CBS Studios, NAACP Partner to Develop Content That Grows Diverse Voices and Inclusive Stories

Matt Webb Mitovich
·2 min read

CBS Television Studios and the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) have formed a multi-year partnership to develop and produce scripted, unscripted and documentary content for both linear television networks and streaming platforms.

The news comes just days after the CBS broadcast network declared its intention to earmark at least 25 percent of its script development budget for projects created or co-created by Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), while also aiming for 40 percent BIPOC representation in writers’ rooms.

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Per the agreement announced Wednesday, CBS Television Studios’ creative leaders will work with the NAACP to establish a dedicated team of executives and infrastructure to acquire, develop and produce programming. The partnership will focus on producing “premium content that expands the number of diverse voices contributing to an ever-evolving society, and by telling inclusive stories that increase the visibility and impact of Black artists in a growing media landscape.”

“An important way to diversify and grow our storytelling is to expand our horizons beyond the traditional studio-producer system,” CBS Entertainment Group president and CEO George Cheeks said in a statement. “There is no better partner than the NAACP – the preeminent civil rights organization in our country – to help us find, develop and tell these inclusive stories.

“At the same time, this is a strategic opportunity for CBS to build upon as well as re-imagine our pipeline for existing and emerging creative talent,” Cheeks added.

“In this moment of national awakening, the time has never been better to further tell stories of the African American experience,” said NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson. “Programming and content have the power to shape perspectives and drive conversations around critical issues. This partnership with CBS allows us to bring compelling and important content to a broad audience.”

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