Comcast NBCUniversal Media, LLC is one of the world’s largest entertainment companies. While the company has invested in expanding diversity and inclusivity, it is still subject to recent controversies that the company and the public must not overlook.
Universal owns some of the world’s best box-office performing franchises, such as Fast & Furious, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, and Despicable Me. While Fast and Furious has a strong female and People of Color (POC) presence, the lack of diversity in the other franchises is evident.
Diversity Within Comcast NBCUniversal
The Comcast NBCUniversal’s Workforce Diversity breakdown for 2021 shows that women make up 36.4% of the workforce but 46.7% of new hires. Likewise, 45% of total employees and 56.6% of new hires are POC. 18.3% of employees are Black, slightly decreasing from 19.2% in 2020. They represent 23.1% of new hires. Hispanic/Latino employees comprise 15.4%, an increase from 14.7% in 2020. They represent 19% of new hires.
In leadership positions, female managers are 43.2%, and female directors are 43.5%. In these positions, minority groups are less represented, with 36.1% of managers and 29.4% of directors being POC. 10.6% of managers are Asian or Pacific Islander, 13.1% are Hispanic/Latino, and 9.1% are Black. In director positions, 12.1% are Asian and Pacific Islander, 7.8% are Hispanic/Latino, and 6.8% are Black. Precisely 50% of the Board of Directors are women and POC, with 30% women and 30% POC. Asian and Pacific Islander, Latino/Hispanic, and Black each make up 10%.
Film and television crews are 27.6% women, and new hires are 45.6%. POC make up 17.2% of the crews and 35.1% of new hires. Among actors, women are 40% and POC are 36.4%. Newly hired actors are 53.1% female and 47.6% POC.
Recent Controversies
Florida Anti-LGBT Legislation
Orlando, Florida, houses four Disney-themed parks and two Universal-themed parks. When Florida’s governor signed the controversial Don’t Say Gay law, Disney came under fire not only for not addressing the issue but also for donating to politicians behind the bill. The company eventually apologized to its LGBTQ+ employees and promised to halt contributions.
On the other hand, Universal Studios did not receive the same level of backlash, even though they also donated to these politicians. The Walt Disney Company is a more universally known enterprise, which amounted to more public accountability and feedback. Universal was able to dodge speaking on the law and its donations altogether.
Ads
Peacock streaming service, a division of NBCUniversal, launched in 2020. An ad leading up to its launch was shown at an NFL playoff game showing a brown and a white egg. The ad intended to signal the diverse stories the streaming platform would offer. However, the issue was that the brown egg was placed in a shadow, whereas the white egg had a light cast above it. While it is an undoubtedly harmful ad, it signals a more significant issue within the company’s workforce. This kind of advertisement may result from a lack of diversity training the company offers its employees.
Association with the HFPA
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), responsible for hosting the Golden Globes Ceremony, has been called out for discriminatory behavior and lack of representation. NBCUniversal has held the exclusive right to televise the event for 26 years, paying $60 million annually. Universal has remained silent on the issue while continuing to finance the event.
How is Universal Promoting Diversity and Inclusion?
In 2017, Universal Studios established the Global Talent Development & Inclusion (GTDI) program to strive for more inclusive storytelling across their films. Working under the company’s Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG), they partner with other UFEG companies like DreamWorks Animation and Rotten Tomatoes to obtain new talent and ideas. Under UFEG and GTDI, Universal announced a writing program in 2019 to recruit a diverse pool of talented individuals to push for new stories.
The parks also hire for positions overseeing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). In 2020 the company announced a $100 million plan to combat social injustice and promote equality. In 2021, the company invested $4.6 B on supplier diversity, increasing from $4.2 B in spending in 2020. It is one of the first big companies to have Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) such as the Asian Pacific Americans, Black Employee Network, Indigenous, Out (for members of the LGBTQ+ community), and Unidos (for the Latino community).
In 2020, Universal Parks also spoke out against J.K Rowling’s transphobic tweets, stating, “Our core values include diversity, inclusion, and respect for all our guests, as well as our team members.”
Universal Pictures films that strive for diversity are the Fast and Furious franchise, Get Out, and Brokeback Mountain. Films like Us, Queen & Slim, and Ma have powerful female main characters.
NBCUniversal has addressed some issues of diversity and inclusion in the company structure. They seem to lack a diverse portfolio of films and formal diversity education for their employees. The company has also sneakily gotten away with endorsing right-wing politicians that stand against ideas of diversity and inclusion. Universal should continue its investments to support more inclusivity in the company but must also address its past and recent actions.
