Cablefax The Magazine October 2022 - 31

Blake Callaway
GM, IFC, Sundance TV and
BBC America
AMC Networks
There's still a whole world of LGBTQ+
content left to explore, and Callaway
wants more programmers to start
diving in. " Where is the legal drama
or procedural show with the gay lead,
the queer network sitcom, the diverse
lineup of LGBTQ+ stories, or numerous
Hollywood theatrical releases? "
he says. He's asked his team to step
up and answer that call, producing
documentaries like " The Lesbian Bar
Project " that takes a closer look at
those dying institutions and " Woman
on Fire, " the story of the first openly
transgender NYC firefighter. He's
the Executive Champion of the PLUS
employee resource group, which includes
LGBTQ+ employees and allies
that support diverse hiring, community
outreach, representation and personal
and professional development.
Favorite media milestone in LGBTQ+
history? Each milestone builds on the
past, and opens doors for the future,
so I will focus on a recent one. I don't
think you can underestimate the importance
of after 240+ years, we have
a very visible and inspiring U.S. Cabinet
Secretary. Pete Buttigieg as the
U.S. Secretary of Transportation is a
role model and a media figure who is
poised for a bigger moment.
CablefaxDiversity.com
Jerry Daniello
SVP, Entertainment Brand
Solutions
Disney Advertising Sales
Daniello has supported and grown
with Disney for more than two decades,
and that's largely because he
was welcomed to every table with
open arms. " In my 22 years with Disney,
I have always been comfortable
being who I am, " he says. " Even in
challenging moments culturally, when
a person of diversity could feel unseen,
I have never felt I had to hide
or defend who I am in the workplace. "
He's embodied that spirit of inclusion
through the integration of Hulu and a
reimagining of Disney's branded integration
with ABC's " black-ish. " Daniello's
revving up now for the launch of
Disney+'s ad-supported tier, working
to pair advertisers with more than
300 characters and shows across the
streamer's portfolio to create thoughtful
marketing experiences.
Advice for allies on how to show up
for LGBTQ+ colleagues? Show support
in every interaction. Get in the
habit of offering your pronouns and
using inclusive language, like " spouse "
or " partner. " There are so many ways
to make space for LGBTQ+ people
in daily interactions. When someone
outside of the LGBTQ+ community
opens the conversation, it takes the
pressure off your colleagues to advocate
for themselves.
October 2022
Eric Dziedzic
VP, Diversity and Inclusion
Charter Communications
It's a challenge to find someone who
is leading and guiding Charter's corporate
culture more than Dziedzic.
He collaborated with colleagues in
Corporate Learning to develop Charter's
first inclusion training program, a
behavior-based education course that
received all five-star ratings from participants.
He also stepped up during
the pandemic to transform the Charter
Inclusion Talks initiative, and his
efforts led to a more than four-fold increase
in attendance. Dziedzic has felt
euphoric in recent days not about any
one instance of representation in media,
but the multiplication of fully dimensional
LGBTQ+ main characters
across television. " In times like these,
it is more important than ever to show
the world that the LGBTQ+ community
exists in every dimension of life-in
every color, gender, ability and age, "
he says. " We're here, we always have
been... get used to it. "
What is the state of LGBTQ+ representation
in media? Positive representation
of the LGBTQ+ community
has been increasing steadily over the
years... But there is still work to do.
Many representations, while positive,
often have
stereotypical
character
traits and don't necessarily include
the breadth of diversity within the
LGBTQ+ community.
31
PRIDE
http://www.CablefaxDiversity.com
Cablefax The Magazine October 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cablefax The Magazine October 2022
