In order to be more inclusive, the television network American Broadcasting Company, better known as ABC, is choosing to decline scripts for new programs because they are not diverse enough. This past week Dana Walden, the chairman of entertainment for Walt Disney Television, the parent company of ABC, stated, "For the first time we received some incredibly well-written scripts that did not satisfy our standards in terms of inclusion.” These scripts were rejected because they either did not include a diverse cast or it was not written by people from underrepresented groups.

Last year, ABC released a list of new inclusion standards for future programs. The decision to have new standards came following the Black Lives Matter movement and the death of George Floyd. These new standards are for on and off-camera representation. There are four sections with five to six guidelines in each section. At least three of the guidelines in each section need to be followed for a show to get an opportunity to be greenlit by the network.

The first section pertains to on-screen representation. ABC is requesting that at least 50% of regular and recurring characters or actors must come from underrepresented groups. There should also be meaningful integration of underrepresented groups in the overall themes and narratives of the show’s premise. Section two circles around creative leadership. 50% of the producers, and writing staff or executive story editors must also come from diverse backgrounds. The first two sections guarantee that at least half of everyone acting or developing any given show has to be an underrepresented individual.

Section three is titled “below-the-line” and the guidelines state that half of the entire crew or key roles involved with the project should be underrepresented. The promotion of career progression for one underrepresented crew/team member should now be guaranteed. The last section focuses on industry access and career development.

ABC states that paid employment opportunities like internships should facilitate eligibility for underrepresented individuals. There should be training and skill development opportunities for those in internships as well. These last two sections assure that half of the entire behind-the-scenes employees have to come from diverse backgrounds and that there will be a significant amount of employment opportunities for those who come from underrepresented communities.

In addition to the standards list, ABC Executive Vice President of Development and Content Strategy, Simran Sethi, included a database of diverse and underrepresented employees. The database was included so future showrunners can find cast or crew members that fit the inclusion criteria easily. Sethi also attached a list of vendors that are owned by members of underrepresented groups to show support even outside the acting realm. This gives those who want to have their show on ABC a quick list of people that the network expressly suggests they should hire or work with moving forward.

According to Fox News, Walden admitted that ABC had passed on a high-quality script simply because the show centered around a white family that would have included a diverse cast of neighbors and friends. “Pass. That’s not going to get on the air anymore because that’s not what our audience wants,” Walden said during the panel discussion.