CBS draws fire for diversity track record

BEVERLY HILLS — CBS took heat for its poor track record of diversity in casting lead roles in its new series, but entertainment chief Glenn Geller defended the network’s progress.

Its five new fall series are led by five white men and white executive producers, a stark contrast to its broadcast rivals, which have steadily improved their representation of blacks, Latinos and Asian-Americans.

“We’re very mindful at CBS about the importance of diversity and inclusion,” Geller said at the Television Critics Association press tour Wednesday.  “We need to do better, and we know it. In terms of leads we are less diverse than we were last year.”

But in recent weeks the network has hastily cast 11 diverse actors among 16 hired for new supporting roles, mostly in returning shows. The list includes Wilmer Valderrama and Jennifer Esposito on top drama NCIS; Adam Rodriguez and The Talk’s Aisha Tyler on Criminal Minds; Boris Kodjoe on Code Black; and Nelsan Ellis on Elementary.

“That’s our commitment to diversity; that’s not just words, it’s our action,” said Geller, who was on the defensive as most of the questions in a 15-minute Q&A session focused on the topic. He denied the additions were the result of criticism leveled at the network after it unveiled its fall schedule in May:  “We’re not trying to make up for something; that’s what we do.”

He touted midseason drama Doubt, which stars Katherine Heigl but features Laverne Cox as the first transgender actress hired as a series regular on network TV. And he said CBS was “on track” to have more diversity among directors.

But he sidestepped a question from Paste BN about whether he’d make a more specific commitment to diversity in casting the 2017 crop of shows. “Our goal is always to try to get more diverse; we did not meet that goal in terms of leads; but overall we are getting more diverse, and that’s where I want to take the network.”