GLAAD Reports Find Less LGBT Characters on TV This Year
TV

FOX and ABC Family are given 'Good' marks, while History and TBS receive 'Failing' grades with no representations of gay or lesbian characters on any of its shows last season.

AceShowbiz - GLAAD has released two reports, the seventh annual Network Responsibility Index and the 18th annual Where We Are on TV report. The organization finds no "Excellent" network during the 2012-2013 season that ended earlier this year, indicating the need for more diverse LGBT characters and stories.

FOX is the most inclusive broadcast network with 42|percent| of primetime programming hours having included LGBT images, showing the most improvement from the previous year. It receives a "Good" rating. ABC comes in second place with 33|percent| of inclusive hours, also earning a "Good" rating.

ABC Family is the most inclusive cable channel with 50|percent| of its original programming including LGBT impressions or storylines. FX follows in second place with 40|percent| of inclusive hours.

Other networks receiving "Good" ratings are The CW, MTV, NBC and Showtime. CBS, FX, HBO, TLC, TNT and USA are deemed "Adequate", while History and TBS receive "Failing" grades for not including any LGBT characters or storylines on any of its shows last season.

Despite the "Good" scores, GLAAD finds a drop of LGBT scripted series regulars this year, from 4.4|percent| last year to 3.3|percent|. ABC and FOX are the only networks to show increases this year and have the highest percentage of LGBT characters at 5.4|percent| each. Of the 46 LGBT regular and recurring characters on broadcast networks, half are women and 28|percent| are people of color.

On cable, HBO will have the most characters with a total of 11, followed by Showtime with 8 characters. Of 42 regular LGBT characters on cable, 39|percent| are women and 29|percent| are people of color.

"Though the number of LGBT characters dropped this season, shows like 'The Fosters', with an interracial female couple raising a family, and characters like Unique on 'Glee' have not only moved the conversation about LGBT people forward, but are also a hit with audiences," says GLAAD spokesperson Wilson Cruz.

He adds, "Our television images not only reach American audiences, but countless others around the world. It is time for the television networks to make new and groundbreaking LGBT stories a priority once again."

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