Samba TV: Representation is a Key Indicator in Viewership

A new study conducted by Samba TV has found that cast diversity is a key indicator of viewership among diverse households, while also highlighting significant underrepresentation among Hispanic and Asian audiences.

The State of Diversity on TV report analyzed representation across the top TV shows of 2023 so far. It has shown that engagement with programming decisions can be boosted with representation in cast composition, storytelling and more.

“The data shows that greater on-screen representation will tend to increase viewership overall and among diverse populations,” said Samba TV CEO and co-founder Ashwin Navin. “Audiences are deeply connected to what they watch on TV. Although we live in the golden age of content, diversity on-screen still does not adequately represent the population in all its identities.”

More than half of respondents said they are more likely to watch a show in which they see themselves represented. The study also found that within the top 50 shows from January to May of this year, 42 percent of the top-billed actors were Hispanic, Black, Asian or another ethnicity such as mixed, while 58 percent were white.

Black households saw the strongest correlation with watching shows with Black leads. Hispanic representation, meanwhile, falls far below U.S. Census levels in linear and streaming; representing just 10 percent of leads versus almost 20 percent of the population. Of note, none of the top 50 shows featured a majority Hispanic cast, compared to multiple shows featuring majority white, Black and Asian leads. The study notes: “With 80 percent of Hispanic people saying diverse content is important when choosing what to watch, content creators and advertisers would benefit from diversifying casts to include Hispanic representation.”

The report continues: “Studios should look to increase representation, particularly with Asian and Hispanic audiences. With more and more of the U.S. identifying as ethnicities other than white, studios will fail to drive interest in new programs if they do not adequately reflect the population. Streamers like Netflix are leaning into diverse representation in their content. Notably, the most diverse streaming shows were all Netflix originals.”