Seeing ourselves Reflections on diversity in Australian TV drama
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Seeing ourselves Reflections on diversity in Australian TV drama
Contents
© Screen Australia 2016
ISBN: 978-1-920998-32-5 Introduction 1
Executive summary 2
The text in this report is released subject to PART 1. Setting the scene 6
a Creative Commons BY licence (Licence).
1.1 About this report 6
This means, in summary, that you may
reproduce, transmit and distribute the 1.2 The Australian population 7
text, provided that you do not do so for
commercial purposes, and provided that PART 2. Benchmarking diversity 8
you attribute the text as extracted from
Seeing Ourselves: Reflections on diversity
2.1 Cultural background 10
in Australian TV drama, Screen Australia, 2.2 Disability status 15
2016. You must not alter, transform or build 2.3 Sexual orientation and gender identity 17
upon the text in this publication. Your rights
under the Licence are in addition to any fair 2.4 Diversity behind the scenes 19
dealing rights which you have under the
Copyright Act 1968 (Cwlth). PART 3. Challenges and opportunities 20
For further terms of the Licence, please 3.1 Commissioning and production 21
see http://creativecommons.org/licenses/
Risky business 21
by-nc-nd/3.0/. You are not licensed to
distribute any still photographs or videos Channelling the audience 22
contained in this document without the Who’s pitching diversity? 24
prior permission of Screen Australia.
Expanding opportunities online 24
Metropolitan TV ratings data is copyright
3.2 Writing for diversity 25
to OzTAM and Regional TV ratings data is
copyright to RegionalTAM. Data may not be Towards authenticity 25
reproduced, published or communicated in Getting diversity into the script 26
whole or part without the prior consent of
OzTAM or RegionalTAM.
The importance of research and consultation 27
3.3 Casting and performance 28
Cover image: Love Child
Barriers to diverse casting 28
The talent pool 29
Who plays what? 30
Researching roles 33
PART 4. International comparisons 34
4.1 Overseas experiences 34
4.2 International benchmarking 37
Appendices 38
Introduction
Underbelly: Infiltration
criticising the glacial pace of change in the diverse) Australians because there were
Whose stories are our TV sector. so few ‘avatars’ for them on television. He
TV dramas exploring? What declared: “if tonight means anything it's
Australia has one of the most culturally
experiences are their creators diverse populations in the world, with at
that as far as the Australian public, our
audience, is concerned, there's absolutely
drawing from? What kinds of least 32 per cent from non-Anglo-Celtic
no reason why that couldn't change.”
characters are we asked to backgrounds. Further, more than one in
10 Australians now identify with diverse TV drama, of course, is not ‘real life’. It
identify with? Who is being cast sexual orientation or gender identity; and is developed, commissioned, financed,
in roles that seek to capture our just under one in five people report having scripted, cast, directed, edited,
imaginations? a disability. programmed and marketed as a carefully
constructed product. Any number of
The image of Australia that is reflected Commentators are questioning why our
decisions along this pathway shape the
to us on television has been the subject of TV dramas are not reflecting the diversity
final content that reaches our screens.
much recent debate, headlined by some that is now such a ubiquitous feature of
What is influencing these decisions around
impassioned speeches at the television our workplaces, schools, commutes and
which stories matter, what audiences
industry awards night, the Logies. neighbourhoods, and, for many of us, our
want and, indeed, what characters our
own family backgrounds.
In her 2015 Logies acceptance speech audiences will and can identify with?
Aboriginal actor Miranda Tapsell called Is the TV production industry merely
This report aims to provide useful
for Australia’s screen industry to “put responding to consumer demand and
benchmarks for the industry on questions
more beautiful people of colour on TV audience expectations? Screen Australia’s
of diversity. It also explores some of
and connect viewers in ways which 2013 Hearts & Minds study revealed
the potential barriers that have limited
transcend race and unite us”. The 2016 a perception amongst audiences that
change. We know this is an issue that will
Logies saw further voices added to mainstream Australian content failed to
require an industry-wide approach. The
this, including Waleed Aly’s powerful reflect the multicultural reality of urban
support for this study across the industry
acceptance of his Gold Logie award on life. At the Logies, after winning the
has suggested a great willingness to
behalf of all the people in the industry popular award, Aly said he felt that his
engage with the issues – we seek to carry
with “unpronounceable names” and Hall nomination carried the expectations of
this enthusiasm and momentum forward.
of Fame new entrant Noni Hazelhurst many CALD (culturally and linguistically
1
Executive summary
Television matters Little Lunch
because it is so much a part
of contemporary daily life,
and television drama matters
in particular because of its
capacity to create emotional
connections, insight and identity.
It reflects our sense of who we
are as a society, and who we
might be.
Screen Australia is seeking to establish
benchmarks for current levels of diversity
in Australian TV drama through analysis of
the main characters in five years’ worth of
programs. The study also draws on a series
of surveys and face-to-face consultations
were on screen for a significant proportion set out in the Sex Discrimination Act 1984,
to explore the challenges and opportunities
of the running time. The average number which was revised to incorporate sexual
involved in making TV drama more broadly
of characters analysed was eight, orientation, gender identity and intersex
representative of Australian society.
excluding the serials Home and Away status in 2013.
