GLAAD's Network Responsibility Report Gives The CW, Showtime High Marks

CBS, History and TBS receive failing grade in annual study

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/30/2012 11:56:23 AM

Showtime received the highest grade from GLAAD's sixth annual Network Responsibility Report, with 46% of its programming during the 2011-12 season considered "LBGT-inclusive," a 9% increase from the previous year.

While Showtime came the closest, no network received a grade of "excellent" this year.

Leading the broadcast networks was The CW, for the third year in a row, with 29% of its programming LGBT-inclusive, although that was down 4% from last year. ABC improved by 4% to rank second among broadcast with 27%, while Fox dropped to 24%, falling to third.

Although NBC improved by 4% to 19%, it wasn't enough to get the network out of fourth. After receiving a passing grade for the first time since 2007 last year, CBS failed to make the grade this year, with only 8% of its programming LGBT-inclusive. It should be noted that NBC and CBS will premiere comedies that feature same-sex relationships next month in The New Normal and Partners, respectively.

ABC Family's programming dropped from 55% last year (the most of any network), to 34% for the 2011-12 season, putting it in a tie for second overall with FX and TNT. HBO was right behind with 33% of its programming LBGT-inclusive. Rounding out the rest of the cable side was MTV (23%), TLC (20%) and USA (17%).

TBS, for the fourth year in a row (5%), and History (3%) also received a failing grade from the GLAAD study.

GLAAD's annual study measures the quantity, quality and diversity of images of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals on TV, among the five broadcast networks and top 10 cable nets.