Like many people in the media industry, I\u2019ve been thinking about diversity and representation a lot lately. I grew up never seeing faces like mine in the American and British shows I watched with my family.<\/p>\n
The 1993 film Bhaji on the Beach<\/em>, about a group of British Indian women, was a revelation to me. I had spent my whole life acutely feeling like the other, the outsider, grappling with living between two cultures. Gurinder Chadha\u2019s brilliant film said, Yes, your story matters, you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n That was 25 years ago and there are days when I\u2019m honestly not sure how much progress has really been made. Because we\u2019re still talking about it, aren\u2019t we? We\u2019re talking about why representation matters\u2014shouldn\u2019t that just be a given? Why wouldn\u2019t television fully, accurately reflect the diversity of cultures and sexual orientations and economic backgrounds and body shapes and political viewpoints that make societies great? Why would we ever have to ask if diversity is a good thing? How could it not be? Study after study has demonstrated why we\u2019re still not where we\u2019re supposed to be when it comes to representation behind, and in front of, the camera. But the supersized MIPCOM edition of TV Drama<\/em> has much to feel good about when it comes to how this particular genre is embracing broad spectrums of society. Greg Berlanti\u2019s shows have been lauded for their diverse casts. We hear from S.W.A.T.<\/em>\u2019s Shemar Moore about how his show has helped to diversify the U.S. broadcast network landscape. Chris Chibnall talks about Jodie Whittaker being cast as the first female Doctor in Doctor Who<\/em> history. Fremantle\u2019s Sarah Doole discusses how her company is putting an emphasis on fostering women directors and producers. ITV Studios\u2019 Maria Kyriacou notes that the industry has never been more open to new ideas than it is now. You\u2019ll hear a similar sentiment from Emmy-winning actor Matthew Rhys as he talks about his latest project, Death and Nightingales<\/em>. And Japanese producer Hisashi Tsugiya shares his perspective on the importance of representing societal issues in the shows he\u2019s making for Nippon TV.<\/p>\n