Diversity, by definition, is about (Seven) and Neighbours (Ten) where the
How did we do it?
multiplicity and means different things average was 36, due to their long-running
in different contexts and to different nature (around 117 hours of each screened Each character’s cultural background
people. The ultimate aim is that all of the per year) and large ensemble casts. was established using a set of indicators –
many and varied voices in the Australian the character’s name, family background,
Screen Australia identified the main
community have the opportunity to be story elements, language spoken, accent
characters using program websites and
represented though screen content, and visible attributes. Disability, sexual
other publicity materials, and verified
regardless of things such as gender, age orientation and gender identity were
each list of main cast with the relevant
group or where they live. established primarily through story
broadcaster. See appendix 3 for a full list
elements, as well as visual cues where
The research focuses on three aspects of programs analysed.
relevant. All character analysis was
of diversity: cultural background,
Each character was examined to identify verified by the relevant broadcasters.
disability status and sexual orientation/
cultural background, disability status and
gender identity. See ‘Scope’, page 6, for The cultural backgrounds of the 988
sexual orientation or gender identity.
further discussion. actors who played the 1,961 main
Four broad classifications were used to roles were also analysed. Each actor’s
Benchmarking define cultural background: Australian
Indigenous, Anglo-Celtic, European and
own country of birth and that of their
parents were identified, initially through
on-screen diversity non-European. These categories follow direct surveying of the actors, through
those established by the Australian Human their agents and through the Media
The benchmarking in this study is based
Rights Commission1 as appropriate in light Entertainment and Arts Alliance. Where
on analysis of 1,961 ‘main’ characters
of Australia’s demographic history, and direct responses were not available,
from 199 Australian TV dramas broadcast
reflecting the main waves of immigration public sources were used including official
on public, commercial free-to-air and
that have primarily shaped the composition biographies and media quotes.
subscription television between 2011 and
of Australian society today.
2015. Children’s dramas and comedies Following the lead of the Australian
were included, but animations were Identification of disability followed the Human Rights Commission, we have
excluded due to the number of non-human definition set out under the Disability erred on the side of counting more
characters. Discrimination Act 1992, incorporating cultural diversity than less. Where
physical, psychological, intellectual and someone has mixed heritage we have
‘Main’ characters were defined as those
sensory limitations, restrictions and favoured counting them as European
who appeared in each episode, give or
impairments, whether temporary or rather than Anglo-Celtic, or as non-
take a small margin. For telemovies and
permanent. European rather than European. Again,
ensemble shows such as It's a Date they
the cultural backgrounds of actors were
were the characters with a significant Identification of sexual orientation and
checked and verified by the relevant
number of speaking lines and/or those who gender identity followed the definitions
broadcasters.
2
Executive summary
For more information about The numbers • Characters identified as Indigenous
methodological classifications see Australians were comparatively well
Overall, the results show that a number
‘Definitions’, page 6. represented, at 5 per cent, compared to
of Australia’s minorities and marginalised
their proportion of the population (3 per
Examples of how this process worked in communities are under-represented in
cent).
practice help to show how some of the TV drama compared to the population,
• Children’s programs and comedy tended
distinctions between a character’s and an in particular people of non-European
to show a higher level of diversity
actor’s cultural background are important backgrounds such as Asian, African
amongst main characters than dramas
in discussions of how cultural diversity or Middle Eastern, and people with
as a whole, and were in particular more
is experienced and perceived through TV disabilities. On the other hand Indigenous
representative of characters from non-
drama, and the incidence of ‘colour-blind’ Australians are well represented on-
European backgrounds.
casting. screen compared to their proportion of
the population. Children’s programs and How does the cultural mix of the actors
• Firass Dirani has Lebanese
comedies tended to show a higher level of playing these roles compare to the
heritage2, so as an actor he
diversity than dramas as a whole. Australian population?
is categorised as being of
non-European background. Cultural diversity • Broadly, the backgrounds of the actors
His role as Justin Baynie in taking main roles reflected the categories
How does the cultural mix of characters
House Husbands (Nine) was categorised of the characters they are playing.
compare to Australian population?
as non-European, based on the character’s • However, there was a slightly greater
surname (which can be considered as • The cultural diversity of the Australian cultural mix amongst the actors, with
having Lebanese origin), combined with population is not currently reflected more identified as European (9 per cent)
the casting of Dirani in the role. His role in the main characters in TV dramas. and non-European (10 per cent) than
as Gary Montebello in The Straits (ABC) People of non-Anglo-Celtic background amongst the characters (6 per cent and
is categorised as European based on the were represented in drama programs 7 per cent respectively). This points to a
story elements of the program (Gary is the at just over half the rate that they are degree of ‘colour-blind casting’, where
orphaned son of a cousin of the English/ present in the population: actors of European or non-European
Maltese protagonist, Harry). - 32 per cent of Australians have a first- background have played characters of
or second-generation background Anglo-Celtic background.
• Don Hany has Hungarian and
other than Anglo-Celtic, compared to • Five per cent of actors identified as
Iraqi heritage3, so as an actor,
only 18 per cent of main characters in Indigenous (matching the number of roles).
he is categorised as being of
TV dramas from the last five years.
non-European background. How many programs incorporated
• People from European backgrounds
His role as Zane Malik in cultural diversity?
such as Greek or Italian, and from
East West 101 (SBS), is defined within the
non-European backgrounds such as • Overall, 36 per cent of programs had main
story as a character of Middle Eastern
Asian, African or Middle Eastern, were casts entirely comprising characters of
Muslim background and was therefore
significantly under-represented: Anglo-Celtic background.
categorised as non-European. His roles as
- 6 per cent of characters were identified • That also means 64 per cent of programs
Chris Havel in Offspring (Ten), Joe Cashin
as from European backgrounds, included at least one main character
in The Broken Shore (ABC), Adam Bourke
compared to 12 per cent of the from a non-Anglo-Celtic background.
in Devil’s Dust (ABC) and Bishop Vincent
population • Indigenous characters were
Quaid in Devil’s Playground (Foxtel) were
- 7 per cent of characters were from non- concentrated in fewer programs than
all categorised as Anglo-Celtic, as there
European backgrounds, compared to 17 characters from European or non-
were no defining features of these roles
per cent of the population. European backgrounds.
that identified them otherwise.
• Jonathan LaPaglia Cultural backgrounds of characters, and the actors who played them,
has Italian and Dutch in Australian TV drama, compared to the Australian population
heritage4, so as an actor,
Anglo-Celtic European Non-European Indigenous
he is categorised as being
of European background.
