The Television Academy, in partnership with ReadySet–a leading consulting firms specializing in the creation of more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces and cultures–has released its annual transparency report including membership demographics.
The report is in keeping with the Academy’s commitment to transparency as it pursues its goal of systemic change across the organization. The demographics reported were derived from the updated database of more than 20,000 members, and the metric will be used as a benchmark for tracking the expansive diversity of its membership body year over year.
“This report allows us to annually evaluate representation within our organization, advance our initiatives and outreach, and measure our improvements,” said Frank Scherma, chairman and CEO of the Television Academy. “We also have revised our Mission Statement to reflect the tenets of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility and our commitment to this journey. We continue to believe we have an important role to play in leading industry change.”
The new Television Academy Mission Statement reads, “The Television Academy is dedicated to celebrating excellence, innovation and the advancement of the telecommunications arts and sciences through recognition, education and leadership, while fostering a diverse, inclusive and accessible professional community, building a lasting impact on creative generations to come.”
As part of the commitments outlined in the initial 2021 report, the Academy has implemented holistic and comprehensive training, education and resources for its leadership, including a two-year governor training program focused on allyship skills, inclusive communications, equitable feedback and inclusion.
“Transparency and accountability play a vital role in ensuring diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. The Television Academy has demonstrated its commitment to leadership by sharing information about members’ experiences, their own challenges and the organizational changes they have enacted to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility internally and within the industry at large,” said ReadySet’s CEO and founder Y-Vonne Hutchinson. “The Academy’s long-term vision remains unchanged. This report is evidence of its commitment, and the latest of many steps the Academy is taking on the path to reaching their ambitious goals.”
The Academy’s DEIA task force meets monthly to plan and implement strategy and has set several objectives for the upcoming year including:
- Increasing membership involvement opportunities, including volunteer engagements and affinity groups.
- Developing an accessible and intuitive communications system for members to connect with governors and the Academy.
- Creating varied DEIA learning and training opportunities as well as DEIA resources for members.
- In-person, industry-wide inclusion summits with DEIA and HR professionals twice a year at the Television Academy campus.
Click here to access the Television Academy’s DEIA Transparency Report.
“Overnight Success” Has Been More Than A Decade In The Making For Meghann Fahy and Eve Hewson
Meghann Fahy and Eve Hewson, two of the stars of Netflix's whodunit "The Perfect Couple," have news for you if you want to call them breakouts: They've been working in this business for more than a decade.
Fahy made her TV debut in 2009 in an episode of "Gossip Girl." Hewson's first big film role was in 2011's "This Must Be the Place." They do concede, however, that it's recent TV roles — "The White Lotus" for Fahy and "Bad Sisters" for Hewson — that have led to new frontiers of opportunity.
Susanne Bier, who directed "The Perfect Couple," says both Fahy and Hewson are "going to be big stars."
"They certainly have proper, profound star quality, Both of them in very different ways," Bier says. "Both are incredibly creative, incredibly smart, and also have a impressive insight as to who they are. You can be a great actor or actress and not necessarily really know who you are yourself. And they do."
Hewson, 33, whose dad is U2 front man Bono, may have grown up in a famous family but she's now in demand in her own right. She will next be seen in a second season of "Bad Sisters, " out in November. She's in Noah Baumbach's next film, alongside Adam Sandler, George Clooney and Riley Keough. She's also been cast in Steven Spielberg's next production and is set to star opposite Murray Bartlett in a racing series for Hulu.
Fahy, 34, is in production on a limited series with Julianne Moore and Milly Alcock called "Sirens," written by Molly Smith Metzler ("Maid") for Netflix. She also has two films in the can with Josh O'Connor ("The Crown," "Challengers") and Brandon Sklenar ("It Ends With Us").
The two actors spoke candidly about this phase of their careers. This interview has been condensed for clarity and... Read More