Study: HBO leads on TV in showing gay characters

[Behind the Aegis]

Source: AP

NEW YORK (AP) -- HBO scored highest among 15 networks for its representation of gay characters last season, according to a report released Monday.

In its third annual Network Responsibility Index, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation found that of HBO's 14 original prime-time series, 10 included content reflecting the lives of gay, bisexual and transgender people. That totaled 42 percent of the network's programming hours, in series such as "True Blood," "Entourage" and "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency."

By contrast, on NBC and CBS only 8 percent and 5 percent, respectively, of prime-time hours included them, the report said.

For the report, GLAAD reviewed all prime-time programming - totaling 4,901 hours - for inclusion of such characters or issues on the five major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and the CW) from June 1, 2008, to May 31, 2009. The study also examined all original prime-time programming - 1,213 hours - on 10 prominent cable networks. The programming included dramas, comedies, unscripted fare and newsmagazines.

Cable's Showtime ranked second, with 26 percent of its programming hours featuring gay characters or themes. Series included "The L Word," "Weeds" and "The United States of Tara," a new comedy about a family whose teenage son is gay.



Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TV_GAY_CHARACTERS?SITE=NCWIN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[LeftistGorilla]

1. I ordered HBO Canada....

when it was first available a couple of monthes ago....

I think it's great....
But they skimp out on shows like the Boxing 24/7 series....
They never air it on HBO Canada...

[xchrom]

2. recommend

[Oregone]

3. I thought Fox News would

They have a bunch of angry, confused, closeted hypocrites as newscasters.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. Depiction of gay characters is not the same as employment

of gay talent,and closeted talent is not 'gay talent'. Fox News has no openly gay people at all. So they'd come in last.
I know it was a joke, but these are things I take very seriously. HBO should get high praise for the number and nuance of their gay characters, year after year.

[fujiyama]

5. The characters are also well acted

and they are featured in prominent and often times strong roles.

The two I can think of are Six Feet Under and The Wire. Both David and Keema are very important characters and their personal lives are shown in the same light as heterosexuals.

Oh and both shows kicked ass. The Wire is probably my favorite show of all time and SFU had the best finale I've ever seen.

[Skittles]

9. so they are depicted as real human beings

that is very good indeed :thumbsup:

[Devil_Fish]

6. don't people have better things to study? NT

[Behind the Aegis]

7. So, this isn't important?

Actually, it is quite important.

[Skittles]

8. it's important

sad you do not understand that