Stories

Pride month 2022 is here! Established in June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots, Pride month represents a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, take stock of the  struggles its faced against discrimination and harassment, and reflect on the impact that LGBTQ+ people have made on history—including on screen. While there is still progress to be made, LGBTQ+ television characters, shows, plots, and issues have made important advances over the past decades. 

Over the past few years, the issues of police brutality and civil rights have come to a head, notably in the worldwide protests after the murder of George Floyd in 2020. For many, the issue wasn’t new, it was a reality that had been by and large ignored for decades. In the years since, many cable TV programmers have renewed their focus on addressing systemic failures that disproportionately impact Black Americans, including HBO with the new limited series, “We Own This City.”

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, a time when the U.S. pays tribute “to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America's history and are instrumental in its future success.” With television being a bellwether of cultural change, AAPI Heritage Month is also the right time to reflect on the representation of members of the Asian and Pacific Islander community on television and behind the screens.

Joanie and Chachi, Rachel and Ross, Carrie and Mr. Big, Rainbow and Dre: the best TV couples of every generation become their own household names. As TV has added cable networks and then streaming apps in recent decades, this list of best TV couples has not only gotten larger, but it has also expanded to include more diversity in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. Although there remains a long way to go to achieve true onscreen equity, greater representation is something to be celebrated. And as Valentine's Day fast approaches, we decided to put together our own list of the best and most diverse TV couples that have kept us clicking the “next episode” button.

February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate African Americans’ triumphs, innovations, and the fight to achieve equality throughout our country’s history. And that struggle isn't only reserved for the history books. For decades, Black directors, writers, and showrunners have worked hard to break barriers on television, from the groundbreaking African American sitcoms of the 1970s to the premiere of Black Entertainment Television (BET) in the 1980s and The Oprah Winfrey Network in early 2011. But how are Black TV stars shaping the media landscape today? Let’s take a look at some of the talented Black directors, writers, producers, and actors who are reinventing American entertainment—and the shows that you’re not going to want to miss. 

From a tech and entertainment standpoint, there’s plenty to be excited for in 2022. From expanded broadband access, widespread adoption of Wi-Fi 6, and production of cutting-edge content taking place across the country, our future is both fast and entertaining!

At its heart, television does much more than entertain—it offers a chance to expand our horizons and learn about other cultures and ways of being. For this reason, diverse representation on television is critical, raising awareness, empowering individuals of historically oppressed groups, and expanding career opportunities for underrepresented groups in entertainment. And it turns out that most of us agree. According to a new report from ViacomCBS, 79% of all viewers say more diversity is needed on screens.

It’s no secret that television was a vital part of our lives during the COVID pandemic. Through the long days and nights of quarantines and lockdowns, being able to unwind in front of our favorite series, specials, and movies kept us entertained and connected to the outside world. Cable TV networks also have another critical role to play: bringing back our economy. As our communities begin to rebound, the jobs and investments provided by the industry are doing an outsized part to fuel that swing.