the entertainment industry, focusing on children's content.
Key Takeaways:
- There has been progress in diversity and gender representation, especially in children's programming, but challenges remain in ensuring broad and inclusive representation across all media.
- Technological advancements, like the Represent Pipeline, are crucial for analyzing and understanding trends in media representation at scale.
- The importance of authentic and diverse storytelling was a recurring theme, highlighting the need for narratives that reflect the real-world diversity of audiences.
Actionable Insights:
- Media creators and stakeholders should leverage data-driven insights to make informed decisions that promote diversity and inclusivity in programming.
- Collaboration between technology providers, research institutions, and media companies is vital to sustain and enhance the progress in representation.
- Industry players should actively seek and promote stories that offer diverse perspectives and experiences to foster a more inclusive media landscape.
The event not only provided a platform for sharing groundbreaking research but also sparked meaningful conversations on the future of representation in media, urging attendees to advocate for and contribute to a more diverse and inclusive entertainment industry.