Population 67% 12% 17% 3%
His role as Greek-Australian Hector
in The Slap (ABC) was categorised as
European. And his role as Doctor Patrick TV drama
characters 82% 6% 7% 5%
McNaughton in Love Child (Nine) was
categorised as Anglo-Celtic.
Actors playing
characters 76% 9% 10% 5%
For further discussion of the combination of
these two measures of cultural background 0 20 40 60 80 100
– analysis of actors and characters – see Based on 1,961 main/recurring characters and the actors who played them across 199 TV drama programs broadcast
2011 to 2015. Australian population based on 2011 Census of Population and Housing.
‘Benchmarking diversity’ page 8.
3
Executive summary
What types of roles?
Characters with disability in TV drama compared to the Australian population
• There’s evidence that we’ve moved
beyond much of the stereotyping of With a disability No disability
minority cultural groups of the past, as
examples of all occupational categories Population 18% 82%
were present across characters of all
cultural backgrounds.
TV drama
Disability status characters 4% 96%
How does the number of characters with 0 20 40 60 80 100
disability compare to the Australian Based on 1,961 main/recurring characters across 199 TV drama programs broadcast 2011 to 2015. Australian population
population? based on Australian Bureau of Statistics, Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings, 2012
• Disability is very much under-
LGBTQI characters in TV drama compared to the Australian population
represented in TV drama compared to
the Australian population. LGBTQI Others
• 18 per cent of Australians are estimated
to have a disability. By comparison only 4
Population 11% 89%
per cent of main characters in Australian
TV dramas were identifiably characters
with a disability. TV drama
characters 5% 95%
• It should be noted that, like cultural
backgrounds, disabilities in the 0 20 40 60 80 100
population – and therefore amongst Based on 1,961 main/recurring characters across 199 TV drama programs broadcast 2011 to 2015. Australian population
characters – may not necessarily be based on Department of Health, Australian Government, National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI)
Ageing and Aged Care Strategy (2012).
apparent. However, our study focussed
on main characters where these
orientation, sex or gender identity. Commissioning and
characteristics generally appeared on-
By comparison, only 5 per cent of production
screen in some way. Given that the rate of
characters were identifiably LGBTQI.
disability in the population increases with Ideally there would be:
• It should be noted that, just as a
age, the low representation of disability
character could have a cultural • Opportunities for broadcasters to
on-screen may also reflect a focus on
background or disability that isn’t commission programs from a wide range
characters in younger age groups.
immediately obvious, a character’s of creatives of different backgrounds.
How many programs included sexual orientation, sex or gender identity • A diversity of backgrounds among
disability? is not always evident. However, our study decision-makers as well as producers,
focussed on main characters where directors and writers.
• 10 per cent of the programs included at
these characteristics generally appeared • Capacity within the market to develop and
least one character with disability among
on-screen in some way. showcase a wide range of talent, both on-
the main characters.
screen and behind the scenes.
• For the titles that had main characters How many programs included LGBTQI
• A better understanding of how
with disability, those characters characters?
audiences of different backgrounds see
accounted for between 4 per cent and
• 27 per cent of programs included at least themselves and find relevance in TV
38 per cent of the program’s main
one LGBTQI character among the main drama characters and stories, and how
characters.
characters. to harness the appetite for diversity in TV
Sexual orientation and • Most programs that had LGBTQI main content.
gender identity characters had only one. • Recognition of the potential for diverse
content to engage large (and sometimes
How does the number of characters of
diverse sexual orientation and gender Challenges and untapped) audiences.
identity compare to the Australian
population?
opportunities Challenges
• TV drama is expensive to make, so it’s
A series of surveys and face-to-face
• LGBTQI – lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, difficult to take risks with new and
consultations drew on views and
queer (or questioning) and intersex – different programs.
experiences from both sides of the
characters are under-represented in • Audience appetites have driven TV drama
camera to explore the challenges and
TV drama compared to the Australian towards a reduced volume of high-cost,
opportunities involved in making TV
population. short-run shows, so there are fewer
drama that reflects the diversity of
• Up to 11 per cent of Australians are opportunities to experiment with new and
Australia today.
estimated to be of diverse sexual different programs.
4
Executive summary
• There’s a commercial imperative to Casting and performance Opportunities
focus on audience size, and a
To facilitate casting for diversity, ideally • Decision-makers and drama
perception that Australian ‘niche’
there would be: commissioners are open to incorporating
audiences are not large enough in
greater diversity in their TV drama
themselves to warrant programs • Enough diverse talent to stimulate the
slates – not just because it’s the ‘right’
produced ‘for’ them. creation of characters, including lead
thing to do, but because they recognise
• There are some perceptions that cast – with minority actors as ‘bankable’
that diversity opens up opportunities to
audiences and the market have a low as any other actor, once established.
engage audiences with a vast range of
tolerance for diversity, especially when • A talent pool deep and mature enough
interesting characters and storylines.
they perceive it to be ‘worthy’. (and a production environment open
• There are examples of successful
• On the other hand, audiences who don’t enough) to enable characters with a
programs across all networks that
find content that’s relevant to them may scripted background to be played mostly
both ‘normalise’ and provide authentic
move away from broadcast television to by actors of the same background.
insights into many of our minority or
online or multichannel options. • Actors from diverse backgrounds able
marginalised communities.
• Real or perceived broadcaster resistance to freely audition for and be cast in any
• There’s growing evidence of a ‘diversity
to diversity may be preventing diverse role where ethnicity or minority status is
dividend’, with domestic examples and
content coming through the door in the not specified.
international studies establishing the
first place. • A production environment that
success of programs that have found
accommodates research, consultation
Writing for diversity new ways to engage with diversity.
and support for diversity.
• The commercial value of diversity
To facilitate writing for diversity, ideally
Challenges is already being recognised in the
there would be:
advertising sector.
