By Jonathan Landrum Jr., Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --The Grammys will stick to its word with the public release of the full inclusion rider to ensure equity and inclusion in hiring on all levels of production for next year's ceremony.
The Recording Academy released on Tuesday an eight-page document detailing the rider's purposes and objectives. The agreement requires producers to recruit and hire more diverse candidates backstage and in front of the camera for the 64th annual awards ceremony on Jan. 31
Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said he's proud of the initiative and hopes the concept can "move the needle." The academy announced the adoption of the inclusion rider in August.
"The inclusion rider is something that will provide an opportunity for people that may not have had one before," he said in a recent interview. "That's really important to me. I wouldn't be here if someone didn't give me an opportunity. I'm trying to make pathways and make sure there's areas for people to work into a system and climb their way through."
The rider requires Grammy producers to audition, interview and hire onstage and offstage people from groups that have been historically and systematically excluded from the industry. Riders are addendums to contracts.
The academy's initiative was created in partnership with several groups including the Color of Change; inclusion rider co-authors Kalpana Kotagal and Fanshen Cox DiGiovanni; Ryan Butler, the founding director of Warner Music/Blavatnik Center for Music Business at Howard University; and Valeisha Butterfield Jones, co-president of the Recording Academy.
Kotagal, a civil rights attorney, said the rider includes four key elements that will drive improvement for representation and equity. She said there's a commitment to diversifying hiring pools, benchmarks and targets for hiring, collection and analysis of applicant and hiring data and strict accountability measures.
"By committing to use the inclusion rider for its 2022 production, the Grammy Awards is not only ensuring a more equitable and diverse hiring process, it is also setting an important standard for inclusivity and representation at award shows moving forward," she said in a statement.
Mason echoed Kotagal's sentiments of holding people accountable and being committed to put in the "real work" to help create a pipeline for diverse talent. He wants to function under the idea of making sure the academy is "inclusive, diverse and equitable."
The term "inclusion rider" was brought into the spotlight in 2018 when Frances McDormand mentioned it during her best actress Oscar acceptance speech. Michael B. Jordan, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Paul Feig and Warner Bros. followed suit by pledging to use inclusion riders in their production projects.
"You're not going to find an organization that cares more about diversity and changing and heading in that direction than us," Mason said. "We are dedicated to that work. I hope we can kind of be a leader in that space and make sure we're doing it in a way that people look and say 'Oh, the academy got that right.'"
The Many Hires Jeremiah Wassom As Group Creative Director
Independent agency The Many has added Jeremiah Wassom as group creative director.
Wassom most recently worked a decade at Deutsch LA where, as SVP/creative director, he led the Taco Bell account and won new business for the agency. His agency past also includes AKQA and TBWAChiatDay. His creative work has touched the QSR, video games, automotive, fashion, and culture brand sectors. He also served eight years with the United States Marine Corps.
“Throughout his career, Jeremiah has helmed work that has not only made me personally jealous but has consistently pushed brands to show up in memorable and innovative ways,” said Josh Paialii, head of creative at The Many. “One look at his body of work and you will see his passion for storytelling and craft has raised the bar for entire categories, driving participation with many brands’ most loyal fans. Beyond being a world-class creative director and maker, Wassom is a proven team player and strategic thought leader. He’ll be a great addition to the leadership team at The Many working across all accounts. His role will be immediately felt as he guides and supports each of the creative leads in the department.”
A 20-year creative with agency, brand, and freelance experience, Wassom has forged a creative approach which focuses on crafting engaging connections rather than simply make ads. He sees the need for advertising to mean more, not simply do more.
The Many believes that true business growth is made possible by harnessing the power of participation and partners with brands to forge deeper connections with consumers, cultivate trust and loyalty, and maximize marketing spend and execution. The agency is built around a flexible model that offers a suite of capabilities, including... Read More