CBS partners with NAACP to produce TV shows, sets 25% of budget for diverse creators

CBS is looking beyond Hollywood for its next big ideas. 

In the wake of protests over the death of George Floyd and a national conversation about race, CBS Television Studios Wednesday announced  a multi-year partnership with civil rights organization NAACP to produce scripted, unscripted and documentary programs for the CBS network, CBS All Access streaming service and to sell to other channels and streamers. 

Together, CBS and the NAACP will establish a team to acquire, develop and produce TV content, with a focus on "premium content that expands the number of diverse voices contributing to an ever-evolving society, and by telling inclusive stories that increase the visibility and impact of Black artists in a growing media landscape," the studio said.

“In this moment of national awakening, the time has never been better to further tell stories of the African American experience,” said Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, in a statement.  “Programming and content have the power to shape perspectives and drive conversations around critical issues. This partnership with CBS allows us to bring compelling and important content to a broad audience.”

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On Monday, the network also promised that 25% of its script development budget will be directed specifically to projects created or co-created by Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). The network also announced a goal to staff its shows' writers’ rooms with a minimum of 40% BIPOC representation beginning with the 2021-2022 TV season, with the goal  of increasing that number to 50% the following year. CBS also said it will hire additional BIPOC writers on some CBS series for the upcoming 2020-2021 broadcast season. 

CBS has been criticized in the past for a lack of diversity in front of and behind the camera on its TV series, including in the fall 2016 season, when its five new fall series were led by white men and white executive producers. 

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