• Attracting performers of diverse
• A range of stories that provide insights • Online content, with its low costs,
background to grow the talent pool, when
into diverse communities and life low barriers to entry and capacity
there are few role models – you ‘can’t be
experiences, as well as those that to aggregate niche audiences
what you can’t see’.
‘normalise’ diversity by including it more internationally, shows the potential
• Ensuring those in the industry have
incidentally. power of niche or special interest content
opportunities to demonstrate talent and
• Authenticity as the basis for all to reach large audiences.
maintain and improve their craft skills.
characters and stories. • Authentic stories and characters can
• Respecting and supporting authenticity in
• Opportunities for writers with personal inspire mainstream audiences to identify
casting characters of diverse background.
experience of the cultures and issues with ‘heroes’ of diverse background, as
• Overcoming assumptions of default
portrayed. viewers of diverse background identify
casting as Anglo-Celtic and without
• Effective collaboration through with conventional protagonists. In this
disability.
partnerships and consultation with way on-screen diversity not only has the
• Limited scope for research and
communities. potential to engage audiences, it can also
consultation to ensure authentic
• A greater level of comfort and generate connection and empathy, and
performances.
confidence around incorporating shift perceptions of ‘otherness’.
diversity into scripts.
More work to do…
Challenges
This study commenced toward the end Indigenous futuristic drama Cleverman
• Getting the balance right around who can
of 2015, when conversations about on- screened on the ABC. And The Secret
and should write which stories.
screen diversity, both in Australia and Daughter, a drama led by Indigenous
• Building realistic diversity into storylines
overseas, were building and attracting actor/singer Jessica Mauboy, is
where relevant, and keeping an open
increasing levels of attention. scheduled for broadcast on Network
mind about character backgrounds to
Seven later this year.
encourage diverse casting. The benchmarks published here cover
• Having confidence that scripted diversity programs broadcast up until the end of So the industry is already moving toward
will not fall away as projects move to 2015. Since then, we have seen some a greater embracing of diversity in TV
casting and production. high-profile examples of diversity in drama and an understanding that, when
• Ensuring proper collaboration and local TV drama – in January, The Family done well, diversity can deliver resonant
consultation to avoid tokenism and Law, a comedy about a dysfunctional stories and commercial value. However,
stereotyping. Chinese-Australian family, screened the data reminds us that while there are
• Recognising network concerns about risk on SBS; in February Here Come the strong examples across all Australian
without self-censoring; meeting them Habibs, a comedy about a Lebanese broadcasters of programs that draw
head on to pitch and create audience- migrant family moving to an affluent on, reflect and ‘normalise’ many of our
engaging drama that naturally reflects neighbourhood, premiered on the marginalised communities, they are still
Australian diversity. Nine Network; and in June the the exception rather than the rule.
5
Part 1. Setting the scene
TV remains one of our
most ubiquitous forms of
media. According to recent
media consumption studies,
Australians watch an average
of three hours every day, mostly
within seven days of broadcast.6
And TV drama, with its capacity
for generating emotional
connections, reactions and
insights, offers tremendous
opportunities for building
cohesion and understanding
across Australia’s diverse
The Slap
communities.
1.1 About this • a series of surveys seeking the views
and experiences of:
• where possible, provide comparability
to international and previous Australian
report - actors and actor’s agents
- casting directors
analysis.
Until now, there has been little Definitions
- screen practitioners with disability
comprehensive evidence to inform
- the credited writers, producers and ‘Main’ characters were defined as those
discussions of diversity on TV. Harvey
directors of the 199 programs in the who appeared in each episode, give or
May’s Broadcast in Colour: Cultural
benchmarking analysis take a small margin. For telemovies and
Diversity and Television Programming in
• face-to-face consultations with the ensemble shows like It's a Date they were
Four Countries for the Australian Film
drama departments at all of the the characters with a significant number
Commission found in 1999 that 23 per
broadcasters, industry associations, of speaking lines and/or those who were
cent of actors in sustaining roles were
training institutions, community arts on screen for a significant proportion of
from culturally diverse backgrounds – up
organisations and advocacy groups. the running time. The average number of
from an estimated 2 per cent in 1992. A
characters analysed was eight, excluding
2001 update then found that 26 per cent of See appendices for more details on
the serials Home and Away (Seven) and
actors had culturally diverse backgrounds. methodologies.
Neighbours (Ten) where the average
These increases were found to be
Scope was 36, due to their long-running nature
significantly enabled by second-generation
(around 117 hours of each screened per
immigrants taking up acting as a career, One of the biggest challenges was settling
year) and large ensemble casts.
although there were no sustaining roles on the appropriate parameters within
for actors of Asian backgrounds. The 1999 which to measure and analyse diversity in In TV drama, diverse backgrounds and
study included two Indigenous actors a coherent way, when the ultimate aim is experiences may be incorporated through
(Aaron Pederson and Heath Bergerson) that all of the many and varied voices in the the stories, the characters or the actors,
compared to none in 1992. Australian community have the opportunity or any combination of these, and we have
to be represented though screen content. attempted to incorporate all of these
In embarking upon this new research,
Diversity, by definition, is about multiplicity elements into the research.
Screen Australia has sought to:
and means different things in different
Categorisation of actors and characters
• benchmark the current level of diversity contexts and to different people.
drew on definitions supported and
in Australian TV drama, through analysis
In deciding on the attributes to be promoted by advocacy groups and the
of the main or recurring characters and
analysed, we have aimed to: Australian Human Rights Commission.
the actors playing them in 199 Australian
• address the main areas of concern See page 8 for more information about
TV dramas (those that had their first
regarding under-representation in categorisation methodology. Due to
broadcast on commercial free-to-air,
Australian screen content; subjectivity around the application of
public or subscription television between
• use the most encompassing and recent these definitions, there may be cases
2011 and 2015);
definitions that are supported and where the background of a character
• explore the challenges and opportunities
promoted by the relevant advocacy or actor is unknown or has been mis-
involved in making TV drama more
groups and by the Australian Human categorised. All reasonable efforts have
representative of the diversity of
Rights Commission; been taken to minimise such cases.
