UCLA Study Exposes Lack of Diversity in Streaming Industry

Continued Lack of Diversity in Streaming TV Creators and Performers

A recent report from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has highlighted a persistent lack of diversity among creators and performers in top streaming television series in 2024. The findings reveal that the representation of women and people of color remains significantly underrepresented both behind and in front of the camera.

The UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report on streaming television was conducted by the university’s Entertainment and Media Research Initiative. It analyzed the top 250 television series — including comedies and dramas — available for streaming during 2024. These included newly created programs as well as older shows still accessible through streaming service libraries.

Representation Among Show Creators

Of the programs that had a clearly defined show creator, 79% were led by white men. Nearly 92% of all show creators were white, with only 3.3% being Black, 2.5% Asian, and 1.1% Latinx. Men made up 85% of all show creators, indicating a significant gender imbalance.

According to the report, “the gender gap for white show creators remained staggering.” White men alone accounted for nearly eight out of 10 (78.9%) of all show creators among the most-watched, scripted television shows in 2024. While their numbers were smaller overall, Black and Latinx males outpaced their female counterparts as scripted show creators. However, multiracial women outnumbered their male counterparts, though this group's overall count was minimal. Among Asian and Native scripted show creators, there were no female show creators among the top scripted shows.

When looking specifically at current programs — excluding older series still available on streaming services — the diversity numbers did not improve. Of the 109 current scripted shows, only 17 had a creator who was a person of color (15.6%), and 27 had a female creator (24.8%).

Underrepresentation Among Lead Performers

The numbers were equally concerning when it came to lead performers in streaming series. “Among the most-watched streaming comedies and dramas in 2024, virtually four-fifths of lead actors were white (79.6%),” the report found. Black (8.3%), Latinx (3.3%), Asian (2.2%), and multiracial (5.5%) persons were all underrepresented among streaming leads of top streaming comedies and dramas in 2024.

Just over one-third (34.3%) of lead characters in the top series were female in 2024, a decrease from 39% the previous year.

Storylines and Underrepresented Communities

Historically under-represented communities also received little recognition in the storylines of the programs analyzed. “Out of the top 250 streaming shows in 2024, about two-fifths or 39.2% featured one or more of these underrepresented stories,” according to the report. When considering only scripted shows, the percentage jumped to 43.7%, and when focusing solely on live-action comedies and dramas, the percentage increased to 52.5%.

Concerns About Future Trends

The report’s authors concluded that despite progress over the past decade in increasing representation of women and people of color both on screen and behind the camera, “there appears to be a scaling back of these efforts throughout Hollywood in 2024.”

“Rolling back on diversity on screen is a clear risk,” the report warns. “Studios may think they can take these groups for granted. However, those under 18 years old are already majority-BIPOC (Black, Indigenous People of Color) and will soon grow into the target demographic for ad-supported programming. They are part of younger Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and they do not consume media and entertainment the same way as older generations. It would appear vital for streamers producing traditional format TV programs to appeal to future potential subscribers with stories that they may find relatable and appealing. Studios and networks can do this by investing in creatives from diverse backgrounds and producing their stories.”