Cablefax The Magazine October 2022 - 35

Howard Lee
Marc Leonard
President, TLC Streaming
and Network Originals
Warner Bros. Discovery
With Lee at the helm, TLC has soared
as the top ad-supported cable network
with W25-54 and W18-49. The network
struck success with standout
freshman
series like " 90 Day Fiancé: Love
in Paradise, The Caribbean " and " You,
Me & My Ex " and growing returning
series including " Dr. Pimple Popper. "
He takes pride in the underrepresented
stories TLC highlights, and it's powerful
when viewers are able to see themselves
reflected in the network's talent
lineup. " At the DC Pride Parade, it was
incredibly to see our diverse TLC talent
including Randy Fenoli from 'Say Yes
to the Dress,' Whitney Way Thore from
'My Big Fat Fabulous Life' and Shauna
Rae with her family from 'I am Shauna
Rae' as well as so many LGBTQ+ TLC
employees and allies, " he says. " I was
proud to see everyone all together to
celebrate love with the broader community. "
Favorite
media milestone in LGBTQ+
history? In honor of Pride Month this
past year, we premiered " The Book
of Queer, " which celebrates and recognizes
the incredible history of
the
LGBTQ+ community. There are so
many important moments and this series
helps shed light on some interesting
facts and figures. It is vital to give
diverse communities a voice.
CablefaxDiversity.com
SVP, Head of Content &
Marketing
Fuse Media
Leonard is positioning Fuse as a
future-first content company, collaborating
with his team to position
new subscription streamer Fuse+
as a space curated by and created
for younger audiences seeking content
inclusive of individuals from all
backgrounds. That offering includes
series like " Shine True " that place a
spotlight on non-binary and trans individuals
on their journeys of self-reflection.
While there are many more
examples of queer characters across
TV and film, Leonard believes it is still
important to recognize the misrepresentation
that still shows up far too often.
" The answer differs dramatically
depending on your sexual or gender
identity, so while for example cis white
gay men enjoy greater authentic representation
than probably ever before,
we have a very long way to go with
most other members of the LGBTQ+
community, " he says.
How does your company encourage
employees to bring their true
selves to work? Ensuring team members
at all levels are heard and able
to express themselves in a safe and
equitable environment. We offer open
meetings, and collaborate creatively
to allow people of all identities to contribute
their distinct points of view.
October 2022
Kevin Martinez
VP, Corporate Citizenship
ESPN
Martinez is the leader of all things
volunteerism and corporate giving at
the beloved sports media company,
growing its support for the V Foundation
for Cancer Research around two
tentpole events: December's V Week
and the ESPYS Week in July. During
this past V Week, Martinez embraced
ESPN's storytelling capabilities to
spread the word about the decline in
overall funding for cancer research.
His efforts were well met, resulting
in 21.6 million coverage views across
news and online publications, and
ESPN raised a record-breaking $11
million to support the V Foundation.
He's also dedicated his time serving
members of diverse populations while
championing LGBTQ+ issues in the
workplace. Martinez launched ESPN's
Return to Play Fund last year to offer
grants to organizations dedicated to
removing barriers of entry to sports
for children of marginalized and underrepresented
communities.
35
PRIDE
http://www.CablefaxDiversity.com
Cablefax The Magazine October 2022

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