Australian society through:
6
part 1. SETTING THE SCENE
Cultural background Sexual orientation and gender had at least one parent born overseas.8
identity For this study, data on overseas countries
Four categories have been used throughout
of birth from the 2006 and 2011 Census
this report to capture cultural diversity. The term LGBTQI is used in this report
has been mapped according to the
These categories are those used by the to encompass people of diverse gender
categories used for the TV drama analysis,
Australian Human Rights Commission and/or sexual orientation. LGBTQI refers
i.e. Anglo-Celtic, non-English-speaking
in its Leading for Change report (July to lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer (or
European and non-European (see at left).
2016). As the Commission noted in that questioning) and/or intersex.
report, “It is not suggested that these The proportion of Australians of non-
Definitions follow those set out in the Sex
categories are the only ones that can be Anglo-Celtic background has been
Discrimination Act 1984, which was revised
used. We use them because they reflect, growing, reaching around a third of the
to incorporate sexual orientation, gender
if only roughly, the cultural mix introduced population in 2011. The growth has been
identity and intersex status in 2013.
to Australian society in historical terms driven by an increase in people of non-
(British colonisation, post-Second-World European background.
War mass immigration from Europe, and
non-European immigration following the
1.2 The Australian Disability status
end of the White Australia policy).” population According to the Australian Bureau of
Statistics,9 in 2015 there were 4.3 million
• Anglo-Celtic: Those of Anglo-Celtic
This section summarises the available Australians with disability, or 18.3 per cent
heritage, based on country of birth of
data on diversity across the population. of the total population.
the person and both of their parents,
These measures are used as the basis for
where this is known; otherwise based on Sexual orientation and
evaluating the results reported throughout
specified criteria. gender identity
this report.
For example, people of English, Irish,
In 2012, the Department of Health and
Scottish, Welsh heritage from Australia, Cultural background
Ageing estimated that Australians of
the UK, Ireland, North America, New
According to the 2011 Census of diverse sexual orientation, sex or gender
Zealand or South Africa.
Population and Housing, 48 per cent of identity may account for up to 11 per cent
• European: Those with a background Australians were either born overseas or of the Australian population.10
from non-English-speaking European
countries, based on country of birth Figure 1. Aspects of diversity in the Australian population
of the person or at least one of their
parents, where this is known; otherwise
Cultural background:* Anglo-Celtic European Non-European Indigenous
based on specified criteria.
For example, people of French, Greek,
Italian, Swedish heritage. 2006 71% 12% 14% 2%
• Non-European: Those with a
background from countries outside
Europe, excluding those of Anglo-Celtic
2011 67% 12% 17% 3%
background from the US, UK, Canada,
New Zealand and Australia; based on
0 20 40 60 80 100
country of birth of the person or at least
one of their parents, where this is known; Disability status:† With a disability No disability
otherwise based on specified criteria.
For example, people of Indian, Chinese,
Middle Eastern heritage. 2015 18% 82%
• Indigenous: Any Australians who
identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait 0 20 40 60 80 100
Islander. Sexual orientation/gender identity: ‡ LGBTQI Others
Disability
2012
The definition of disability in this report (estimate)
11% 89%
follows that set out under the Disability
Discrimination Act 1992.7 It incorporates 0 20 40 60 80 100
physical, psychological, intellectual and * Screen Australia analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data; excludes people where cultural
sensory limitations, restrictions and background was not stated - 10 per cent in 2006 and 8 per cent in 2011.
impairments, and covers temporary,
†
ABS, Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: First Results, 2015, Cat no. 4430.0 10.001
‡
Department of Health and Ageing, National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI)
permanent, past and future disabilities as Ageing and Aged Care Strategy, 2012
well as those imputed on an individual.
7
Part 2. Benchmarking diversity
This research started with a
simple question: how diverse
is Australian TV drama?
While that sounds like a
straightforward exercise of
quantifying and analysing, it’s
wrapped around a whole range
of highly subjective issues
including perception, personal
identification and individual
experience of the world.
The last research published on cultural
diversity on television, Harvey May’s
Broadcast in Colour, focused on the
cultural heritage of actors cast in seven
commercial Australian TV dramas of
the time.
Today, Australia is even more diverse Winners & Losers (Seven) features Sophie Wong, a
and complex in its social structures,
conversations around diversity and character of Chinese heritage, played by Melanie Vallejo.
inclusivity have progressed, broadened
and amplified, and TV drama has changed attributes of the actor playing the role, and whether there was evidence of
significantly in terms of structure, which can be more revealing in some stereotyping, we also looked at the
subject matter, distribution, audience cases than others. For example, an actor occupational status of main and recurring
engagement and industrial environment. of Danish or French background may not characters, classified into 11 groups.
So the measures required to inform the be identifiable as being of that heritage
Background of the actors
conversation around on-screen diversity if he or she performs with an Australian
today need to be broader than just a focus accent, whereas an actor of African or Analysing the background or attributes
on the actors. Asian heritage may be visibly recognisable of the actors playing these characters
as such. Although fewer characters may addresses the issue from an industrial
In order to address as many current
end up being categorised this way as perspective, exploring access to casting
concerns as possible, we chose a
‘European’, the results would still broadly opportunities for all performers, as well
combination of measures in analysing on-
align with audience perceptions of on- as the audience’s access to a full range of
screen diversity.
screen diversity, which is the point of this faces, bodies and voices on-screen.
Character attributes aspect of the analysis.
