Cablefax The Magazine - October 2021 - 9

ent for identifying pop culture phenomena and developing content that will tap into the zeitgeist, like the " 90 Day Fiancé " franchise
and " Dr. Pimple Popper. " The world may have changed dramatically over the last few years, but not all of those changes have been
bad. " Most dramatically, there is not just talk of wanting to see more diversity on screens-we're actually in a climate that's allowing
it to happen, " he says. " There is true support across the industry to increase the development of nonfiction stories that prioritize
diversity. " At TLC, that has included featuring same-sex couples in the 90 Day Fiancé franchise, the GLAAD Media Award-winning
series " I Am Jazz " following a transgender teen advocate and overseeing last year's launch of " Doubling Down with the Derricos, " a
show focused on an African American family with 14 children, including quintuplets, triplets, two sets of twins and two singletons.
Wonya Lucas
President & CEO | Crown Media Family Networks
Lucas has been a force for change at Crown Media since joining the company last year. She's been vocal
about the need for Hallmark stories to have themes that viewers of all ages, ethnicities, genders and
sexualities can relate to. The company is set to diversify its programming even more with the launch of the
Mahogany content offering. When it launches on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries in early 2022, viewers can expect
to see the themes of human connection, family and community examined through the lens of Black culture. " I often cite a quote
by Maya Angelou which I will paraphrase: 'People will forget what you said and did, but they will never forget how you made them
feel,' " she says. " Regardless of the message, you can keep a person's dignity intact, whether challenging them or inspiring them. "
Michael Powell
President & CEO | NCTA - The Internet & Television Association
It's been a busy year for the cable industry's largest lobbying group, and Powell has been a prominent
voice on everything from the Biden infrastructure plan to the push toward 10G. He continues advocating for
efforts that promise to put a sizable dent in the digital divide, including a permanent direct subsidy for lowincome
families in need of broadband and connected devices. Powell has long been a vocal supporter of
the industry's DEI efforts, and was especially impressed by NCTA members' actions during the social unrest of the summer of 2020.
" It's been a very tough year for workforce issues in general because of the pandemic, " he says. " I was proud to see so many of our
companies step up with financial, human and content resources in the move toward social justice and equity in 2020, and we should
root for all of those initiatives to continue and grow. " The former FCC chairman is well-respected outside of the industry as well: he
was elected chair of the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees in February.
Dalila Wilson-Scott
EVP & Chief Diversity Officer | Comcast Corporation
President | Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation
Wilson-Scott is at the top of all of Comcast's DEI-related activities, working with her teams to drive the
company toward a more inclusive future. She's long used every resource around her to make a difference
and continues to think of creative ways the company can make lasting impacts in the communities it
serves. In June, Comcast committed $10 million to build equity in credit unions serving people of color through Inclusiv's Racial Equity
and Resilience Investment Fund. Through the investment, Wilson-Scott hopes to take a swing at the long-standing racial wealth gap
caused by generations of systematic racism. She has also sought out research partnerships that can unlock data that will lead to better
experiences for diverse workers. One such example is Comcast NBCU's work with nonprofit Jobs for the Future on research to identify
practices and policies to create optimal conditions for the promotions of Black workers in tech.
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Cablefax The Magazine - October 2021

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