Cablefax The Magazine - October 2021 - 31

D&I MENTORING PROGRAM
Field Ready Program
National Geographic
National Geographic is renowned for using its cameras to tell the
world's stories, but when it turned the lens on itself, it saw a lack of
diversity within the production teams behind its natural history content.
Enter the " Field Ready Program, " which the company unveiled in January
2020 to promote D&I in television production by providing a clear
path for those interested in working behind the camera in TV and film.
The Nat Geo team immediately got to work and by August had its inaugural Field Ready class of 10 filmmakers from around
the world. They receive monthly master classes and digital one-on-one mentorship from big names, such as Wildstar Films
co-founder Vanessa Berlowitz.
The program lives up to its name. Once the Field Ready class graduates, they enter the National Geographic Talent Database,
where they are then given opportunities to work on Nat Geo productions around the world, and eventually become
mentors to other program mentees. Ten mentees a year means National Geographic will influence the careers of 100
diverse individuals in just a decade. Moving forward, Nat Geo is focused on expanding the Field Ready Program to involve
even more diverse voices in additional content fields, including science, adventure and exploration.
Field Ready mentee Maurice
Oniang'o photographing the
Kenya Horned Viper during
his National Geographic
grant project.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CAMPAIGN
Voices Magnified
A+E Networks
A+E Networks is a pro at telling compelling stories that hook the
viewer. So, when it wanted to create a call to action for inspiring
change in the wake of the pandemic and unrest following George
Floyd's murder, it leaned on its storytelling skills. " Voice Magnified "
uses long and short-form programming alongside PSAs and partnerships
to get conversations started.
Topics covered in monthly video profiles are crowdsourced from A+E employees and have included everything from criminal
justice reform to food insecurity. The series features supplemental content online with context to community leaders' contributions
as well as information on the organizations they work with. Voices Magnified has spotlighted leaders such as Lakota
activist Sarah Eagle Heart, who uses storytelling to support Native communities, and Jalen Thompson, a Missouri teen who
organized against police brutality.
With the rise in hate incidents against the Asian American Pacific Islander community, Voices Magnified produced a PSA
spot in support of StopAAPIHate.org and created short-form pieces highlighting the contributions and influence of Asian
Americans and Pacific Islanders on their history, culture, and achievements in the U.S.
The campaign has garnered more than 200 million impressions, with new short-form pieces rolling out each month on-air
and online. Recent network specials have included September's " Voices Magnified: Mental Health Crisis, " showcasing
personal stories of Americans to highlight the critical issue.
Cablefax: The Magazine
October 2021
cablefaxmag.com
31
Sarah Eagle Heart,
CEO of Return to the
Heart Foundation

http://www.StopAAPIHate.org http://www.cablefaxmag.com

Cablefax The Magazine - October 2021

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