Each actor’s own country of birth and
Analysing the background or attributes of To explore something about the types that of their parents were identified,
the characters from TV drama programs of characters depicted on our screens, primarily through direct surveying of the
provides information squarely from the actors, through their agents and through
audience perspective, gauging the range the Media Entertainment and Arts
of stories and character perspectives Alliance. Where direct responses were
experienced through these programs. not available, public sources were used
including official biographies and media
Characters were categorised based on a
quotes. Actors were not asked to identify
set of indicators – story elements, visible
in terms of disability or sexual orientation.
attributes, and, in the case of cultural
We sought personal views and experiences
background, name, family, language
in relation to these issues through surveys.
spoken and accent – with the results
confirmed by the relevant broadcasters. Actors playing characters
Such an approach means that where In the case of cultural diversity, the
there were no indicative story elements, combination of these two measures –
a character’s cultural background was based on analysis of actors and characters
Black Comedy
identified subjectively through the – takes on board some of the nuance
8part 2. Benchmarking diversity
around cultural identification, while still
resulting in a set of definable benchmarks.
It also helps identify cases of ‘colour-
blind’ or ‘generic’ casting – where
characters of undefined background are
cast with actors of diverse backgrounds.
Examples of how this process worked in
practice help to show how some of the
distinctions between a character’s and
an actor’s cultural background are
important in discussions of how cultural
diversity is experienced and perceived
through TV drama, and the incidence of
‘colour-blind’ casting.
• Firass Dirani has Lebanese
heritage11, so as an actor he
is categorised as being of
non-European background.
His role as Justin Baynie in
House Husbands (Nine) was categorised
as non-European, based on the character’s
surname (which can be considered as
having Lebanese origin), combined with
the casting of Dirani in the role. His role
House Husbands (Nine) None of the measures employed in this
study is definitive or beyond dispute
as Gary Montebello in The Straits (ABC) features the gay character, in relation to individual examples.
is categorised as European based on the
However, the combination provides
story elements of the program (Gary is the Kane (played by Gyton as comprehensive and considered an
orphaned son of a cousin of the English/
Maltese protagonist, Harry). Grantley), raising a child approach as possible to understanding
the degree to which our TV drama
• Don Hany has Hungarian with his partner. content reflects the diversity of
and Iraqi heritage12, so as Australia today.
an actor, he is categorised Concentration of diverse
as being of non-European characters per program
background. His role as
We also looked at the drama programs
Zane Malik in East West 101 (SBS), is
themselves, to see how many
defined within the story as a character
incorporated no main characters from
of Middle Eastern Muslim background
diverse backgrounds, and whether
and was therefore categorised as non-
the diverse characters we identified
European. His roles as Chris Havel in
were concentrated in a few programs
Offspring (Ten), Joe Cashin in The Broken
or distributed broadly across many
Shore (ABC), Adam Bourke in Devil’s Dust
programs.
(ABC) and Bishop Vincent Quaid in Devil’s
Playground (Foxtel) were all categorised This analysis should not be seen as a
as Anglo-Celtic, as there were no defining measure of the focus or impact of
features of these roles that identified diversity in storylines. In a program
them otherwise. such as Mabo, for example, only two of
the nine main characters were written as
• Jonathan LaPaglia
(and cast with) Indigenous Australians.
has Italian and Dutch
But the story revolved around Torres
heritage13, so as an actor, he
Strait Islander man Eddie Koiki Mabo and
is categorised as being of
his successful legal battle to bring about
European background. His role
native title legislation, so its significance
as Greek-Australian Hector in The Slap
as a story of Indigenous Australia is
(ABC) was categorised as European. And
indisputable. And importantly, the
his role as Doctor Patrick McNaughton
program was produced by an
in Love Child (Nine) was categorised as
Indigenous team.
Anglo-Celtic.
9part 2. Benchmarking diversity
2.1 Cultural Figure 2. Cultural backgrounds of main characters in Australian TV drama
broadcast 2011 to 2015, compared to the Australian population
Background Anglo-Celtic European Non-European Indigenous
An estimated 32 per cent of Australians
have a cultural background other than
Population 67% 12% 17% 3%
Anglo-Celtic, as defined for this study
(see page 7). However, across the 199
Australian TV drama programs broadcast TV drama 82% 6% 7% 5%
over the last five years, only 18 per cent characters
of main characters had non-Anglo-Celtic
0 20 40 60 80 100
backgrounds.
Based on the identifiable cultural backgrounds of 1,961 main/recurring roles across 199 TV dramas broadcast 2011 to 2015.
As Figure 2 shows, people from European
backgrounds and from non-European Figure 3. Cultural backgrounds of the actors playing main characters in Australian
backgrounds (such as Asian, African or TV drama broadcast 2011 to 2015, compared to the characters they played
Middle Eastern), were significantly under-
represented, at 6 per cent and 7 per cent Anglo-Celtic European Non-European Indigenous
of characters respectively, compared to 12
TV drama 82% 6% 7% 5%
per cent and 17 per cent of the population. characters
Interestingly, children’s programs
and comedy (see page 13) were more
Actors playing 76% 9% 10% 5%
representative in terms of characters characters
from non-European backgrounds than the
programs as a whole. 0 20 40 60 80 100
Based on 1,961 main/recurring characters and the actors who played them across across 199 TV drama programs
At 5 per cent, Indigenous Australians broadcast 2011 to 2015. Australian population based on 2011 Census of Population and Housing.
were comparatively well represented as
characters compared to their proportion Indigenous characters were more characters performing physical comedy,
of the population (3 per cent). See ‘Long concentrated in fewer programs than three of whom were from China.
time coming’, page 12, for a discussion of characters from European or non-
Fourteen titles had between a quarter
support for Indigenous talent. European backgrounds, as Figure 4 shows.
and half of their main cast made up
Broadly, the backgrounds of the actors Eight programs had 50 per cent or more of characters with non-European
taking main roles reflect the categories Indigenous main characters: 8MMM background, such as children’s drama
the characters they are playing. However, Aboriginal Radio, Black Comedy, Gods of Dance Academy (ABC), set in an elite
as Figure 3 shows, there is a slightly Wheat Street, Ready For This, The Straits dance school, and East West 101 (SBS), the
greater cultural mix amongst the actors, and two series plus the telemovie of fictionalised portrayal of a multicultural
with more identified as European (9 per Redfern Now. All of these were made for crime squad in western Sydney.
cent) and non-European (10 per cent) than the ABC.
