Minority orgs will meet net toppers
Net exex to brief pols, caucuses about diversity
Briefing pols at the afternoon gathering will be top execs from ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC who handle diversity issues for their respective nets. They are ABC senior veep John Rose, CBS senior veep Josie Thomas, Fox senior veep Mitsy Wilson and NBC exec Paula Madison.
Roughly a dozen lawmakers are expected to put in an appearance at the closed-door roundtable, including the chairs of the three caucuses.
"It will be an update on what progress the networks are making in increasing minority representation," one Capitol Hill observer said. "It's the beginning of a dialogue we hope that will continue."
Boycott threats
Away from Capitol Hill, NAACP prexy Kweisi Mfume continues to warn that his org may launch a viewer boycott of one of the four major nets if diversity efforts aren't increased.
Lawmakers are almost certain to quiz Big Four execs about Mfume's concern that diversity still lags, both in front of and behind the camera.
In late May, a multiethnic coalition released a report card claiming the major nets had not yet made good on last year's promises to achieve diversity in programming. NBC received the highest grade with a C, followed by a C- for Fox, D+ for CBS and D- for ABC, with the evaluations based both on shows aired during the past season and upcoming series.