Most (56) of the total 75 programs
amongst the characters (6 per cent and
The rest of the 33 programs with with main characters of non-European
7 per cent respectively). This points to a
Indigenous main characters featured background featured only one or a few
degree of ‘colour-blind casting’, where
only one or a few such characters. such characters. These ranged from
actors of European or non-European
These included Love Child (Nine, children’s mockumentary Little Lunch
background have played characters of
Martha Tennant), Offspring (Ten, Cherie (ABC, Melanie), Devil’s Playground (Foxtel,
Anglo-Celtic background. See page 31 for
Butterfield), The Broken Shore (ABC, Father Matteo), Time of Our Lives (ABC,
insights into ‘colour-blind’ casting from
Paul Dove and Bobby Walshe), The Code Chai Li Tivolli), Winners & Losers (Seven,
our surveys and consultation.
(ABC, Tim Simons and Clarence Boyd) and Sophie Wong) as well as Home and Away
Five per cent of actors identified as Neighbours (Ten, Nate Kinski). (Seven, Elijah Johnson) and Neighbours
Indigenous, matching the number of (Ten, members of the Kapoor family).
Five programs had main casts
roles, which indicates that Indigenous
predominantly from non-European Twelve programs had between a quarter
characters have generally been played by
backgrounds: Better Man (SBS), based and half of their main cast made up of
Indigenous actors.
on the true story of Van Nguyen, The characters with European background.
Looking at the incidence of cultural Principal (SBS), set in a multicultural boys’ This includes programs such as The Slap
diversity in individual programs reveals a high school in south-west Sydney, kung (ABC) based on the book by Christos
significant proportion (36 per cent) that had fu comedy Maximum Choppage (ABC), Tsiolkas, which had strong ‘incidental’
main casts entirely made up of Anglo-Celtic Chris Lilley’s mockumentary Jonah from cultural diversity amongst its characters,
characters, and many programs with only Tonga (ABC), and the children’s program Danger 5 (SBS) a comedy set in the 1960s
one character from another background. Hoopla Doopla! (ABC), which featured six about a group of spies from different
10part 2: BENCHMARKING DIVERSITY
Figure 4. Distribution of main characters from non-Anglo-Celtic backgrounds across the 199 programs analysed
199 programs
15
Overall… 36% of programs had no
10 non-Anglo-Celtic main
341 non-Anglo-
Celtic characters characters
across 127 5
programs
0
15
83% of programs had
94 Indigenous no Indigenous main
main characters 10
characters
across
33 programs 5
0
15
62% of programs had no
136 non- 10 non-European main
European main
characters
characters
across 5
75 programs
0
15
69% of programs
111 European 10 had no European main
main characters characters
across
61 programs 5
0
Based on the identifiable cultural backgrounds of 1,961 main/recurring roles across 199 TV dramas broadcast 2011 to 2015.
countries on a mission to kill Hitler, and Neighbours (Ten, eg Toadfish Rebecchi), office-based’ and ‘Manual, retail and small
Underbelly: Infiltration (Nine), a true-crime Home and Away (Seven, eg Bianca Scott), business’ roles.
drama based around Melbourne’s Calabrian Packed to the Rafters (Seven, eg Nick
Indigenous characters had proportionally
mafia. Karandonis), Offspring (Ten, eg Zara
more ‘Leaders’ than the other cultural
Perkich) and Rake (ABC, eg Nicole Vargas).
Three programs had main casts that were groups, reflecting characters in Redfern
half made up of European characters and Character status Now, Mabo, The Broken Shore and The
these shows were largely set overseas: Secret River (all ABC). Indigenous
The good news is that while there are areas
An Accidental Soldier (ABC), the story characters also had the highest proportion
of over and under-representation, there
of an Australian soldier in WW1 France, of cultural/sporting roles, and of undefined
don’t seem to be dominant stereotypes in
Mary: The Making of a Princess (Ten), the roles (these are roles that are primarily
terms of occupational status. Examples of
biography of Australian Mary Donaldson defined by their relationships to other
all occupational categories were present
marrying into the Danish royal family, and characters rather than their occupations).
across all cultural groups. See figure 5.
children’s drama In Your Dreams (Seven),
The higher results in the ‘Criminal’
about Australian teenage twins spending Anglo-Celtic characters were slightly
category for non-Anglo-Celtic characters
time with relatives in a German castle. more evident than other groups in ‘Legal’
were most heavily influenced by crime
and ‘Medical’ roles, while European and
Most of the titles that had main characters thriller The Straits (ABC, for Indigenous
non-European characters were more
of European background – 46 of the total characters), the Underbelly franchise (Nine,
strongly represented in ‘Professional,
of 61 – had just one or a few characters for characters of European background)
office-based’ occupations. Characters with
of European background (ie up to 25 per and Maximum Choppage (ABC, for non-
European background were particularly
cent of main characters). These included European characters).
strongly represented among ‘Professional,
11Figure 5. Occupational status of characters from each cultural group
Anglo-Celtic European Non-European Indigenous
25
22% 22%
21%
20 18%
16%
15% 15% 15%
15 13%
14%
13%
12%
11%11% 11%
10%
10 9%
8% 8% 8% 8% 8%
7% 7% 7%
6% 6%
5%
5 3%
4%
3% 3%
2% 2%
1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
0
Leader Legal Medical Professional, Manual, retail Cultural and Military Criminal Other Undefined
office-based & small business Sporting
Programs do not include children’s programs or sketch comedy. Analysis does not include 194 characters where occupational status is not applicable (eg students, children,
supernatural characters). ‘Undefined’ refers to roles such as family, friends, neighbours.
Long time coming – behind the increasing visibility of Indigenous screen talent
At the 2011 Census, it was estimated that of Indigenous talent and stories. From created numerous critically acclaimed
Indigenous Australians represented 2.5 Indigenous media associations such as short films, documentaries and features.
per cent of the Australian population. But CAAMA and Goolarri Media, to federal Several Indigenous actors (such as
Indigenous actors playing Indigenous funding agencies the Australian Film Deborah Mailman, Aaron Pederson and
characters in Australian TV dramas over Commission (AFC), Film Australia, Film Ernie Dingo) have been working in TV
the last five years are represented at Finance Corporation (FFC) and now drama for many years. The blossoming of
double that rate, accounting for 5 per Screen Australia, state and territory new Indigenous-led TV dramas in recent
cent of all main or recurring characters. screen agencies, the ABC and SBS, years has created opportunities for many
Compare this with the results of Harvey and institutions such as AIATSIS and more Indigenous stories and faces to
May’s 2002 analysis, which reported no AFTRS. The AFC’s Indigenous Branch, in grace our screens.
Indigenous actors on screen in 1992 and particular, played a crucial role. Formed in
An important by-product of the
only two in 1999 (Aaron Pederson and 1993, it built on the skills base established
success of Indigenous-led film and
Heath Bergerson). by the Indigenous media organisations
television content (see page 23) is that it
in the 1980s to provide stepping stone
This development hasn’t occurred showcases the star-power of Indigenous
programs that involved practical
organically. actors, who then go on to be cast in main
professional development coupled with
roles in mainstream commercial dramas
Although there were 33 dramas production funding.
– such as Miranda Tapsell’s multi-Logie
broadcast between 2011 and 2015
A wealth of Indigenous talent has come Award winning role in Love Child on the
that featured at least one Indigenous
through those and other organisations and Nine Network.
character, most of the characters were
concentrated in eight programs – 8MMM
Aboriginal Radio, Black Comedy, Gods
of Wheat Street, Ready For This, The
Straits and two series plus the telemovie
of Redfern Now. All of these were made
by Indigenous screen practitioners for
the ABC, supported by its Indigenous
Department, which was established
in 2010 to develop and commission an
expanded slate of prime-time Indigenous
drama and documentary.
Many of the Indigenous people involved
in making these programs – both behind
and in front of the camera – were assisted
in their careers by decades of work from The Gods of
many individuals and organisations Wheat Street
dedicated to supporting the development
12part 2: BENCHMARKING DIVERSITY
Children’s drama – towards the Figure 6. Cultural backgrounds of main/recurring characters in
‘new normal’ children’s vs adult dramas broadcast 2011 to 2015
Of the 199 Australian drama programs
Anglo-Celtic European Non-European Indigenous
broadcast between 2011 and 2015, 25
were children’s programs, accounting
for 150 of the total 1,961 main or recurring Population 67% 12% 17% 3%
characters analysed. Animated programs
have been omitted from this analysis TV drama 82% 6% 7% 5%
because of the number of non-human (1,961 characters)
characters.
Children's
While children’s programs accounted for programs 75% 5% 13% 7%
a small proportion of total programs and (150 characters)
characters, they showed a higher level
Adult programs
of diversity than programs for adults. (1,811 characters)
83% 6% 6% 5%
Non-European characters in particular
had a higher level of representation 0 20 40 60 80 100
in children’s programs, at 13 per cent Based on 1,811 main/recurring characters across 174 dramas for adults and 150 main/recurring characters across
compared to 6 per cent for programs 25 dramas for children broadcast 2011 to 2015.
for adults.
Thirteen of the 25 children’s programs Figure 7. Cultural backgrounds of main/recurring characters in
comedy vs non-comedy dramas broadcast 2011 to 2015
featured main or recurring characters
of non-European background: two Anglo-Celtic European Non-European Indigenous
seasons of Dance Academy (ABC),
The Elephant Princess series 2 (Ten),
Population 67% 12% 17% 3%
a gURLs wURLd (Nine), Hoopla Doopla
(ABC), Lightning Point (Ten), Little Lunch
(ABC), two seasons of Mako Mermaids Adult programs 83% 6% 6% 5%
(1,811 characters)
(Ten) and two seasons of You’re Skitting
Me (ABC). Most were visibly recognisable
as being of non-European background, Comedy
(428 characters)
80% 4% 12% 4%
rather than being identified through
subject matter or storylines. And nearly
all were young characters. Non-comedy
(1,383 characters) 83% 6% 6% 5%
Encouragingly, this comparatively
high level of incidentally diverse casting 0 20 40 60 80 100
of young actors of mainly Asian and Based on 428 main/recurring characters across 48 comedy dramas and 1,383 main/recurring characters across 126
non-comedy dramas broadcast 2011 to 2015.
African background presents Australian
children with content that is a little
more reflective of the reality of the Five per cent of characters were
Australian population, in a context where identifiable as being of European
non-European heritage is normal and background, the same proportion as
unremarkable. It also bodes well for programs for adults. For the children’s
increasing the talent pool of actors of dramas, almost all were characters
non-European background in Australia, with German backgrounds from the two
as long as roles continue to be available seasons of In Your Dreams (Seven), a
to the young actors as they move out of gURLs wURLd (Nine) and series 2 of My
children’s programs into ‘grown up’ roles. Place (ABC).
Seven per cent of main or recurring The higher degree of cultural diversity – at
characters in children’s dramas were least in relation to characters of non-
Indigenous Australians, higher than European and Indigenous background –
the five per cent for adult dramas. They means the programs have more potential
appeared in two of the 25 programs – to both reflect children’s own communities
My Place series 2 and Ready For This and expand their experiences of the world.
(both ABC).
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